Detroit Pistons dismiss head coach Monty Williams, leaving them with a financial obligation of more than $65 million.
Here's the paraphrased version of the text:
The five-year contract, which was the biggest for an NBA coach at the time, still had years left, with the team accepting the over $65 million left on Williams’ contract. This information was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, though multiple outlets have since corroborated the news.
CNN has reached out to the Pistons to verify the details of the payout.
In a Wednesday statement, owner Tom Gores expressed, "Tough decisions like these are never easy, and I want to thank Monty for his tireless effort and dedication." He continued, "Coaching comes with a myriad of challenges that keep evolving throughout the season, and Monty always handled them with poise. After careful consideration of our performance and our present organizational position, we've decided to chart a fresh path."
Gores added, "I hold Monty in high regard as a coach and as a person, and I'm positive he'll thrive in his future opportunities." He concluded, "I extend my sincerest well-wishes to him and his family."
The Pistons unfortunately had the worst record in the league this past season at 14-68. They managed to halt their historic 28-game losing streak by defeating the Toronto Raptors 129-127 in December.
The young Pistons team finished third-youngest in the league this season and will pick fifth in the upcoming NBA Draft.
Having started the search for a new head coach immediately, according to the team statement, Williams previously coached the Phoenix Suns, achieving a 194-115 record in four seasons. He led the franchise to the 2020-21 NBA Finals, where they fell to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games, and won NBA's Coach of the Year in the 2021-22 season after the Suns racked up 64 regular-season wins.
Despite this success, Williams was fired in May 2023, just days after the Suns were ousted in the second round of the Western Conference Playoffs by the eventual champions, the Denver Nuggets.
Contributions to the reporting were made by CNN’s Jacob Lev and Homero De la Fuente.
