Monty Williams Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pistons Notes: Williams, Weaver, No. 5 Pick, Assistants

June 9th, 2023 at 10:35pm CST by Rory Maher

One factor in why Monty Williams ultimately decided to coach the Pistons is because he has “great respect and belief” in general manager Troy Weaver‘s ability to evaluate and recruit talent, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic reports in his latest mailbag.

Edwards was responding to a reader’s question regarding how much input Williams will have on the roster this offseason. In short, Edwards writes that while Williams’ opinion will be taken into account, Weaver will have final say on personnel decisions.

Edwards also hears Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson — twin brothers who are ranked Nos. 4 and 5 on ESPN’s big board — were spotted in Detroit last week, so it’s safe to assume they were there working out for the Pistons, who don’t publicly disclose who they’re hosting during the pre-draft process. Still, Edwards downplays the significance of their attendance, as the Pistons will certainly be working out several other potential top-10 picks — they currently control the fifth pick.

Here’s more on the Pistons:

Within the same mailbag, Edwards says he has been consistently told that owner Tom Gores is willing to be a taxpayer if and when the time comes. Edwards also thinks the Pistons would be open to trading the fifth pick if the right opportunity arises.
A couple of legendary former college coaches, Mike Krzyzewski and Jim Boeheim, previously worked with Williams on Team USA. Both spoke glowingly of their former colleague, according to Mike Curtis of The Detroit News (subscriber link). “Monty and I are very special friends,” Krzyzewski told Curtis. “I love him and I think the world of him. He’s an outstanding coach and he’s an outstanding person. His ability to relate to the players was just fantastic. His knowledge of the game — he’s just a good teacher and he’s a team player. He’s very humble, not about him. It’s about what the team is doing, and I think the world of him. He helped me so much during that time.” Krzyzewski is now a special adviser in the NBA’s league office.
“Several” Suns assistant coaches, including Mark Bryant, are expected to join Williams’ staff in Detroit, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Dan Burke, a longtime assistant with the Pacers who has been with the Sixers the past three seasons, is also expected to join the Pistons, sources tell Fischer.

Central Notes: Williams, Gueye, Pacers, Bucks

June 9th, 2023 at 3:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

After signing the most lucrative head coaching contract in NBA history, new Pistons head coach Monty Williams has his work cut out for him in reshaping the rebuilding team. Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required) unpacks five big issues regarding the club’s current personnel that Williams must tackle.

Most pressing among these questions is how Williams will use 2021 No. 1 draft pick Cade Cunningham, who missed most of his sophomore NBA season with a shin injury. Sankofa also wonders how Williams will balance Cunningham’s touches with the looks afforded 2023 All-Rookie Second Teamer Jaden Ivey, how the club’s new coach will juggle his frontcourt, and more.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

The Pacers continue to search far and wide for intriguing young prospects. Today, the team is hosting Washington State forward Mouhamed Gueye for an individual workout, per Pacers.com. Indiana possesses five draft picks this year, including three first-round selections, beginning at No. 7. The team also announced that it will work out two shooting guards, G League Ignite’s Mojave King and the New Zealand Breakers’ Rayan Rupert, on Saturday.
Because the Pacers have so many selections in this year’s draft and team president Kevin Pritchard assumes he will trade some of them, the team is making sure to assess all levels of prospects to prepare itself for a variety of different scenarios, according to The Indianapolis Star. Many of the young players who have auditioned for Indiana thus far have enjoyed the experience. “When you can get guys like this in the gym that are competitive and good guys, iron sharpens iron,” UCLA point guard Tyger Campbell said. “You’re going to leave this place better than you were when you came in.”
New Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin continues to build out his staff. A source informs Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link) that Griffin is bringing in Raptors assistant coach Nate Mitchell and Pistons assistant coach DJ Bakker to help fill out his bench. Nehm reveals that Griffin also intends to keep former Mike Budenholzer assistant Josh Oppenheimer. Nehm adds (via Twitter) that another former Budenholzer assistant, Vin Baker, will also return to the fold under Griffin.

