Warriors Star Criticizes Detroit Pistons After Recent Move
The Detroit Pistons have actively been making major moves during the 2024 offseason ahead of the NBA Draft. After hiring a President of Basketball Operations, inevitable changes were made.
The first order of business in Detroit following the hiring of Trajan Langdon was cutting ties with the General Manager, Troy Weaver. The second was parting ways with the head coach, Monty Williams.
The decision to move on from Weaver came rather quickly. As for Williams, it seemed he would get another chance to steer the ship for another season after getting hired last summer. However, after further discussion between the front office and the team’s ownership, the Pistons ultimately decided that a fresh start was needed.
Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green has some thoughts on Detroit’s latest move.
“They hired him for an all-time contract in NBA history and fired him the next year. They didn't even give him a chance to actually build what they thought he could build when they hired him for six years,” Green said on his podcast. “You sign someone to a six-year contract, you can't possibly think that in year one, everything will change. You need time to instill culture. Culture isn't built overnight."
Last year, Monty Williams inked a six-year deal with the Pistons following his four-season run with the Phoenix Suns. Just one year into his record-setting deal, Williams was shown the door.
Granted, the struggling Pistons regressed after a disappointing season, but Green’s point isn’t off-base. The Pistons struggled a lot before Williams got there, and they’ll likely continue to do so in his absence, considering the roster construction needs a lot of work.
The head coach entered a losing situation, and wasn’t given much time to see it through. Despite losing his position after one year, Green congratulated him anyway.
“Congratulations to Monty Williams on getting fired by the Detroit Pistons after just one season," the forward stated. "He gets to go home, be with his family, and still pull in $65 million over the next five years while not coaching the Pistons. How crazy is that?”
What’s next for Williams? It’s too early to tell. If the Pistons made this call earlier in the offseason, he might’ve garnered interest from another team. Perhaps, he’ll consider a year off after contemplating one while he was in between jobs.
Meanwhile, the Pistons are on the hunt for Williams’ replacement. Although they have a handful of candidates on the radar already, Detroit won’t rush their next hire.
JUSTIN GRASSO