Monty Williams Coaching With a Servants Heart

[Yuma]

https://www.nba.com/sixers/news/monty-williams-coaching-servants-heart

@offset posted this in another thread. I thought it was very important. If you read this, you will get an idea why the Suns and Lakers are targeting this guy. Really good with young players.

 

[JerkFace]

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[Yuma]

I am getting fired up reading about this guy. I hope we do get him as a coach.

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

We also got fired up about Kokoskov being a bright new/old star from respectable coaching trees. Once spurned by Bud, we were ready...

 

[BC867]

I wouldn't use Koko to make a decision about Monty Williams.

In defense of the Suns Front Office (did I just say that?)
the Suns started last season with a much more experienced
roster, which fit Koko's uninspiring demeanor.

When they reversed it and had an overwhelming young team,
Koko's passive nature didn't fit.

It is another example that Sarver's micro-managing revealed
that he is a money man (banker) and not a basketball guru.

And he apparently has a short attention span. He hasn't
seemed to be able to project ahead in his decision making.
It has been all or nothing.

Three lead Point Guards or no lead Point Guards, for
example. Drafting two Power Forwards at the same
time and winding up starting Small Forwards there.

Sarver is like a moth. He is attracted to bright lights.
And just as annoying. With nothing positive to offer
except his banking experience.

 

[Hoop Head]

I decided to dig into Monty's past some just to get an idea of who he might bring with him if he is hired. What I learned looking at the assistant coaches he has is that he's also from the Larry Brown coaching tree, which is tied to Popovich, and it appears he had a loyal staff. 3 of his assistants served under him for all 5 years that he was the Pelicans coach. I wrote a little blurb on each of them below and if they're in the league currently I tried to note that. All of the names should link to their page on Basketball Reference.


Bryan Gates - Assistant Coach for 5 years under Monty. He started his NBA coaching career under Paul Westphal in 2009 in Sacramento.


Fred Vinson - Assistant Coach for 5 years under Monty. He got his start in 2009 under Mike Dunleavy in LA. He was let go when Monty was by the Pelicans but was rehired by the Pelicans for this last season where he serves as an assistant to Gentry.


Dave Hanners - Assistant Coach for 5 years under Monty. Has been in the NBA as an assistant coach since 2001 where he was Larry Brown's assistant coach in Philadelphia. He shared the bench with Igor on the 2004 World Champion Pistons under Larry Brown. I found that interesting but I'm sure some will consider that a negative. He followed Brown to the Knicks and Bobcats after he left the Pistons.


Randy Ayers - Assistant Coach for Monty's first 2 years, left and returned for his final year. Was not in the NBA during those off years, also got his start under Larry Brown in Philadelphia in 1999.


James Borrego - Assistant Coach for Monty's first 2 years in New Orleans. Left to be Jacque Vaughn's lead assistant when Vaughn coached the Magic in 2012-13 season. He served as the interim head coach for the Magic when Vaughn was fired during the 2014-15 season. He is currently the head coach of the Hornets.


Carlos Daniel - Assistant Coach & Player Development Coach - Spent 2 years under Monty, the final 2 in New Orleans. He has not been in the NBA since Monty was let go by the Pelicans.


Mike Malone - Monty's Assistant Coach in his first year as the Pelicans coach. He left after that to be Mark Jackson's assistant for 2 years before he became the head coach of the Kings and then the Nuggets, where he is currently their head coach.


Kevin Hanson - Assistant Coach for Monty's last season in New Orleans. He was let go and out of the NBA for 1 year but was rehired by Pelicans in 2016 and is currently an assistant on their staff under Gentry.

 

[elindholm]

So that's where we are now? The rich and powerful can just help themselves to their servants' vital organs? #MAGA

 

[RON_IN_OC]

I wouldn't use Koko to make a decision about Monty Williams.

In defense of the Suns Front Office (did I just say that?)
the Suns started last season with a much more experienced
roster, which fit Koko's uninspiring demeanor.

When they reversed it and had an overwhelming young team,
Koko's passive nature didn't fit.

It is another example that Sarver's micro-managing revealed
that he is a money man (banker) and not a basketball guru.

And he apparently has a short attention span. He hasn't
seemed to be able to project ahead in his decision making.
It has been all or nothing.