Stephen Silas Agrees To Join Pistons As Assistant Coach

June 5th, 2023 at 10:23am CST by Arthur Hill

Stephen Silas will become the top assistant to Monty Williams with the Pistons, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Silas had served in the same role with the Mavericks, Hornets and Warriors before being hired as the Rockets’ head coach in 2020.

Silas compiled a 59-177 record with Houston, which switched into rebuilding mode when James Harden requested a trade early in Silas’ first season. The Rockets dismissed Silas in April, turning down a team option on the final year of his contract.

Silas had been rumored as a strong candidate to join Joe Mazzulla‘s staff with the Celtics and made an appearance at a first-round playoff game in Boston. Word leaked on Sunday that the Celtics will hire Sam Cassell as an assistant, which may have affected Silas’ decision.

In Detroit, Silas will join a young team similar to the one he left in Houston. The Pistons have been stockpiling young talent, and they hold the No. 5 pick in this year’s draft. Like the Rockets, they are hoping to move out of the rebuilding stage and contend for a play-in spot next season.

Pistons Hire Monty Williams As Head Coach

June 2nd, 2023 at 7:13pm CST by Arthur Hill

JUNE 2: In a lengthy press release, the Pistons announced that Williams is officially the team’s new head coach. The Pistons also described how the agreement came to pass.

“I couldn’t be more proud to have Monty joining us at this important time to lead us into the next decade of our future,” said Gores. “He embodies all of the qualities we want in a leader for our Pistons franchise, and most importantly a teacher and mentor for our players. He will have an impact on every aspect of our franchise, on and off the court.

“After spending some time with Monty, it’s clear that he’s found a unique balance between achieving victory at the highest level while at the same time nurturing a culture of growth, development and inspiration. I’m beyond excited. This is a huge win for us.”

MAY 31: Monty Williams has reached an agreement to become the next head coach of the Pistons, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. The former Suns coach will receive a six-year contract and the deal is expected to be finalized within a few days, sources tell Charania.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports Williams’ salary as $78.5MM, which makes it the largest coaching contract in league history (Twitter link).

The agreement also includes two additional team option years and could reach $100MM with incentives, according to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo. Owner Tom Gores was heavily involved in the recruitment of Williams, Goodwill adds, as was general manager Troy Weaver, who worked with Williams in Oklahoma City.

Williams rejected Detroit’s initial interest and had planned to take a year off before coaching again. However, Gores remained in contact with Williams and was able to get him to reconsider, Goodwill writes. The team prepared an offer and negotiations began over the weekend, sources tell Goodwill, adding that Gores and Williams held their first meeting Sunday night in Los Angeles.

The Pistons began an interview process shortly after Dwane Casey resigned to take a management role after the regular season ended. Former Overtime Elite head coach Kevin Ollie, Bucks assistant Charles Lee, and Pelicans assistant Jarron Collins were reported as the three finalists for the position way back on April 21, but the Pistons waited to see if a more experienced coach would become available.

With a young roster highlighted by former overall No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham, the Pistons are hoping that Williams can transform them the same way he turned around Phoenix after arriving in 2019. Williams took the Suns to the NBA Finals in 2021 and compiled a 194-115 record in four seasons, but new owner Mat Ishbia opted to make a coaching change after a second straight disappointing playoff exit.

Central Notes: M. Williams, Pistons, Bucks, Pacers

June 2nd, 2023 at 12:48pm CST by Luke Adams

If Monty Williams hadn’t accepted an extremely lucrative offer to become the Pistons‘ new head coach, the team likely would’ve ended up deciding between Kevin Ollie and Charles Lee. According to reporting from Shams Charania and James L. Edwards III of The Athletic and Omari Sankofa of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required), the Pistons met again with Ollie last Thursday and Lee on Friday before convening on Saturday to discuss their options.

