Suns head coach Monty Williams fired, how are fans reacting
May 13, 2023, 7:56 PM | Updated: 10:28 pm
Head Coach Monty Williams of the Phoenix Suns watches the action against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half of Game Three of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Western Conference Semifinals at American Airlines Center on May 6, 2022 in Dallas, Texas. The Mavericks won 103-94. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
The Phoenix Suns fired head coach Monty Williams on Saturday evening and the news came as somewhat of a shock to NBA fans.
The move comes after owner Mat Ishbia acquired the team in the middle of this season, and Williams and the Suns were eliminated from the playoffs by 25-plus points at home for the second straight year.
Williams posted a 194-115 record (.628) in four seasons and made the playoffs three years in a row from 2021-23.
The Suns’ head coach is coming off an NBA Coach of the Year Award in 2022 and runner-up in 2021.
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Phoenix made a major push for a championship at the trade deadline by acquiring Kevin Durant, thinning its depth in the process and ultimately ended in a similar spot as last year.
To some around the Valley, this was a worry that gained steams as Phoenix took an epic tumble out of the playoffs. To others, it is a “what have you done for me lately” business and Williams was the latest to be fired.
Williams joins the Toronto Raptors’ Dwane Casey (2018) and Nick Nurse (2020), plus the Milwaukee Bucks’ Mike Budenholzer (2019) as head coaches to lose their job shortly after winning coach of the year.
Rule number 1, If u don’t wanna get fired, don’t win coach of the year
— Kobe Bananas (@EthanLiQD) May 14, 2023
Monty was a coach to bring the suns out of the shadows now we need another coach to lead us to the light
— Aaron Mclovin (@68Daddyaaron) May 14, 2023
Aww man 😢 I sure am gonna miss Monty 😭
— Cheese (@arizonaballer23) May 14, 2023
Coach of the year and now not good enough to coach a 4th rank team against the number one rank team who has a two time MVP player and you’re missing two key players, not to mention 3 straight years of playoff appearance, but suddenly you’re not good enough. Wtf
— Jeff Moore (@JmjefferyMoore) May 14, 2023
Best wishes to Monty. He brought stability and professionalism to this team.
However, the two collapses in Game 7 back to back are on his watch. It’s time for someone new to coach this team
— Ruben Rivera (@ruben197376) May 14, 2023
He is an amazing human being, and proved he was absolutely the right guy to bring them out of the gutter. Now they need a different voice to take them the rest of the way.
— Layna (@laynat) May 14, 2023
Say what now?! pic.twitter.com/WfXmAVubuF
— Colin AKA GhostPanda (@GhostPandaStorm) May 14, 2023
Damn man the NBA coaching world is ICE COLD. He made the Suns relevant again. The KD trade gutted their depth. They had barely any time to work out a rhythm. Brutal man.
— Austin (@AustinPlanet) May 14, 2023
This league has tides turn fast
— Blake Newsom (@NewsomSportsATL) May 14, 2023
Oh boy that was quick
— Jacob Lintner (@lintnermedia) May 14, 2023
Scape goat. Wasn’t his fault.
— YoJonB ∞ (@YoJonB) May 14, 2023
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