The Pistons fired Monty Williams just one season after making him the highest-paid head coach in NBA history.
Detroit signed Williams to a massive six-year, $78 million deal last summer. The deal came with hopes that the veteran leader could expedite its rebuild as he did with the Suns from 2019-23.
With young stars like Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Jaden Ivey and Ausar Thompson, the Pistons had much higher aspirations than their result for the 2023-24 season. Detroit finished a league-worst 14-68, headlined by an NBA single-season record 28-game losing streak.
The decision to part ways with Williams was made at the ownership level, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported. Trajan Langdon, the Pistons’ new president of basketball, reportedly delivered the news to Williams on Wednesday.
With the 2024 NBA Draft just one week away and free agency right around the corner, Detroit is electing to bring in a new voice to maximize the potential of its promising core.
How much will the Pistons owe Williams after cutting his contract short? The Sporting News takes a closer look below.
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The Pistons will owe Williams $65 million after firing him one season into his six-year contract.
Williams’ six-year, $78 million deal made him the highest-paid coach in NBA history at the time. The current holder of that title goes to Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who signed a two-year, $35 million extension during the 2023-24 season.
Williams has now been fired twice in two years after being dismissed by the Suns after the 2022-23 season.
Williams reportedly intended to take a year off from coaching before the Pistons came knocking with the historic offer last offseason. He was said to have a “strong relationship” with former Detroit general manager Troy Weaver, who was also fired this offseason.
Now Williams will earn the bulk of his contract without working. The Pistons join the Lakers and Cavaliers as the three NBA teams searching for a new head coach.
Monty Williams head coaching record
Williams has 10 seasons of head coaching experience and seven years of assistant coaching experience in the NBA.
His first head coaching gig was with the New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans from 2010-15. He spent four years at the helm of the Suns from 2019-23, taking Phoenix from the basement of the league to the NBA Finals in just two seasons.
After the Suns failed to reach the Conference Finals in the two ensuing years from coming up short in the NBA Finals, Williams was fired.
He spent one season in Detroit before being fired again.
You can find his head coaching record below.
| Year | Team | Record | Result |
| 2010-11 | New Orleans Hornets | 46-36 | Lost in West First Round |
| 2011-12 | New Orleans Hornets | 21-45 | Missed Playoffs |
| 2012-13 | New Orleans Hornets | 27-55 | Missed Playoffs |
| 2013-14 | New Orleans Pelicans | 34-48 | Missed Playoffs |
| 2014-15 | New Orleans Pelicans | 45-37 | Lost in West First Round |
| 2019-20 | Phoenix Suns | 34-39 | Missed Playoffs |
| 2020-21 | Phoenix Suns | 51-21 | Lost in NBA Finals |
| 2021-22 | Phoenix Suns | 64-18 | Lost in West Semifinals |
| 2022-23 | Phoenix Suns | 45-37 | Lost in West Semifinals |
| 2023-24 | Detroit Pistons | 14-68 | Missed Playoffs |
| Overall | 381-404 |