Pistons shooting their shot, reportedly going all-in for Monty Williams
The Detroit Pistons need to make a splash with the hiring their next head coach.
Former No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham missed most of the 2022-23 season due to injury and despite having the worst record in the NBA at 17-65, the Pistons didn't just miss out on the Victor Wembenyama sweepstakes -- they basically missed out on everything. Detroit won't be picking one, two, three or four in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft. The Pistons will be picking No. 5.
If Detroit wants to make serious leaps in 2023-24 and beyond, the Pistons need to nail Dwane Casey's replacement. On that note, it seems as if owner Tom Gores is willing to pull out all the stops in order to land a hands down home run hire for the Pistons: former Suns head coach Monty Williams.
"The Pistons are preparing to offer Williams in the range of $10 million per year, league sources said, which would put him among the league’s highest-paid coaches," Shams Charania and James L. Edwards III of the Athletic are reporting.. "Detroit has been hopeful over the past several weeks that Williams would consider accepting the job, sources added."
It initially seemed that Williams was going to take the year off from coaching after being fired by the Suns despite having a 194-115 record in four seasons with a trip to the NBA Finals and the 2022 NBA Coach of the Year award under his belt.
The Athletic is reporting that Detroit hasn't given up its pursuit of Williams, though, and it would make sense from all sides for the Pistons.
They have a young core that needs a jump start and Williams has been the NBA's winningest head coach since 2021.
If anyone can draw the potential out of Cunningham, 2022's No. 5 overall pick Jaden Ivey, big man Jalen Duren and whomever the Pistons bring in this offseason -- it would be Williams.
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