Three lead Point Guards or no lead Point Guards, for
example. Drafting two Power Forwards at the same
time and winding up starting Small Forwards there.

Sarver is like a moth. He is attracted to bright lights.
And just as annoying. With nothing positive to offer
except his banking experience.

If Sarver is just a money man, he's not doing a good job of making it...lol

Can't believe this, but I'll actually try to defend Sarver here:

In the same situation as the Cards and Wilks, I think Sarver thought he was doing right by the team with Koko and the roster of young and experienced players...but very quickly realized it wasn't working and probably knew it was going to need another overhaul at the end of the season. At the end of the day, he's spending a ton of money to try and get it right...He may be an cornholio owner, but he's not a cheap cornholio owner. (also see the new practice facility being built by him...)

...end of Sarver defense...

 

[Ronin]

If Sarver is just a money man, he's not doing a good job of making it...lol

Can't believe this, but I'll actually try to defend Sarver here:

In the same situation as the Cards and Wilks, I think Sarver thought he was doing right by the team with Koko and the roster of young and experienced players...but very quickly realized it wasn't working and probably knew it was going to need another overhaul at the end of the season. At the end of the day, he's spending a ton of money to try and get it right...He may be an ******* owner, but he's not a cheap ******* owner. (also see the new practice facility being built by him...)

...end of Sarver defense...

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[Finito]

Didn’t he suck in NO?

 

[Krangodnzr]

Didn’t he suck in NO?

Without context? Sort of.

 

[Mainstreet]

If Sarver is just a money man, he's not doing a good job of making it...lol

Can't believe this, but I'll actually try to defend Sarver here:

In the same situation as the Cards and Wilks, I think Sarver thought he was doing right by the team with Koko and the roster of young and experienced players...but very quickly realized it wasn't working and probably knew it was going to need another overhaul at the end of the season. At the end of the day, he's spending a ton of money to try and get it right...He may be an ******* owner, but he's not a cheap ******* owner. (also see the new practice facility being built by him...)

...end of Sarver defense...

I've termed it penny wise and pound foolish. Sarver has spent the money, however, it's not always investing on the front end for a top coach or GM.

Giving Monty Williams a five year contract makes me think there are some lessons learned.

 

[Finito]

Sarver spends money he’s not cheap what he is is a control freak. He won’t let a GM or coach do his job and he just ruins it. He thinks he’s the smartest guy in the room

 

[1Sun]

Didn’t he suck in NO?

He took a team like we have now and developed it into a 45-win playoff team. I'll take that.

 

[Hoop Head]

Didn’t he suck in NO?

He was hired to coach a team with Chris Paul as their centerpiece and he did a fine job in his first year, winning 46 games and landing the 7th seed. Paul asked out in the offseason and they dealt him and went into rebuild mode, the next season was the shortened lockout year and they went 21-45. They improved every year with him as their coach though, following that up with a 27-55 record, 34-48, and 45-37 in his last year to squeeze them into the 8th seed. That's when the Pelicans replaced him with Gentry, thinking he could get more from their team. Gentry hasn't really done better.

Monty joined the Thunder's staff as their lead assistant in the 2015-16 season, his first season after being let go by the Pelicans, but his wife was killed in a car accident in February 2016. Because of that he took time away and only returned to coaching this last season as the head assistant in Philadelphia. So he has been out of the league for a little while but he's jumped right back in and is ready to go. He's improved in every year as a coach, which is what we can use, with the exception of losing Chris Paul and going from a playoff team to a rebuild overnight. Damn near any coach would have lost double the amount of games had they been the Hornets/Pelicans coach at that time. It's how he bounced back that gave him a good rep as a coach for a rebuilding team like the Suns.


You can check out his Wiki page but it just gives the basics there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Williams

Like Krang said, without context you might say he sucks based on his overall record but with context he did a fine job in New Orleans, I think.

 

[JerkFace]

He was hired to coach a team with Chris Paul as their centerpiece and he did a fine job in his first year, winning 46 games and landing the 7th seed. Paul asked out in the offseason and they dealt him and went into rebuild mode, the next season was the shortened lockout year and they went 21-45. They improved every year with him as their coach though, following that up with a 27-55 record, 34-48, and 45-37 in his last year to squeeze them into the 8th seed. That's when the Pelicans replaced him with Gentry, thinking he could get more from their team. Gentry hasn't really done better.

