Detroit Pistons fired head coach Monty Williams

Following a dismal inaugural season, Detroit Pistons dismissed head coach Monty Williams on Wednesday, according to Yahoo Sports. Just before noon, the team formally confirmed their departure. After just one season, in which they finished with an NBA-worst 14-68 record.

According to AP News, “Decisions like these are difficult to make, and I want to thank Monty for his hard work and dedication,” Pistons owner Tom Gores said in a statement. “Coaching has many dynamic challenges that emerge during a season and Monty always handled those with grace. However, after reviewing our performance carefully and assessing our current position as an organization, we will chart a new course moving forward.”

Last season was the first year of Williams' six-year, $78.5 million deal, the biggest ever given to an NBA coach. When the season finished, the franchise began a front office overhaul, involving the hire of Trajan Langdon as president of basketball operations, the resignation of general manager Troy Weaver, and the current vacancy at head coach.

Williams' termination comes off a bizarre stretch of events. In 2021, he guided the Suns to the NBA Finals, where they led 2-0 before losing in six games to Milwaukee. In 2022, he was overwhelmingly voted NBA coach of the year. In 2023, the Suns sacked him, and in 2024, the Pistons did the same.

Detroit Pistons played playoffs in 2019

The record for the overall sum of a coaching deal has already been broken; Miami signed Erik Spoelstra to an eight-year agreement worth $120 million earlier this year. Detroit Pistons had a disastrous season. They began 2-1 and did not win a game for the following two months. 

A 28-game losing streak, the most in a single season in NBA history and tied for the longest when several seasons are considered, ruined the season. The Pistons' greatest victory streak was two games (achieved three times), and the roster was continually changing.

Detroit employed 31 different players and 36 different starting lineups throughout the season, and they lost 39 games by double digits. The Pistons haven't won a postseason game since 2008, and they last entered the playoffs in 2019.