Report: Monty Williams got big money offer from 1 NBA team

Apr 19, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams reacts during the second quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans during game two of the first round for the 2022 NBA playoffs at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Monty Williams apparently turned down a bag from a team on the other side of the country.

Veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein wrote this week on Substack that the ex-Phoenix Suns head coach Williams got a “big money offer” from the Detroit Pistons to be their next coach. The offer apparently came after the Pistons lost in the NBA Draft Lottery. Stein adds though that the attempt to lure Williams was “unsuccessful.”

The Pistons had by far the worst record in the NBA this season (17-65) but only managed to land the No. 5 overall pick in next month’s draft. They do already have some exciting young pieces such as Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, James Wiseman, and Jalen Duren. But without the opportunity to add a Victor Wembanyama (or even a Scoot Henderson or a Brandon Miller for that matter) to the mix, it will be years before Detroit resembles anything remotely close to a playoff contender.

Admittedly, the Suns were only a 19-win team when Williams took over at the helm in 2019 and turned them into a championship-caliber team within a couple years. But it sounds like he does not want to start from scratch with another rebuild again. It seems more likely that Williams, if he decides to coach next season, would land with a more proven squad like this one.