5 highest-paid coaches in NBA history
By Sam Penix
2. Monty Williams, Detroit Pistons — 6 years, $78.5 million
Williams' deal pays him over $13 million per season, a mark that stood as the all-time record for about one month. He got his start in 2005-06 as an assistant for the Portland Trail Blazers and was hired as the head coach of the New Orleans Hornets in 2009-10. He led New Orleans to two playoff appearances in five seasons, but the team was unable to make their way out of the first round in both years.
Following his exit from Louisiana, Williams spent one year as the associate head coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder, but in February of 2016, his wife tragically passed away, and Williams spent the next two seasons away coaching while serving as vice president of basketball operations for the San Antonio Spurs.
He returned to coaching as an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2018-19 and then was hired as the head coach by the Phoenix Suns the next season. He won 62.8 percent of his games in Phoenix and led the Suns to the NBA Finals in 2020-21. He had signed a contract extension in 2022, but less than a year later was fired.