Team sources who spoke to The Athletic said that both Ollie and Lee impressed the franchise “in different ways,” but the Pistons decided to circle back to Williams once more after he had rebuffed their initial advances.

Following Saturday’s meeting between Pistons ownership and management, team owner Tom Gores sent a private plane to pick up Williams in Phoenix on Sunday and flew him to Gores’ home in California. One day later, on Memorial Day, the Pistons made a formal offer to Williams, who agreed to the “fundamentals of the terms” but took a couple more days to weigh his decision before deciding on Wednesday to accept Detroit’s offer.

Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic takes a look at what the Pistons are getting in Williams, writing that the veteran coach will demand accountability in Detroit and is capable of building and nurturing a positive culture like he did in Phoenix.

Here’s more from around the Central:

There’s plenty to like about the Bucks‘ decision to hire Adrian Griffin as their new head coach, according to Lori Nickel of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who views Griffin’s extensive and varied experience as both a player and a coach as a good sign that he’ll be able to connect with players of all skill levels and backgrounds.
In a mailbag for The Athletic, Eric Nehm considers the Bucks‘ next moves with Khris Middleton (player option for 2023/24) and Brook Lopez (UFA). As Nehm points out, Milwaukee’s cap situation would make it difficult to find suitable replacements for Middleton and/or Lopez if they’re not brought back, but the team may still have some leverage in contract talks with the duo if cap-room teams don’t prioritize the Bucks’ vets.
Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star breaks down the pros and cons of some of the players who could be available for the Pacers with the No. 7 overall pick, including Cam Whitmore, Ausar Thompson, Taylor Hendricks, and Anthony Black.
After wrapping up his college career at Iowa this spring, Connor McCaffery – the son of Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery – is taking what he refers to as an “entry-level” job with the Pacers, per Chad Leistikow of The Des Moines Register. “I’ll play dummy defense, run the scout team, help coaches on film stuff, help on video projects if they need, scouting reports if they need,” the 24-year-old said. “It’s kind of all-hands on deck, whatever you’re asked to do, be ready to do it.”

Pacific Notes: Williams, Lakers Free Agency, Clippers Draft, Vezenkov

June 1st, 2023 at 1:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Many owners around the league may not be happy about Monty Williams’ record-breaking contract to coach the Pistons, but Suns owner Mat Ishbia should be pleased. Since there was an offset provision in Williams’ contract, the Suns no longer owe him any money, John Gambadoro of 98.7 FM Phoenix tweets.

The Suns owed Williams approximately $21MM for the remaining three years on his deal but the Pistons are paying him far more than that, having reportedly agreed on a six-year, $78.5MM contract.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Bruce Brown, Torrey Craig, Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Okogie, Max Strus and Yuta Watanabe are some of the wing options the Lakers might explore with their non-taxpayer mid-level exception, Jovan Buha of The Athletic opines in his latest mailbag. Buha delves into a number of topics, including the possibility of LeBron James choosing to retire.
If the Clippers retain their draft picks (No. 30 overall in the first round, No. 48 in the second round), they’ll likely use one of them on a power forward that they can develop, according to Law Murray of The Athletic. The organization hasn’t drafted a true power forward in the first round since 2016.
EuroLeague Most Valuable Player Sasha Vezenkov, whose NBA rights are held by the Kings, says he’s ready for new challenges, as Sportando relays. In a Bulgarian TV interview, Vezenkov said, “Nobody knows what will happen in a few years, so I will decide how to proceed when the time comes. We agreed that it would be best to finish the season and then talk. We’ll see if they have a specific offer and what I will decide. I’m ready for new challenges, but as I’ve said before, Athens and Olympiacos are my home and I feel great.” Vezenkov has buyout language in his Olympiacos contract if he wants to sign with Sacramento.

