In the end, the Detroit Pistons got their man after all.
It just took over a month and one of the largest coaching contracts in NBA history to get it done.
The Athletic reported on Wednesday night that Monty Williams, the 2022 NBA Coach of the Year with the Phoenix Suns, agreed in principle to become the Pistons next coach. The deal is reportedly worth $72 million over six years with options and incentives for seven and eight years that could raise the value of the deal to $100 million.
Williams $12 million annual salary makes him the highest paid coach in the NBA. It’s a lot of money, but it’s also billionaire owner Tom Gores’ money. Don’t be the person who clutches their pearls about this. Gores paid up so the Pistons could get their man — that’s what matters.
We dove into some of the details of the search and Williams’ candidacy earlier today when reports surfaced that the Pistons were putting together something of a Godfather offer for him. You can catch up on that here.
Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports reports that the Pistons’ persistence, specifically that of GM Troy Weaver and Gores, was among the reasons for Williams’ to put off a gap year.
The relationship between Pistons general manager Troy Weaver and Williams goes back to Williams’ time in Oklahoma City, and Gores kept in contact with Williams over the past few days, as Williams began to reconsider coaching next season.
The Pistons initially made overtures to Williams, but Williams seemed unsure about coaching this season and looked to take the year off.
The relationship between Pistons general manager Troy Weaver and Williams goes back to Williams’ time in Oklahoma City, and Gores kept in contact with Williams over the past few days, as Williams began to reconsider coaching next season.
It was then that the Pistons started to feel more optimistic and prepared their first offer for Williams; things began to move quickly after that, with the parameters of a deal being discussed over the weekend.
“We kept the conversation warm,” a source said.
This is obviously a developing story, and we’ll keep you covered. In the meantime, let us know where you land on Williams in the comments!