Monty Williams Fired (Hired by Detroit)

[Phrazbit]

Monty didn't have issues with players in New Orleans. He and Del Demps, their GM, didn't see eye to eye. Monty was told "Playoffs or you're out" and he got them the 8th seed, where they were swept by Golden State, and they still fired him. It was viewed as a dumb and bad move by New Orleans. It wasn't a player issue.

His biggest issue here was Ayton and look what happened there. I don't think anyone can blame Monty for Ayton's lack of development. You need to care to develop and Ayton only cares about his Xbox and being snowed in. Dude couldn't even buy a proper mattress for 7-8 months in Portland.

His beef with Crowder didn't do us any favors either, and that one I've never heard any explanation for. The issues with Ayton were self evident, but Crowder has been lauded as a real pro everywhere he's been.

I hope that someone eventually spills the beans on what happened in the 2022 playoffs that fractured the team so bad. My best guess is that at halftime of game 6 vs Dallas Crowder went nuclear on Ayton and Monty just sat back and watched... or ineptly tried to intervene, leading to Crowder lighting him up too.

Also... Crowder was the only one who was still going all out, diving on the floor, scrapping for loose balls, during the total melt down in game 7.

 

[Hoop Head]

His beef with Crowder didn't do us any favors either, and that one I've never heard any explanation for. The issues with Ayton were self evident, but Crowder has been lauded as a real pro everywhere he's been.

I hope that someone eventually spills the beans on what happened in the 2022 playoffs that fractured the team so bad. My best guess is that at halftime of game 6 vs Dallas Crowder went nuclear on Ayton and Monty just sat back and watched... or ineptly tried to intervene, leading to Crowder lighting him up too.

Also... Crowder was the only one who was still going all out, diving on the floor, scrapping for loose balls, during the total melt down in game 7.

I think Crowder stood up for Ayton when Monty laid into him, leading to issues. I can see Monty thinking Jae spoke out of turn.

I think we'll get the full story as soon as either Jae or CP3 retires.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Monty didn't have issues with players in New Orleans. He and Del Demps, their GM, didn't see eye to eye. Monty was told "Playoffs or you're out" and he got them the 8th seed, where they were swept by Golden State, and they still fired him. It was viewed as a dumb and bad move by New Orleans. It wasn't a player issue.

His biggest issue here was Ayton and look what happened there. I don't think anyone can blame Monty for Ayton's lack of development. You need to care to develop and Ayton only cares about his Xbox and being snowed in. Dude couldn't even buy a proper mattress for 7-8 months in Portland.

I don't know that issues with players had any bearing on his firing in New Orleans but he'd absolutely had issues with multiple players there. And with the exception of his clashes with CP3, I believe those relationships went the same way as they did in Phoenix where he shut down interaction with Crowder and Ayton. If you weren't one of his guys, he just ignored you. By the time he was fired by NO, most of those guys he'd shut out were gone and it was thought that a playoff appearance would save his job. But that was in large part because AD was now their future and he got along great with Monty.

Every coach clashes with his players at one time or another, that's nothing new. And as far as I know, Monty got along very well with most of his players and might even have been better with players than most Head Coaches are. It was the manner in which he dealt with the players he didn't like that set off warning bells. And we saw it happen again in Phoenix (and then Detroit).

 

[Covert Rain]

At the end of the day it was Monty's responsibility to handle relationships with players. James Jones should have made sure it was happening.

 

[AzStevenCal]

At the end of the day it was Monty's responsibility to handle relationships with players. James Jones should have made sure it was happening.

Yes to the first sentence, maybe on the second sentence. You need to empower your leaders and give them room to work, it's always a tough call when to step in and override them. And almost no matter when you step in, some observers will rip you for waiting too long while others will be on your case for acting too soon.

 

[Yuma]

Yes to the first sentence, maybe on the second sentence. You need to empower your leaders and give them room to work, it's always a tough call when to step in and override them. And almost no matter when you step in, some observers will rip you for waiting too long while others will be on your case for acting too soon.

If players find out the GM is telling the coach what to do, it cuts the legs out from under the coach. Although Red Auerbach probably never had a problem doing this...

 

[Carolinacacti]

My guess is the twins and Payne where on Ayton’s side Book was the company man and Monty wanted him gone. The next year everyone is gone but Booker. Looked like Jones was upset at the results

 

[Yuma]

My guess is the twins and Payne where on Ayton’s side Book was the company man and Monty wanted him gone. The next year everyone is gone but Booker. Looked like Jones was upset at the results

I think that the idea was getting rid of the negatives, CP3, Shammet, Ayton, and actually get something in return. The KD thing with the Twins going out was its own thing. I really believe those situations were different.

 

[Carolinacacti]

I think that the idea was getting rid of the negatives, CP3, Shammet, Ayton, and actually get something in return. The KD thing with the Twins going out was its own thing. I really believe those situations were different.

You forgot Monty

 

[Covert Rain]

Yes to the first sentence, maybe on the second sentence. You need to empower your leaders and give them room to work, it's always a tough call when to step in and override them. And almost no matter when you step in, some observers will rip you for waiting too long while others will be on your case for acting too soon.

Empower yes but he has a responsibility to the health of the organization. Meaning he should have been at least talking to Monty about resolving it verses stepping in. Maybe he did. Monty to me carries most of the weight here than anybody else.

 

[Ronin]

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[TJ]

My guess is the twins and Payne where on Ayton’s side Book was the company man and Monty wanted him gone. The next year everyone is gone but Booker. Looked like Jones was upset at the results

Booker is the reason that the Suns don’t have Luka and have Durant. This team has bent over backwards for him. If we can’t win a natty with Durant and Beal, we need to have a very real conversation about trading Booker.

 

[Dan H]

Title needs to be edited.

 

[Fumats20]

If players find out the GM is telling the coach what to do, it cuts the legs out from under the coach. Although Red Auerbach probably never had a problem doing this...

But every boss has a boss.

Most bosses prefer not to have to step in but if you have to then you have too.

So there's always a chain of command but there is a time when leaders have to be removed. No one has absolute rule without answering to somebody.

It's certainly a delicate line to walk.

But Monty because he was older never listened to James....never..ever. it took the assistant coaches convincing monty when James was like pretty please. So James has no power. It's the owners who made decisions.