Suns general manager James Jones issued a statement Saturday following the dismissal of head coach Monty Williams.
The decision to move on from Williams came just two days after Phoenix’s playoff exit, which came at the hands of the Nuggets in Thursday’s Game 6.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier Saturday that the decision to part ways with Williams stemmed from new Suns owner Matt Ishbia, but instead it was Jones who voiced Saturday’s statement, and indicated the decision was his own.
“Monty has been foundational to our success over the past four seasons. We are filled with gratitude for everything Monty has contributed to the Suns and to the Valley community,” wrote Jones, via PHNX Sports’ Gerald Bourguet. “While it was difficult for me to make this decision, I look forward to continuing the work to build a championship team.”
Suns make the firing of Monty Williams official.
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) May 14, 2023
James Jones in a statement: “Monty has been foundational to our success over the past four seasons. We are filled with gratitude for everything Monty has contributed to the Suns and to the Valley community." pic.twitter.com/pbV3MDIiVy
Williams served as the head coach of the Suns for four seasons. He was the winningest head coach in the league since 2021, and despite reaching the NBA Finals that year, he failed to deliver on the organization’s goal of winning a championship.
Phoenix finished the regular season with a 45–37 record, earning the fourth seed in the West. Williams won 194 of a possible 309 games during his tenure.
Jones and Ishbia will commence a head coaching search in the coming days, for which Wojnarowski reports there is no clear frontrunner. They’ll be competing with the Bucks, Raptors, and Pistons, all of whom are seeking a new head coach after making recent staffing changes.
