The Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA), who had their worst season ever, fired head coach Monty Williams despite having five years remaining on his contract.
On June 20, the Detroit organization officially announced Williams’ dismissal through a statement from team owner Tom Gores. Coach Williams signed the highest contract in NBA history with Detroit in June of last year for $78.5 million over six years, but he resigned midway through the season.
Detroit fell to the bottom of the NBA in the 2023-24 season. They suffered a record 28 consecutive losses in a single NBA season, finishing with a record of 14 wins and 68 losses (a 0.171 winning percentage).
Detroit’s 68 losses are second-worst after the 72 losses recorded by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2015-16 season. Additionally, they had 39 double-digit losses. Coach Williams has a career record of 381 wins and 404 losses while leading the New Orleans Pelicans (2010-2015), Phoenix Suns (2019-2023), and Detroit (2023-2024). He won the NBA Coach of the Year award in 2022 but left Phoenix and Detroit before completing his contract terms.