The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly just one of at least three teams that will make a serious push to hire former Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams.
Without a doubt, the Phoenix Suns’ Game 6 loss to the Denver Nuggets last week was not the way the organization was hoping for their season to end. When you have a pair of the best scorers on the planet in Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, more is expected than reaching the semifinals of the NBA playoffs.
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However, their failure, while disappointing can be excused. After trading for Durant in February, the future Hall-of-Famer missed over a month of time during two injury stints, which severely hampered the chemistry needed to win in the playoffs.
In the second round, they also lost to the team that was far and away the best in the West all season and that has a top-three talent on their roster. Furthermore, for a pivotal Game 6, they were without starters Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul.
Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors, and Detroit Pistons are interested in Monty Williams
Nevertheless, the front office and new owner Matt Ishbia shocked the NBA world by firing Monty Williams on Sunday, just a year removed from winning the NBA Coach of the Year award. However, the now-former Phoenix Suns head coach may not be without work for long, and the East’s one-seed Milwaukee Bucks could soon come calling.
On Monday, The Athletic’s NBA insider Shams Charania reported that “League sources tell me the Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, and Toronto Raptors will pursue and inquire about possibilities with Williams.”
The Bucks fired Mike Budenholzer after five seasons following a stunning first-round elimination in the quarterfinals against the Miami Heat. The Raptors cut ties with Nick Nurse also after five seasons after a postseason run that ended with a loss in the NBA Play-In tournament. Dwane Casey stepped down to take a different role with the Pistons after five mostly losing seasons.
Monty Williams’ record as a head coach is 367-336 over four seasons with the Suns.