FILE – Head coach Monty Williams of the Phoenix Suns watches as his team plays the Denver Nuggets in the third,quarter during Game Two of the NBA Western Conference Semifinals at Ball Arena on May 01, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP
Ex-Suns coach Monty Williams is expected to be pursued by every NBA team with a coaching vacancy, including the Milwaukee Bucks, after his shocking dismissal by Phoenix, The Athletic reported Monday.
Williams is owed $21 million on the three remaining years of his contract with Phoenix, per the report. Williams is expected to take some time off with his family in the aftermath of Saturday’s ouster.
Williams was let go after the Suns lost in six games to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals.
The Bucks fired coach Mike Budenholzer May 4 in another stunning termination following Milwaukee’s ouster in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Williams and Budenholzer are two years removed from facing each other in the 2021 NBA Finals, won by the Bucks.
The Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons also are expected to vie for Williams’ services, per the report. However, the Pistons reportedly were interviewing three finalists last week, but that was before Williams was fired. The Raptors are replacing Nick Nurse, whom they fired last month.
The Suns reportedly are very interested in trying to lure Tyronn Lue from the Los Angeles Clippers.
Williams, 51, went 194-115 and won Coach of the Year in 2021-22. He led the Suns to the playoffs the past three seasons, going 27-19 in the postseason.
Williams also went 173-221 in five seasons as head coach of the New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans (2010-15).