The Phoenix Suns are parting ways with head coach Monty Williams, reports claimed on Saturday. This is happening two years after reaching the NBA Finals and a year after he was the overwhelming choice as the coach of the year.
BREAKING: The Phoenix Suns dismissed coach Monty Williams, sources tell ESPN. Williams was a two-time NBA Coach of the Year in four seasons with Suns — including a trip to 2021 NBA Finals. Suns lost 6-game series to Nuggets in Western Semifinals. pic.twitter.com/bfMd6F1RJc
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 14, 2023
Close sources spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced the decision.
Williams had great success in his four regular seasons in Phoenix, winning 63% of his games, but he wasn’t that consistent in the playoffs especially after two straight years of Phoenix trailing by 30 points at halftime of elimination games at home.
The Suns had a 2-0 lead in the 2021 NBA Finals, only to lose in six games. They lost in the second round in each of the last two seasons, both times in an embarrassing home finale — last year to Dallas, this year to Denver.