Pistons Notes: Walker, Miller, Williams, Draft Pick Trades

May 31st, 2023 at 7:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

Houston’s Jarace Walker appears to be the most likely draft choice for the Pistons, but the possibility of Alabama’s Brandon Miller sliding to No. 5 shouldn’t be dismissed, Mike Curtis of The Detroit News writes in a mailbag column. Miller is currently expected to be taken second or third, but unanswered questions about his connection to a fatal shooting in January continue to hang over him. He reportedly brought a legal brief from his attorneys to the draft combine that explained why he couldn’t go into detail about the case.

If the Hornets opt for Scoot Henderson at No. 2, Curtis views the Trail Blazers‘ pick as unpredictable due to rumors that they’re seeking to trade it for veteran help. The Rockets would also have to pass on Miller at No. 4, and while Curtis admits the scenario seems unlikely, he says it’s possible that Miller could continue to slip if teams are concerned about his legal issues.

If Detroit does wind up with Walker, Curtis sees it as a smooth fit for an organization that hopes to rebuild around defense. Walker is considered one of the strongest front court defenders in the draft, and he’s versatile enough to handle either forward position and maybe even see time as a small-ball center. Curtis notes that Walker has exhibited some promise as a play-maker as well.

There’s more from Detroit:

A report earlier today indicated that the Pistons are willing to give Monty Williams $10MM per year to become their next head coach, and Marc Stein states in an email that the offers he has heard are $50MM over five years or $60MM over six years. Stein adds that owner Tom Gores‘ recent meetings with finalists Charles Lee and Kevin Ollie came after Williams turned down the team’s first offer. The Pistons view Williams as a perfect choice to establish the culture for a young roster, according to Stein.
There’s a wide variance in opinions on prospects after the top three, so the Pistons’ best move might be to trade back and pick up more draft assets, state James L. Edwards III and John Hollinger of The Athletic. The authors view the Thunder, Jazz and Wizards as teams that might have interest in moving up to No. 5.
Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required) also considers possible trades with the fifth pick, suggesting that it might be used in a package to get Jaylen Brown from the Celtics or Dejounte Murray from the Hawks.

Pistons Continue To Pursue Monty Williams

May 31st, 2023 at 11:39am CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons remain in heavy pursuit of Monty Williams for their head coaching position, according to Shams Charania and James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.

Detroit has been hopeful since Williams was dismissed by Phoenix that he’d consider accepting the Pistons’ job and is preparing an offer in the neighborhood of $10MM per year for the veteran coach, league sources tell Charania and Edwards.

Marc Stein has been on top of this story, reporting last week that the Pistons’ efforts to hire Williams with a “big-money” offer had thus far been unsuccessful, then following up a few days later to say that the team may not have given up on the idea of landing Williams.

When Williams was let go by Phoenix, he still had $20MM+ left on his contract with the team, so there was a sense that he wouldn’t be in any rush to take another head coaching job this offseason. He told interested teams, including the Pistons and Bucks, that he was leaning toward taking a year off, per Charania and Edwards. However, the Pistons appear to be doing all they can to convince him to change his plans.

Reports earlier in May indicated that Detroit had narrowed its head coaching search to Bucks assistant Charles Lee, former Overtime Elite head coach Kevin Ollie, and Pelicans assistant Jarron Collins, but those three candidates have been referred to as finalists for weeks, with little indication that the club was nearing a decision.

If Williams ultimately decides to turn down the Pistons’ pitch, Lee is expected to be the team’s next choice, sources tell The Athletic. Lee and Ollie have both met twice with team owner Tom Gores and general manager Troy Weaver and remain in contention to replace Dwane Casey on Detroit’s bench, according to Charania and Edwards.

Stein’s Latest: Irving, Russell, Wizards, M. Williams, Raptors

May 28th, 2023 at 8:58am CST by Arthur Hill

If the Lakers opt to pursue Kyrie Irving in free agency, the Mavericks wouldn’t be interested in taking back free agent guard D’Angelo Russell as the primary player in a sign-and-trade deal, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack column.

