3 next NBA head coaches who should be fired after Jacque Vaughn

1. Monty Williams and the Pistons might not last

The Detroit Pistons are the worst team in basketball. The gap between them and the other NBA bottom-dwellers has decreased in recent weeks, but still, the Pistons are 8-46 at the All-Star break with little to show for it. Detroit was always rebuilding. This was never going to be a postseason kind of season. But, with Monty Williams in charge, we at least expected signs of growth.

Instead, watching the Pistons has been akin to watching your local middle school play. Cade Cunningham has gradually worked his way out of an early-season slump, and yes, there are flashes aplenty between Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, and Jalen Duren. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter when there is no consistency with the lineups or even a hint of actual planning from Williams. The Pistons are completely variable night-to-night — a live performance group unsure of who or what is about to happen moment to moment.

You thought Darvin Ham's lineup inconsistency was bad? Williams has used 26 different starting lineups to date. The Pistons have mixed and matched parts all season, without rhyme or reason. Ausar Thompson began the campaign as a destroyer of worlds on defense and a major component of the starting five. Naturally, the No. 5 overall pick ended up on the bench in favor of Isaiah Livers a few weeks later. Because why build momentum with your cornerstone prospect?

Many such decisions have plagued Williams' first season with Detroit. Clearly used to contenders with set lineups and bankable star-power, Williams has no idea how to handle the Pistons' unshakable youth. His leash is either too short or too long depending on the player — and too often, he's keeping the leash tight on key pieces (Thompson, Ivey) while letting the stopgap vets play through countless mistakes.

The Pistons losing a bunch of games is fine, but they're going about it the wrong way. Detroit is not building winning habits. Cunningham is often fighting an uphill battle due to the precarious lineups placed around him. For every sign of progress, there's a blatant unforced error on Williams' part. He is a respected and accomplished head coach in this league, and the Pistons backed up the Brink's truck to sign him. But, in the end, it's not a fit. The Pistons should probably move on before it irrevocably harms their future.