After finishing with a league-worst 17-65 record last season, the Detroit Pistons parted ways with Dwane Casey, and the team eventually appointed Monty Williams as the new head coach by giving him a six-year, $78.5 million contract.
Given his success with the Phoenix Suns before coming to the Motor City, including a trip to the NBA Finals in 2021, the hope is that he could inspire a turnaround with the talented young core that he has.
However, the Detroit Pistons aren’t any better than last year’s team given their 13-65 record. There have been rumors that his current contract might get bought out this summer, but according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Monty Williams is not quitting on the Detroit Pistons just yet.
“For now, at the bottom of the standings, there has been ongoing speculation among rival front offices about a potential change atop Detroit’s organizational chart following the Pistons’ strugglesome campaign,” wrote Fischer.
“At this juncture, according to one source with knowledge of the situation, there’s no expectation that Williams would be open to any buyout of his six-year, $78.5 million contract,” he concluded.
The Detroit Pistons can’t wait for the offseason
It has been another turbulent season for the Detroit Pistons, as their 2023-24 campaign was highlighted by their 28-game losing streak last December, the longest single-season losing streak in league history.
To be fair to the Detroit Pistons, they have their share of unlucky breaks. During a game against the New York Knicks, the referees gifted New York a victory when they didn’t call a clear foul on Donte DiVincenzo in the final moments, prompting a tirade from Monty Williams.
Against the Atlanta Hawks earlier this week, Malachi Flynn came out of nowhere and dropped a 50-piece, but the Detroit Pistons still came up short in the 121-113 defeat.
The Detroit Pistons have four more games against the Philadelphia 76ers, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, and San Antonio Spurs to wrap up their forgettable 2023-24 campaign.