Pistons break the bank to land Monty Williams

Monty Williams. Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Pistons break the bank to land former Coach of the Year Monty Williams

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 6/1/23

The Detroit Pistons have reportedly got their man but at an extremely steep price.

According to insiders Shams Charania and James L. Edwards of The Athletic, Monty Williams will be the next head coach of the Pistons, agreeing in principle to a lucrative six-year, $72 million contract.

Breaking: Monty Williams and the Detroit Pistons have agreed in principle on a six-year, $72 million deal for Williams to become the franchise’s new head coach, sources tell me and @JLEdwardsIII. The deal is expected to be finalized in the coming days.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 1, 2023

The deal will become official in "the coming days," per the report.

According to Evan Sidery of Forbes, Williams' contract will pay him $12.7 million annually, making him the highest-paid head coach in the NBA.

Landing the 2022 NBA Coach of the Year is a massive get for the Pistons, who need something to go their way. Despite finishing an NBA-worst 17-65, the Pistons slipped to fifth in the NBA Draft Lottery, meaning phenom Victor Wembanyama won't be joining former No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham in Detroit.

Before news broke of the Pistons' deal with Williams, reports indicated the team was going all-in on the former Phoenix Suns headman. Williams was largely successful in Phoenix, leading the Suns to a 194-115 record and an NBA Finals appearance over four seasons. However, following a second straight second-round exit for the Suns, falling to the No. 1 seed Denver Nuggets, the team decided to part ways with Williams.

Williams will be the Pistons' sixth head coach since 2013, replacing Dwane Casey, who resigned following the 2022-23 campaign. In five seasons under Casey, the Pistons went 121-263 and suffered a sweep in their only playoff appearance in 2018-19.

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