The Detroit Pistons have found their new head coach, offering Monty Williams a record-setting contract that left the NBA world buzzing Wednesday night.
The Athletic‘s Shams Charania reported that the Pistons have reached an agreement with the former Phoenix Suns coach. Reported terms of the deal surprised many observers, at six years for $72 million.
And the deal could reach eight years and $100 million depending on incentives and team options.
To put that in perspective, the San Antonio Spurs legendary Gregg Popovich earned the highest salary among head coaches last season, at $11.5 million. Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, a four-time NBA champion, was second at $9.5 million.
Breaking: Monty Williams and the Detroit Pistons have agreed in principle on a six-year, $72 million deal for Williams to become the franchise’s new head coach, sources tell me and @JLEdwardsIII. The deal is expected to be finalized in the coming days.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 1, 2023
That’s a hefty payday for an NBA coach with a .522 winning percentage (367-336) in nine NBA seasons. The 51-year-old Williams had a great run in four years with the Phoenix Suns, leading the team to the 2021 NBA Finals and winning NBA Coach of the Year honors the following season.
But Phoenix fell flat in the playoffs the past two seasons — the Suns trailed by 30 points at halftime of elimination games at home both seasons — and the team fired Williams on May 13.
NBA fans generally agreed the Pistons are getting a good leader in Williams, although the huge contract came as a shock to many people.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich earned $11.5M in the 2022-23 season, the highest by any NBA head coach.
Monty Williams will make $12M per year as the new head coach of the Pistons 🤑 pic.twitter.com/CE2DFPJXMW
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 1, 2023
Pistons' highest salaries next season:
Bojan Bogdanovic $20m
Marvin Bagley $12.5m
James Wiseman $12m
Monty Williams $12m— Justin Phan (@jphanned) June 1, 2023
Sometimes you have to overpay if you’re a market like Detroit to get one of the top coaches in the league. He’s a good coach and he’ll set a culture for them which is what’s needed, but yes it is a slight overpay. Phoenix still owes Monty 21 Million so W Monty
— IKD (@ESPNneedsIKD) June 1, 2023
Bro is getting 72 million to coach a team with no expectations
He won
— Bucketsquad (@BucketSQD) June 1, 2023
“If I am going there, my children’s children’s children better not have to worry about a thing”
— OddsJam.com (@OddsJam) June 1, 2023
PHX did him a favor. He got a giant bag of money and at least a 4 year runway to build the team.
— OFFICIALTRPE.com (@OfficialTrpe) June 1, 2023
perfect spot for him, they gonna give him time to build his culture, no big pressure to win right away
— The Cuffster (@Cuffy__) June 1, 2023
[Shams Charania, The Athletic]
