A former Phoenix Suns star made it publicly known that the organization made the wrong move when they fired head coach Monty Williams.
The Phoenix Suns had a lot to deal with this season. There was the drama surrounding Jae Crowder and if he would or wouldn’t be traded. Chris Paul continued his age-related decline. DeAndre Ayton’s awkward relationship with the team continued, and superstar Devin Booker missed several weeks with an injury.
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That all came before the massive trade that brought future Hall-of-Famer Kevin Durant to the team in February. Yet, despite it all, head coach Monty Williams was able to keep things together and guide the team to a 45-37 record despite Durant also missing a good amount of time following the trade.
The Phoenix Suns sent the Los Angeles Clippers home in the opening round of the NBA playoffs and were looking impressive despite limited time to gain chemistry with Durant. However, against the Denver Nuggets, they fell short and were soundly beaten at home in Game 6 of their semifinal season.
Phoenix Suns record (’22-’23): 45-37
While it was a disappointing result, the Phoenix Suns have a huge upside heading into next season. However, that potential will have to be fulfilled with a different head coach after the team shockingly fired Williams a year removed from winning Coach of the Year honors and two years after a trip to the NBA Finals.
Many around the league were stunned by the move, and unsurprisingly, Monty Williams is seen as a leading candidate for several head coach openings around the league. One of the key players traded for Durant, Mikal Bridges, was confused by the decision and also thinks Williams will land on his feet.
During a recent appearance on “The Pivot” podcast, the player the Phoenix Suns took with the 10th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft was asked about Williams’ firing and was quite honest in his opinion on the situation.
“He’s going to get through it. He knows he’s a hell of a coach. He probably knows about the situation. Me personally, I say Monty is not the problem, but who am I? Monty’s not the problem, but he’s going to be great somewhere else. He’s going to get another chance and he’s going to be alright.”
– Mikal Bridges
Bridges took major leaps forward following the trade to Brooklyn Nets. Moving from 17.2 points per game to 26.1. He played four and half seasons with the Phoenix Suns and was a key part of the team’s ability to land Kevin Durant in February.