Pistons news: Another coach gone, Monty Williams still a possibility?

With the NBA Draft less than a month away, the Detroit Pistons still don’t have a head coach.

The process has been a slow one with several twists and turns, as the Pistons narrowed their choices to three finalists before a couple of surprising possibilities hit the market.

One of them was Nick Nurse, who was let go by Toronto in a somewhat surprising move. He has just been hired by the Philadelphia 76ers, which leaves the Detroit as one of three teams still looking for a coach.

One of them is Nurse’s former team and the other is the Phoenix Suns, who fired Monty Williams, a two-time Coach of the Year winner who had them in the NBA Finals just two seasons ago.

Detroit didn’t wait long to pounce, reportedly offering Williams big payday to come to Detroit and help finish their rebuild. Williams turned Detroit down, not a great look, but the Pistons have not given up just yet.

Pistons news: Another coach gone, Monty Williams still a possibility?

After a second interview with owner Tom Gores, it was starting to look like the job was Kevin Ollie’s to lose, and he fanned the flames with a cryptic IG post that seemed to indicate he was opening a new “chapter” in his life. Many interpreted this to mean he was going to be the next head coach of the Detroit Pistons.

But according to insider Marc Stein (SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED), it may not be a done deal.

"“Both Ollie and Lee were scheduled to interview this week for a second time with Pistons owner Tom Gores…after Monty Williams’ apparent pass on what league sources have described to me as a big-money offer from Detroit. It has also been suggested to me that the Pistons may not have abandoned all hope that Williams could reconsider.”"

So we may have our answer as to why it is taking the Pistons so long to make a choice. Many have theorized that Monty Williams may take a year off from coaching, but if he decides to come back, his options are now limited to just Detroit and Toronto, which gives the Pistons a fighting chance to land him if Williams decides to coach.

If all of this waiting eventually leads to Detroit getting their first choice, then it will have been worth it, but with the NBA Draft coming up soon, the Pistons can’t wait around forever.

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