suns General manager James Jones issued a statement Saturday following the firing of head coach Monty Williams.
The decision to transfer from Williams came just two days after Phoenix’s playoff exit, which came at the hands of a team Nuggets In the game Thursday 6.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier Saturday that the decision to part ways with Williams stemmed from new Suns owner Matt Ichpeia, but instead it was Jones who voiced a statement on Saturday, implying that the decision was his.
“Monty has been the foundation of our success over the past four seasons. We are grateful for all that Monty has contributed to the Suns community and the Valley community,” books Jones, via Gerald Burgett from PHNX Sports. “While it was difficult for me to make this decision, I look forward to continuing to work on building a championship team.”
Suns make Monte Williams’ firing accountable.
James Jones in a statement: “Monty has been the foundation of our success over the past four seasons. We are grateful for all that Monty has contributed to the Suns community and the Valley community." pic.twitter.com/pbV3MDIiVy
– Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) May 14, 2023
Williams served as the Suns’ head coach for four seasons. He’s been the league’s winningest coach since 2021, and although he reached the NBA Finals that year, he fell short of the organization’s goal of winning the championship.
Phoenix finished the regular season with a 45-37 record, earning the fourth seed in the West. Williams won 194 of 309 games during his tenure.
Jones and Ishpia will begin a search for coaches in the coming days, for that matter Wojnarowski Report There is no clear filter. They’ll be competing against the Bucks, Raptors, and Pistons, all of whom are looking for a new head coach after making recent staffing changes.