Monty joined the Thunder's staff as their lead assistant in the 2015-16 season, his first season after being let go by the Pelicans, but his wife was killed in a car accident in February 2016. Because of that he took time away and only returned to coaching this last season as the head assistant in Philadelphia. So he has been out of the league for a little while but he's jumped right back in and is ready to go. He's improved in every year as a coach, which is what we can use, with the exception of losing Chris Paul and going from a playoff team to a rebuild overnight. Damn near any coach would have lost double the amount of games had they been the Hornets/Pelicans coach at that time. It's how he bounced back that gave him a good rep as a coach for a rebuilding team like the Suns.


You can check out his Wiki page but it just gives the basics there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Williams

Like Krang said, without context you might say he sucks based on his overall record but with context he did a fine job in New Orleans, I think.

Just to add on to Hoops Head’s summery, he also spent a couple years in the Spurs front office after his wife’s accident before returning to the bench. Getting an in person and front seat view of how the Spurs do things can only be a good thing.

 

[JCSunsfan]

He also was an assistant under coach K with USA Basketball.

 

[JCSunsfan]

He was hired to coach a team with Chris Paul as their centerpiece and he did a fine job in his first year, winning 46 games and landing the 7th seed. Paul asked out in the offseason and they dealt him and went into rebuild mode, the next season was the shortened lockout year and they went 21-45. They improved every year with him as their coach though, following that up with a 27-55 record, 34-48, and 45-37 in his last year to squeeze them into the 8th seed. That's when the Pelicans replaced him with Gentry, thinking he could get more from their team. Gentry hasn't really done better.

Monty joined the Thunder's staff as their lead assistant in the 2015-16 season, his first season after being let go by the Pelicans, but his wife was killed in a car accident in February 2016. Because of that he took time away and only returned to coaching this last season as the head assistant in Philadelphia. So he has been out of the league for a little while but he's jumped right back in and is ready to go. He's improved in every year as a coach, which is what we can use, with the exception of losing Chris Paul and going from a playoff team to a rebuild overnight. Damn near any coach would have lost double the amount of games had they been the Hornets/Pelicans coach at that time. It's how he bounced back that gave him a good rep as a coach for a rebuilding team like the Suns.


You can check out his Wiki page but it just gives the basics there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Williams

Like Krang said, without context you might say he sucks based on his overall record but with context he did a fine job in New Orleans, I think.

Those were also the years when the team (Pelicans, or was it Hornets then) was owned by the league and fairly directionless.

 

[Yuma]

He took a team like we have now and developed it into a 45-win playoff team. I'll take that.

Plus made the playoffs twice. He got knocked out in the first round each time, which lead the team to look for another coach. Williams has a record of building teams. If he gets us to the playoffs, at this point, that's a win for us!

 

[BC867]

Plus made the playoffs twice. He got knocked out in the first round each time, which lead the team to look for another coach. Williams has a record of building teams. If he gets us to the playoffs, at this point, that's a win for us!

And since Monty received a longer contract (for valid reasons), getting to
the playoffs is only the beginning.

Becoming a valid contender should be part of the goal. That will take time.

It looks like the foundation has f i n a l l y been set. 'Took only a decade.

 

[Yuma]

And since Monty received a longer contract (for valid reasons), getting to
the playoffs is only the beginning.

Becoming a valid contender should be part of the goal. That will take time.

It looks like the foundation has f i n a l l y been set. 'Took only a decade.

I think it was very early on Sarver dismissed help from Colangelo. That could have sped up the learning curve.

 

[JCSunsfan]

And since Monty received a longer contract (for valid reasons), getting to
the playoffs is only the beginning.

Becoming a valid contender should be part of the goal. That will take time.

It looks like the foundation has f i n a l l y been set. 'Took only a decade.

Baby steps. Baby steps.

 

[BC867]

Baby steps. Baby steps.

Could we do adolescent steps?

 

[Yuma]

Could we do adolescent steps?

What and walk into a pole while looking at our cell phone?