The Detroit Pistons have added several new players this summer but the biggest addition may be head coach Monty Williams, who Detroit inked to the richest coaching deal in NBA history.
Williams was unceremoniously fired by the Phoenix Suns after turning the franchise around and winning Coach of the Year twice while in the Valley.
But his failure in the playoffs and some tense relationships with players were his ultimate undoing, and the Suns decided to turn to Frank Vogel to lead them into their first full season with Kevin Durant.
Monty Williams said all the right things after being fired, but you know he circled the Phoenix games when the Pistons’ full 2023-24 schedule was released last week and will look forward to trying to get the best of his old team.
Detroit Pistons’ full preseason schedule
Yesterday, the Pistons released their full preseason schedule, and Monty Williams won’t have to wait long to get a shot at his old team.
The Pistons will play four games, starting with a home matchup with the Phoenix Suns:
- October 8 vs. Phoenix Suns
- October 12 vs. OKC Thunder (Canada)
- October 19 @ OKC Thunder
- October 20 @ Dallas
As you can see, the Pistons will start the 2023-24 season against the Phoenix Suns. This is only preseason, so Monty Williams and the Detroit Pistons won’t put too much emphasis on the outcome, especially considering the Suns may not be playing all of their regulars. But preseason or not, it would be nice to get coach Williams a win to start his career with the Pistons and put a nail in his time in Phoenix.
It will be the only home game on the preseason schedule, which also includes a freaking back-to-back for some reason (a common scheduling theme for Detroit this season), though I am sure we won’t be seeing the regulars in both games against OKC and Dallas.
Williams won’t have to wait long to get a real shot at his old team, as the Pistons play the Suns on November 5th as the first game of a home back-to-back against Phoenix and Golden State.
Coach Dwane Casey had a lot of early success against his old team after being fired by the Toronto Raptors (also after winning Coach of the Year), so let’s hope Williams can replicate that against the Suns.