The Detroit Pistons have hired Monty Williams as their next head coach, inking him to a monster contract, which had NBA Twitter buzzing in a big way.
Last week, there was a report that the Detroit Pistons offered former Suns head coach Monty Williams a substantial offer, but the nine-year coaching veteran rebuffed their offer. Whether Detroit upped the ante with another proposal or Williams had a change of heart, he’s not turning the team down any more.
On Wednesday night, the Pistons and Monty Williams agreed to a six-year, $72 million contract for him to become the next head coach in Detroit, a monster deal for a head coach.
The news was first reported by Shams Charania and James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.
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
Williams, who has a career .522 win percentage in the NBA and made the NBA Finals in 2021 with the Suns, who fired him after this past season when Phoenix was eliminated in the West Semifinals, now takes over a Pistons team that has been rebuilding but has laid foundational pieces into the roster with guys like Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey.
Best memes and tweets from NBA Twitter after Pistons hire Monty Williams
Between celebrating the hire for Detroit, celebrating Williams for getting the bag, or just firing off jokes, NBA Twitter was all the way in its bag reacting to the hire for the Pistons.
Monty Williams got $72 million to coach a young core with minimal pressure, he won.
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) June 1, 2023
Going from Kevin Ollie to Monty Williams in a 72 hour span pic.twitter.com/C7UyUfHS2q
— Kobe Bufkin Connoisseur (@UMvsEveryone) June 1, 2023
Monty Williams out here getting an old-CBA Emeka Okafor with the Bobcats deal. That Richard Jefferson stays in New Jersey money. https://t.co/zy279909Iu
— Dan Devine (@YourManDevine) June 1, 2023
Troy: Kevin Ollie?
— Ku (@KuKhahil) June 1, 2023
Gores: no
Troy: Charles Lee?
Gores: no
Troy: Ollie?
Gores: no.
Troy: okay. Monty Williams?
Gores: pic.twitter.com/ugtrFQ5uwk
A Landry Shamet for Monty Williams trade now works money-wise
— sreekar (@sreekyshooter) June 1, 2023
Holy crap, the Pistons really got Monty. Kudos to Gores for opening up the wallet, that's a giant contract.
— Isaac (@WorldofIsaac) June 1, 2023
Lotta really good coaches going to be looking sideways at their ownership after Monty's deal lol
— Anthony F. Irwin (@AnthonyIrwinLA) June 1, 2023
(Obviously good for him, and happy to see Detroit commit like this to their guy)
MONTY WILLIAMS
— nick (@nsitto2) June 1, 2023
CADE CUNNINGHAM
JADEN IVEY
JALEN DUREN
5TH PICK pic.twitter.com/fDPO6VAX1a
Monty Williams will be the Pistons 4th-highest paid player. (A tremendous commitment from ownership to pay a coach like this)
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) June 1, 2023
Williams has been a head coach for nine total seasons in the NBA, five in New Orleans and four more recently with the Suns. While he does have four losing seasons under his watch, he won at least 45 games in each of the last three years with Phoenix and more than 50 games in back-to-back years prior to this past season.
More importantly, though, Williams is clearly getting the trust of ownership and the front office with the Pistons and should be in a great spot. Detroit has a strong young core that will only get stronger after adding the No. 5 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and Williams has long been known as a great talent developer.
He appears to be the right man for the job. And judging by the money the Pistons gave Williams, they believe as much too.