It’s official. Monty Williams has found a new job, now coaching for the Detroit Pistons. Former head coach Dwayne Casey announced in April that he wouldn’t be returning for the 2023-2024 season and rather be moving into the front office.
The Pistons announced the signing on May 31st, through NBA media mogul Adrian Wojnarowski. Williams had recently been fired by the Phoenix Suns, for their disappointing second-round playoff exit, despite winning Coach of the Year just the previous season.
Breaking: Monty Williams and the Detroit Pistons have agreed on a six-year, $78.5M deal to make him the franchise’s new head coach, sources tell @wojespn.
It’s the largest coaching deal in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/nx6QyxGNZb
— ESPN (@espn) June 1, 2023
Monty Williams as an athlete, played just 9 seasons in the NBA so it is understandable that he didn’t exactly make the most of his fortune at that time, but after spending 5 years as the Head Coach of the New Orleans Pelicans and 4 years with the Phoenix Suns, Williams has amassed a respectable net worth of $9 million as reported by Celebrity Net Worth. However, that figure stands before Williams signed his new contract with the Pistons, which is a six-year $78.5 million meaning about $13 million per year.
Monty Williams is now the highest-paid head coach in the NBA
Yes, it’s true. Not Phil Jackson or Red Auerbach or even Steve Kerr. After signing his new deal with the Pistons, Williams made history by receiving the largest coaching deal ever.
While he may not have the tenure of a coach such as the Spurs‘ Greg Popovich, Williams has proven himself an able coach, winning the Coach of the Year award in 2022. Therefore considering the Pistons are a franchise with deep pockets, it seems deserved that Williams be offered such a contract.
However, Williams must work with a much more depleted roster, at least talent-wise when comparing the Detroit Pistons and his former team, the Phoenix Suns. The Pistons’ roster consists of their star for the future Cade Cunningham and recent draft pick Jaden Ivey. They also recently traded for James Wiseman from the Golden State Warriors.
Besides those three there are not many other notable stars on the Pistons’ roster. They will be hoping to draft one in this year’s 2023 NBA Draft with the No. 5 overall pick for the second year in succession now.
Detroit Pistons had the worst record in the NBA last season.
They were just awarded the No. 5 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery. pic.twitter.com/ipgCD885Ib
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) May 17, 2023
Nevertheless, Williams has quite the task on his hands to bring this Detroit team up to par and even try to finish the 2023-2024 season with a winning record. It seems improbable as they just held the worst record in the league but stranger things have happened.
Williams can only hope that Cunningham and Ivey take huge leaps in their third and second year respectively, as well as have role players such as Wiseman and Bagley step up into the star roles that were predicted for them when they were drafted.