There hasn’t been any concrete information that trying to sign Irving is part of the Lakers’ offseason plans, Stein adds, but there’s plenty of speculation that LeBron James would like to reunite with his former Cavaliers teammate. L.A. was heavily rumored as a possible destination for Irving when he considered opting out of his contract last summer and again when he asked the Nets for a trade in February.

James’ retirement talk after being swept by Denver is widely seen as a message to the Lakers’ front office that a roster upgrade is needed, but Stein isn’t convinced that they’ll be active on the free agent market. He states that the team’s preferred plan is to reach new deals with two of its own free agents, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura. It’s less certain that L.A. wants to keep Russell after his disastrous performance in the Western Conference Finals, Stein adds.

The Mavericks appear committed to keeping Irving after paying a high price to acquire him from Brooklyn, according to Stein. A report last weekend indicated that a “handshake deal” may already be in place for Irving to remain in Dallas.

Stein passes along more inside information:

Teams around the league are expecting new Wizards president Michael Winger to be aggressive in trying to reshape the roster this summer, but Bradley Beal‘s no-trade clause may complicate his plans. Stein points out that Beal has four seasons left on his five-year, $251MM contract and can’t be sent to any other team unless he agrees to the deal. Stein also wonders how the front office change will affect Kristaps Porzingis, who reportedly began extension talks in March.
Kevin Ollie and Charles Lee were set for second interviews this week for the Pistons‘ head coaching vacancy, but Stein hears that the team hasn’t given up on its pursuit of Monty Williams. The former Suns head coach reportedly turned down a “big-money” offer from Detroit, but some members of the organization are hoping he might reconsider.
A source tells Stein that Kings associate head coach Jordi Fernandez is a legitimate candidate to become the Raptors‘ new head coach.

Western Notes: Jazz Picks, Warriors, Bridges, Suns

May 26th, 2023 at 8:47pm CST by Rory Maher

The Jazz currently control the Nos. 9, 16 and 28 picks in the upcoming draft, though it isn’t certain they’ll actually retain all three first-rounders. A lead ball-handler is reportedly high on their list of targets.

With that in mind, Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune (subscriber link) lists six prospects the Jazz may be interested in with their lottery pick, including Arkansas guard Anthony Black, Kansas wing Gradey Dick, and UCF forward Taylor Hendricks. Walden concedes some of the players on his list may not be available at No. 9.

Here’s more from the West:

In another subscriber-only story for The Salt Lake Tribune, Walden examines eight prospects who might be a fit for the Jazz at No. 16. Some players mentioned: Keyonte George (Baylor), Kris Murray (Iowa) and Jalen Hood-Schifino (Indiana).
The Warriors are holding a draft workout on Friday featuring six prospects, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. The six are Julian Strawther (Gonzaga), Coleman Hawkins (Illinois), Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana), Kendric Davis (Memphis), Craig Porter Jr. (Wichita State) and Caleb Daniels (Villanova). According to ESPN’s list of the top 100 prospects, Jackson-Davis (No. 33) is the highest rated of the group, followed by Hawkins (No. 53) and Strawther (No. 55). Golden State currently controls one pick in the 2023 draft: No. 19.
Nets wing Mikal Bridges, who was traded to Brooklyn by the Suns as part of the Kevin Durant deal, recently said on The Pivot Podcast that his former head coach, Monty Williams, isn’t to blame for Phoenix’s playoff struggles the past two seasons. “He’s going to get through it,” Bridges said, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “He knows he’s a hell of a coach. He probably knows about the situation. Me personally, I say Monty is not the problem, but who am I?” As Rankin notes, Williams was fired after the season ended. “Monty’s not the problem, but he’s going to be great somewhere else,” Bridges continued. “He’s going to get another chance and he’s going to be alright.”