Monty Williams 'Blindsided' by Dismissal

Former Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams had no clue the Detroit Pistons were looking to fire him.

Apr 5, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Detroit Pistons head coach Monty Williams watches during the first half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

After just one season at his new spot, former Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams again finds himself on the open market after the Detroit Pistons fired him today.

Williams - a former NBA Coach of the Year - was "blindsided" by the move according to ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski.

"Monty Williams was certainly blindsided today by the timing of his dismissal. He had been in meetings with their new president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon for weeks preparing for next season. They hired a new assistant coach recently in Fred Vinson and listen, they are just one week away from the draft but this was a decision made at the ownership level with Tom Gores in Detroit, the same man who gave Monty Williams - and recruited Monty Williams - with that six-year, nearly $80 million deal last season after he left Phoenix," Wojnarowski said on ESPN earlier today.

"This is an organization at the very top levels that simply couldn't get past the 14-win season and the 28-game losing streak but they have really put themselves far behind in this coaching search [and] put Trajan Langdon, their new president, in a very difficult position to start a coaching search. A week from the draft, about 10 days from the start of free agency, and certainly for the Pistons, they hit the reset button at the coaching position. And again, they owe Monty Williams over $65 million to go away."

As Wojnarowski alluded to, the Pistons won just 14 games last season and never really showed signs of improvement with Williams at the helm.

Williams was fired from Phoenix at the end of the 2022-23 and was replaced by Frank Vogel, who was recently sent packing by the Suns after just one season in charge.