Adrian WojnarowskiVerified account @WojYahooNBA 3m3 minutes ago New Orleans has fired coach Monty Williams, league sources tell Yahoo Sports. Adrian Wojnarowski @WojYahooNBA · 2m 2 minutes ago Stunning move for Pelicans, where GM Dell Demps has his way now. Williams improved each season as coach, led franchise to playoffs. Stunning
I'd call him immediately and see if he wants to work here as an assistant. He's far from perfect, but he's a youngish guy with good standing in the league.
In 2005, Williams won an NBA championship as a coaching staff intern with the San Antonio Spurs. In 2005, Williams was hired by new head coach Nate McMillan as an assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers.[3] On June 7, 2010, Williams was offered a three-year contract to be the head coach of the New Orleans Hornets.[4] As of the date hired, Williams became the youngest head coach in the NBA at 38 years old.[5] On August 18, 2012, Williams accepted a four-year contract extension from the New Orleans Pelicans (before Hornets).[6] On June 9, 2013, Williams accepted an assistant coach role with USA Basketball, along with Jim Boeheim and Tom Thibodeau, for the run to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Source Wikipedia.
It was well-known that they wanted to fire him...but didn't they tell him that his job is secure if he makes the playoffs? That's just not cool. From what I hear, players like him, but he's a guy that overworks his players and gets them to overachieve, which usually leads to them burning out.
Marc Stein @ESPNSteinLine · 30m 30 minutes ago Worth noting on Pels: Tom Thibodeau has strong relationship with Anthony Davis from Team USA days and has been pursued by New Orleans before
Ramona Shelburne @ramonashelburne · 46m 46 minutes ago Surprised to see Pelicans announce they'd parted ways w/ Monty Williams. Sense around the NBA was he'd saved his job by making playoffs Ramona Shelburne @ramonashelburne · 39m 39 minutes ago And to think it was only two weeks ago Pelicans owner Tom Benson sent a congratulatory note to Monty Williams & staff http://www.nola.com/pelicans/index.ssf/2015/04/tom_benson_sends_congratulator.html… I think so, too. The timing of all this is just strange. I have a feeling Tom's agent is negotiating his next landing spot when the inevitable divorce between the Bulls and Tom take place...
what a great situation for Thibs to go into tho...young, hungry, talented roster? kinda like what Kerr walked into...i expect the Pels to make a full run at him and would be surprised if he wasn't their main guy on opening night
Marc Stein ✔ @ESPNSteinLine If Pels do pursue Tom Thibodeau, they'll be at front of the line to pry him from Bulls. No one else offers chance to coach an Anthony Davis Marc Stein @ESPNSteinLine · 5m 5 minutes ago Eternal question in CHI remains: What will Bulls seek as compensation for last two years on Thibs deal? Or can they hash out mutual parting?
Yup. The only reason the Pelicans would do this is if they knew their next coach was on his way. This tells me either Thibs is on his way over there or they've got another coach lined up to take that position.
After locking in three members of his new coaching staff, Oklahoma City Thunder coach Billy Donovan is pursuing an ambitious list of ex-NBA head coaches and assistant coaches for the two most prominent roles on his bench, league sources told Yahoo Sports. Donovan has a targeted interest in several potential candidates, including ex-New Orleans Pelicans coach Monty Williams, Chicago Bulls assistant Andy Greer and Portland Trail Blazers assistant Nate Tibbetts, league sources said. Read rest at link: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/source...y-williams--top-assistants-214127454-nba.html This is what we should be doing; constructing a coaching staff that is made up of top assistants. I mean, we all see the difference Kerr brought to Golden State with implementing a new offensive scheme. We should be targeting Williams...
He's not a great coach, but is a good one who's respected by his players and his team has gotten better while he's been there. Didn't deserve to be fired. Will be a mistake unless they get Thibs and an offensive assistant. One article I read stated he and the GM didn't get along and there were some personnel decisions they didn't see eye to eye on. If that's the case, wait till you get a load of Thibs because he had the same issues in Chicago.
Marc Stein✔@ESPNSteinLine ESPN latest on Pelicans being granted permission to interview Golden State's Alvin Gentry for coaching vacancy --> http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/12909869/new-orleans-pelicans-granted-alvin-gentry-interview-ok… Interesting development. I've always seen Gentry as a better assistant offensive guru than head coach. He deserves an interview, though. Very solid coaching credentials...
Alvin Gentry has an amazing basketball mind for offense. Wherever he goes, the offense improves dramatically.
