Is Monty Williams the end or beginning for MBIII and Wiseman?

The Detroit Pistons set off their offseason with a splash, hiring head coach Monty Williams and making him the richest coach in league history.

Williams has the type of experience the Pistons were looking for, as he has taken rebuilding teams from the cellar to the NBA Finals and has a reputation not only as a strong X’s and O’s coach but one that builds relationships with players.

But it hasn’t all been roses and puppy dogs, as Williams had some very public arguments with center Deandre Ayton over the last two seasons, mostly because of the big man’s effort on the defensive end and boards.

Williams’ offense also needs big men who aren’t black holes in the post, as his sets rely on ball movement on the perimeter and quick decisions.

When looking at these factors, it’s clear that there are a couple of big men who could be doomed to the bench under Williams, or could find new life with an experienced head coach and staff who know how to get the most out of centers.

Detroit Pistons: Is Monty Williams the end or beginning for MBIII and Wiseman?

The two big men in question are Marvin Bagley III and James Wiseman, who both need work defensively and can be ball stoppers at times.

The Pistons have four bigs overall, and these two have overlapping skills, so speculation about one of them being traded makes sense.

But it also might make sense to keep them all, as the Detroit Pistons suffered myriad injuries last season and ended up having to use all of these guys in big roles at various points. Given the injury histories of MBIII and Wiseman, it’s possible that we’d rarely see all four bigs healthy at the same time.

If the Pistons do decide to live Troy Weaver’s dream and play two bigs at times, this could be the opportunity for both MBIII and Wiseman to have breakout seasons under Monty Williams, or to end up on the trade block.

Williams has a long history of helping big men develop and is reportedly bringing big man “savant” Mark Bryant onto his staff, an experienced coach who also has a track record of helping centers.

So MBIII and Wiseman should have every opportunity to improve under Williams, and if they do, this could be the beginning of a career renaissance for one or both of them. But if they aren’t cutting it and the Pistons think they need to better balance the roster, the hiring of Williams could spell the end of their time in Detroit.