The Detroit Pistons set a new precedent after agreeing to terms with Monty Williams on a historic multi-year coaching contract. Monty has the attributes that Tom Gores and the Pistons front office sought out for to fill their head coaching vacancy. They were persistent in their pursuit for Williams, unwilling to take no for an answer. Tom Gores thinks Monty is more than capable of duplicating the success that rewarded him with 2022 NBA Coach of The Year Award.
Monty will look to bestow his touch upon another young core as he takes over the first chair, gracing the sidelines with a new voice, system, and brand of basketball to the Motor City. His offensive schemes helped catapult the Phoenix Suns into league supremacy, all while Devin Booker emerged into a perennial All-Star with All-NBA honors.
Coach Williams has shown a knack to take young guards to the next level in their development with his offensive philosophy. This should be intriguing with Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey already on the roster. Having multiple ball handlers with high IQ’s will help this young Pistons team thrive moving forward.
His approach systemically will shape a new beginning, none more obvious than on the offensive end, where the Detroit Pistons were one of the worst teams in the league last season, ranking at or near the bottom in nearly every category. When watching Monty’s team expect less dribbling, and substantially more ball movement, a staple of his preferred scheme.
So what is Monty Williams coaching philosophy?
Can it work with this Detroit Pistons team?
There is so many questions from the fanbase right now, hopefully this will answer some of them.
Detroit Pistons with Monty Williams: Read and react… shoot, pass, cut!
Monty has had the luxury of being coached up by some of the brightest minds the basketball world has ever seen. Choosing to soak up the knowledge like a sponge during his playing career, building the foundation and principles he utilizes now as a head coach. This allowed him to implement a “point five” offense based off reading and reacting to the defense.
In this system player’s are urged to either shoot, pass, or cut with-in .5 seconds. This style of play is built for decisive players who can read the floor. It’s a equal opportunity offense making it easy for a young team to buy in. It’s a quality brand of player-friendly basketball in which efficient offense is the outcome.
This forces defenses to scramble as they rotate to stay in front of the basketball as it moves. Oftentimes the results lead to assists due to miscommunications, or missed assignments as the ball swings from the strong to the weak side of the floor. A testament to this was the Suns assist numbers, and offensive rating once Monty took over there.
The Phoenix Suns ranked 28th in the league in offensive rating at 105.9 prior to Williams joining the organization. In just his first season he improved that category to 111.7 which placed 12th in the association respectively. The Detroit Pistons ironically ranked 28th last year in offensive rating, leaving Monty with the daunting task of duplicating his good deeds.
The assists also increased under Monty Williams his team averaged 27.2 assists per game, trending upward from the 23.9 the previous season. More assists accompanied by fewer turnovers catapulted the Suns to the 10th ranked scoring offense in the league in 2020. By 2021-22 ,the Suns were the number three offense in the league. The Detroit Pistons may not be a top ten scoring offense next year, however significant improvements will be noticeable.
Detroit Pistons: Monty Williams will lean on his young guards
Next to former number one pick Cade Cunningham will be last year’s All-Rookie selection Jaden Ivey. This young tandem is ready to compete and Williams will need them at their best. Both players have a unique skill set that separates them from the other. Cade is methodical and gets to his spots almost nonchalantly. Ivey on the other hand he’s simply electrifying with his explosive first step. The two make a interesting duo that fans can’t wait to get a glimpse of under Monty Williams.
Cade Cunningham’s IQ allows him to process the game quickly, making him an ideal fit for “read and react” action. The constant movement of the ball will free him up offensively. He’ll be able to attack off the catch exploiting close out defenders, scoring efficiently while adding to his assists total. Cade shot 48.2 percent from mid-range before being sidelined last season. Devin Booker for example shot 49.4 percent from mid-range, on over 300 attempts proving there’s plenty of room for that in Monty’s offense. Watch out this could bring a whole lot of problems for opposing teams, year three Cade is coming.
Another staple of Cade’s game is pick and roll basketball. Monty likes to run staggered screens with back picks involved in these sets. Cade’s a cerebral player, so he’ll thrive in this type of action, adding a different look than the high pick and roll fans saw before. The playbook will be wide open for the new found coaching staff and Cade will be an extension of them on the floor.
Ivey could benefit the most next season, Monty hasn’t had a player with his burst and court awareness on a roster until now. Ivey improved as a facilitator in his rookie season once the game slowed down for him. He’s lighting quick with an elite first step, coach Monty will want defenders to watch him on cuts. The opposition not knowing if Ivey is going to the ball or cutting back door opens a new dynamic to his game.
He’s a smart player, and making the right reads on and off the ball is the next step in his maturation process. Monty’s system is tailored for quick decision making, if Ivey sees daylight he’s at the rim. He’ll do damage catching the ball in scoring position, attacking quickly and drawing fouls. He’s poised to have a breakout second season and this system will help him achieve that goal.
The free flowing “point five” offense opens up scoring opportunities for all five players. This allows everyone to score more efficiently since everyone is a threat offensively. Cade and Ivey will both have the reins to operate and make things happen accordingly. Expect both guards to make significant leaps earning the trust of the new coaching staff. In a guard driven system having multiple ball handlers with high IQ’s will help this Pistons team thrive. Monty Williams will rely on his two young guards and they’ll be all in.