Suns Part Ways With Monty Williams After Early Playoff Exit, per Report

After another second-round playoff exit, Phoenix is making a major change.

The Suns and coach Monty Williams are reportedly parting ways, according to a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The move comes following Phoenix’s second-round playoff exit against the Nuggets on Thursday. Williams has been the Suns coach since the 2018–19 season, reaching the playoffs in three of his four seasons at the helm and winning the NBA’s Coach of the Year award twice.

In total, he amassed a 194–115 record and led the team to the 2021 NBA finals, but failed to deliver the championship the organization coveted.

Breaking: The Phoenix Suns are parting ways with head coach Monty Williams, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. pic.twitter.com/DiqqOPdMak

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 14, 2023

Since 2021, Williams has been the winningest head coach in the league. But the Suns’ latest shortcomings in the playoffs—on the heels of executing a blockbuster midseason trade for Kevin Durant—resulted in the organization opting to change things up, starting with their coach. The decision to fire Williams came from new owner Mat Ishbia himself, according to Adrian Wojnarowksi.

The Suns will begin a coaching search for the first time since Williams took over in 2018. Charania indicates that Ishbia and GM James Jones will have an “aggressive” offseason as they look to assemble a team capable of winning a championship in Phoenix centered around Durant and Devin Booker.