Head coach Monty Williams of the Phoenix Suns watches as his team plays the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter during Game Five of the NBA Western Conference Semifinals at Ball Arena on May 09, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP
The Phoenix Suns fired head coach Monty Williams on Saturday night after four seasons, two years removed from an appearance in the NBA Finals, ESPN and The Athletic reported.
Williams went 194-115 and won Coach of the Year in 2021-22. He led the Suns to the playoffs the last three seasons, going 27-19 in the postseason.
New owner Mats Ishbia made the decision to fire Williams after the Suns lost to the Denver Nuggets in six games in the Western Conference semifinals.
Williams joins Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer in the unemployment line, meaning both coaches from the 2021 NBA Finals are out of a job. Budenholzer was the 2019 Coach of the Year.