Suns’ Monty Williams sensitive to severity of allegations in ESPN report, waiting for facts

PHOENIX — Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams knew mostly what his usual talk with the media 75 minutes before tip-off against the Houston Rockets Thursday was going to entail.

In the morning, a report from ESPN’s Baxter Holmes was released, detailing several allegations from over 70 former and current Suns employees on a toxic workplace that included accusations of racism and misogyny from owner Robert Sarver.

Williams provided in his initial thoughts, including that he wouldn’t be the team’s head coach currently if the accusations had occurred since he was hired in 2019.

“My reaction is a lot to process,” he said. “There’s so many things there, and for me, it’s still not clear as far as the facts are concerned. As someone who is a caretaker of the program, I find all of these things that are being said serious in nature. And these allegations are sensitive, is an understatement.

“At the same time, they’re just not clear yet. An article was written, many opinions were shared, many feelings were shared, but all of it happened before I was here. Based on what little you all know about me, if any of that stuff happened while I was here I wouldn’t be in this seat.

“It’s hard to navigate all of that stuff when you get the article nine o’clock in the morning in the middle of a coaches meeting and you’re leading a group so it’s just been a lot to process.”

ESPN’s report includes allegations of events without a given date, and also sources current employees of the team.

Williams was asked if the moment is a setback for the NBA after it banned former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling. Sterling was revealed on audio tapes to be using racist language about Black people, including his own players.

The third-year coach Williams said it was challenging to gauge the two situations and compare them.

“It’s just not good,” he said. “If any of these situations — the situation in L.A. was clear and true. We heard (it). This one is different. There’s two sides talking about things that may have happened. I’m sensitive to both. Until the facts are clear, I have to be.”

Williams said he has not spoken with Sarver since the report’s release Thursday morning and supports waiting on the NBA’s investigation, which was launched later on Thursday.

“Yeah, that has to be the process I believe … We’ll know more obviously once that is, again, settled,” he said.

Williams expressed that he is feeling fine at the moment, as he’s always one to not lose sight of the position he’s in, and will keep trying his best to provide his thoughts on the developing situation.

“I’m not the most eloquent guy and I know that I speak from the heart at times and that can get me in trouble but I’d rather do that and people know exactly where I’m coming from then to have them guess,” he said. “But I’m OK, I get to coach basketball. At the same time, I’m aware that these allegations are serious, I can’t say that enough.”

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