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The reports come three weeks after the Pistons
identified three finalists for their vacancy -- Kevin Ollie,
Jarron Collins and Charles Lee. But then Williams was fired by
Phoenix.
Williams reportedly was owed $21 million on the three remaining
years of his contract with the Suns. Further, he previously told
teams -- including the Pistons -- that he was going to take a
year off with his family in the aftermath of his surprising
ouster in Phoenix.
The Pistons are replacing Dwane Casey, who stepped down last
month after five seasons as head coach. Detroit went 17-65 in
2022-23, the worst record in the NBA, but wound up with the
fifth overall pick after the draft lottery.
Williams, 51, went 194-115 in four seasons with the Suns and won
Coach of the Year honors in 2021-22.
He led the Suns to the playoffs the last 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).
Lee, 38, was the second choice in Detroit, according to The
Athletic. He has been an assistant coach under Mike Budenholzer
with Atlanta and Milwaukee for the past nine seasons.
Budenholzer was fired by the Bucks early this month.
Ollie, 50, was the head coach at UConn from 2012-13 to 2017-18,
leading the Huskies to a national title in 2013-14 but exiting
with the stain of NCAA violations. Most recently, he was working
in basketball development for Overtime Elite, a fledgling league
for young players.
--Field Level Media
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