Monty Williams is expected to become the Pistons’ new head coach, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday night.
The deal is reported to be for six years and worth $78.5 million, and is expected to be finalized in the coming days. The agreement includes team options for a seventh and eighth season, and the total compensation could approach $100 million, including options and incentives, according to The Athletic.
The news comes after Williams and the Suns parted ways following five seasons in Phoenix. The coach was fired after the Suns lost in the second round of the 2023 NBA playoffs to the Nuggets.
Williams replaces Dwane Casey, who moved from the bench to Detroit’s front office after this past regular season.
Various NBA teams were reportedly interested in hiring Williams, including the Bucks and Raptors. Milwaukee has since hired Toronto assistant Adrian Griffin as its next head coach.
Williams is the winningest NBA coach since 2021. In his five seasons with the team, he posted a 194–115 regular-season record and a trip to the NBA Finals in 2021.
The Pistons finished last in the Eastern Conference this past season with a 17–65 record. It was the fourth season in a row in which Detroit finished in the bottom three in the conference.
