Sports

Should the Lakers pursue Monty Williams for their next head coach?

The Lakers previously pursued Monty Williams as head coach. After his firing in Detroit, should they go after him again?

The Pistons surprised some on Wednesday by parting ways with head coach Monty Williams. Based on performance, it was a no-brainer decision as the Pistons were the worst team in the league last season, highlighted by a 28-game losing streak.

The surprise came because Williams signed an enormous contract worth over $75 million across six years just last summer. To offer some perspective, the Pistons will be paying Williams more to not coach their team next season than the Lakers offered Hurley to be their coach just weeks ago.

Now, after writing the headline to this piece, admittedly, I debated offering up a more concise answer to the question, but I do think there is some context that is important to this discussion.

Years ago, prior to landing on Frank Vogel, the Lakers strongly pursued Monty Williams. Ultimately, that pursuit ended when Williams chose the Suns over the purple and gold, and then eventually led them to the NBA Finals.

Most of the front office that pursued Williams in 2019 is still in place for the Lakers in 2024. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to think they might have some interest in Williams.

And, in the moment, Williams was seen as a scapegoat when he was fired by the Suns after turning them into one of the winningest teams in the league. When Williams left Phoenix, it certainly sounded like he was ready to step away from coaching for a bit before the Pistons’ Godfather offer came in.

So, a lot has changed since the Lakers last pursued him. It wouldn’t be a surprise now if Williams wants to spend time away from basketball, especially when he’s going to be paid tens of millions of dollars to do so.

The Lakers also seem like a team ready to hire JJ Redick as the next head coach. Their process has been ongoing for months now is near the final stages, presumably. Bringing in an entirely new candidate, especially as you’re now facing competition for the candidates you’re considering, could be a risky move.

If Williams was interested in coaching, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him mentioned as an assistant coach option for the Lakers. He served as an assistant a number of times in his career and even after being a head coach in New Orleans. If Redick needs a staff with head coach experience, Williams would meet that requirement at least.

Ultimately, I do not think the Lakers should go after Williams as head coach, nor do I think they will. If you’re upending your months-long coaching search for a candidate, it’s for a can’t-miss one. That is not Williams. Adding him as an assistant coach could make sense, but I’d be surprised if he was open to that.

Related Posts

COMPLETE Super Rugby Pacific 2025 squads: Reds add Crusaders back, Suli, Petaia and young gun leave as all 11 lineups confirmed

Wallabies Suliasi Vunivalu and Jordan Petaia as well as young backline prospect Floyd Aubrey have left the Queensland Reds as the squads for all 11 clubs were confirmed…

Springboks show champion qualities as Cheslin Kolbe scores twice to beat England and pile more pressure on Steve Borthwick

The Springboks showed their world champion qualities to withstand a competitive England performance and take a 29-20 victory at Allianz Stadium on Saturday. It increases the pressure on…

Darcy Graham equals try record as Scotland post dominant win over Portugal

Winger Darcy Graham equalled the record for the most tries for Scotland as they ran in a total of nine in a dominant 59-21 victory over Portugal in…

‘Whirlwind’, ‘not ideal’: Why Suaalii was benched and Schmidt is more nervous about Wales clash than England

Aweek after naming Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in the midfield for his run-on Test, Joe Schmidt pulled yet another surprise by shifting the new Wallabies star to the bench. The…

France edge the All Blacks in Paris thriller as Scott Robertson’s side lose unbeaten tour record

France handed Scott Robertson his first defeat in six as they made it three successive victories over the All Blacks following a 30-29 success in Paris. In another…

Springboks’ Erasmus hails ‘special’ Kolbe after England try double

South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus paid tribute to the s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 and composure of Cheslin Kolbe after the wing scored two tries in the world champions’ 29-20 win over…