MONTY WILLIAMS MAKING $85M+ IN CONTRACT BUYOUTS 🤔

 

PISTONS FIRE COACH MONTY WILLIAMS AFTER ONE SESSION L, OWE HIM $65M

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 The Detroit Pistons on Wednesday fired coach Monty Williams after one season, absorbing the remaining $65 million on his contract.

New Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon, who was hired a month ago, had been meeting regularly with Williams about the franchise's future, but the decision to dismiss Williams was directed from the ownership level with Tom Gores, sources told ESPN.

Langdon delivered the news to Williams on Wednesday morning, sources said.

Gores and Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem had been advocates of dismissing Williams, sources said.

With the draft and free agency looming, it's an inopportune time for Langdon to conduct a coaching search. The Pistons recently agreed on terms to hire New Orleans Pelicans assistant Fred Vinson as a prominent assistant coach, sources said. Vinson had history with Williams and Langdon in New Orleans.

Gores lured Williams to Detroit with a historic six-year, $78 million contract after he was fired by the Phoenix Suns and tasked him with the Pistons' massive rebuild. Williams had planned to sit out the season after his wife was diagnosed with cancer but became taken with Gores' courtship and massive offer to coach Detroit. Williams had a strong relationship with ousted general manager Troy Weaver.

The Pistons tied an NBA record with a 28-game regular-season losing streak and finished with a league-worst 14-68 record.

The Pistons are 94-290 (.245) over the past five seasons, easily the worst in the league. Detroit was the third-youngest team in the league.

Detroit has the No. 5 pick in next Wednesday's NBA draft.

The Pistons start a coaching search as the two teams with openings -- the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers -- move closer to making decisions in their processes.

Williams reached the NBA Finals as coach of the Suns in 2021-22, completing a massive turnaround with a 64-18 regular-season record. Williams was 194-115 (.628) in four seasons with the Suns and was 173-221 (.439) in five seasons with the Pelicans that culminated with a playoff appearance.

ESPN Stats & Information contributed to this report.

- Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN

NBA LIKELY TO INVESTIGATE ALTERCATION BETWEEN PISTONS' 'ISAIAH STEWART, SUNS' DREW EUBANKS

USA TODAY Sports 

 NBA officials are expected to review details of an incident that led to Detroit Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart being cited for throwing a punch during an altercation with Phoenix Suns center Drew Eubanks before Wednesday's game between the two games.

Phoenix police Sgt. Phil Krynsky said Stewart and Eubanks argued in the parking tunnel of Footprint Arena as they arrived for the game. Krynsky said witnesses reported seeing Stewart, 22, punch Eubanks, 27, before the players were separated by security officials.

Stewart was arrested on an assault charge, cited and released, said Krynsky, who added Eubanks suffered a "minor injury."

Eubanks played in the game and scored six points and pulled down six rebounds in the Suns' 116-100 win. Stewart had been ruled out ahead of the game with an ankle injury.

"Just walking in and words were said and got sucker punched and security stepped in and that was it," Eubanks said before the game, The Arizona Republic reported.

The Suns issued a statement in support of Eubanks.

"The attack on Drew Eubanks was unprovoked, and acts of violence such as this are unacceptable," the team said. "We unequivocally support Drew, and will continue to work with local law enforcement and the NBA.