Stephen A. thinks Monty Williams was ‘IN PURGATORY’ with the Pistons | First Take

On First Take, Stephen A. Smith and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo join Molly Qerim to talk through the Detroit Pistons firing Monty Williams after just one season at the helm.
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[@Shzzaam]

Monty did EVERYTHING he could to make sure he got fired. He wouldn't challenge calls, call timeouts, he played Killian Hayes heavy minutes, he gave Ivey DNP despite him playing well. Monty played a HUGE role in the pistons record, a coach that isnt actively trying to get fired wins at least 10-12 more games

[@kevinmccallister8646]

Most overrated coach

[@virgu99]

100% right def wouldn’t call timeouts in 1 possession games

[@DavidGarcia-on9gn]

Monty always been that way it worked in other places until it didn’t

[@SPACEKNOCKERZ76]

If he did all that then what lol franchise is a joke

[@johnlinks]

He didn't even want to go to Detroit. He only went because of the huge pay day

[@ChadsterNoahTv]

Steven A don’t know nothing 🤡

[@damonjohnson7044]

You cannot deny Detroit is a bad team no matter what coach you got you are not losing that many games

[@KingHoward19]

@@damonjohnson7044 Monty is the reason they were bad if you paid any attention. Detroit on paper had a ton of talent when the season started. This isn’t for casuals.

[@tigera6]

Detroit is a hell hole for coaching career. Its a joke if you think any coach would turn it around next year.

[@10blackguys66]

It’s just bc he’s bl4ck

[@mfagoodmorning]

@@tigera6we didn’t expect him to make the Pistons a contender, heck we didn’t even expect them to be a playoff team. But we wanted SOME improvement from last year (and it didn’t even HAVE to be record, at least progression from the core). Monty Williams actively failed Detroit in both aspects

[@steplaland]

Losing 28 straight games is a special accomplishment.

[@ZacharyEntenman]

not if your trying to lose

[@EricCartman3600]

No more extra Ls to his coaching resume & still gets paid, sounds like a W for Monty

[@hooligan5381]

no would be a W for you cause you lazy that man rather have a job and be working fool

[@IrvingDL506]

Facts

[@sebastianmarquez4200]

Acting like he didn’t contribute to those Ls is wild lmao

[@jiggnorth3593]

​@@sebastianmarquez4200sure, but a team of professional basketball players should be able to win more than 14 games regardless of who the coach is.

[@B.Piercesports]

He wasnt in purgatory he went there on his own

[@qwertyuiop123456459]

It was 1 season. Stephen A said he was there for awhile.

[@jayslay1000]

Facts ! What he’s saying doesn’t make any sense.

[@plutotech]

Way to miss the point.

[@applelap24]

Stephen A thought he never should of gone there?

[@chrissolano2575]

Detroit Piston is purgatory that statement doesn’t change just because he willingly went there.

[@Scar.Borough]

No his coaching was bad, He didn't want to develop his rookies

[@bernyourhart]

Lol, probably would’ve won even less games.

[@dwjoseph59]

$65+ mill?!?! Monty got paid!!

[@hooligan5381]

not really he still has to pay taxes every year and his cost of living is alot so that money burns pretty fast when you not on contract anymore cause his incentives now go away.

[@LALakers4life34]

He gonna take the Vegas trip and retire with that bonus LOA 😂

[@19934]

@@hooligan5381this ain’t his first redo fool

[@decarmo]

@@hooligan5381 He definitely did get paid. How could you disagree with that. You make it sound that after 65 million taxes after every year will make him have less than the median American income. Cost of living is not that much if some people make 40-50k are living in America content; you think with 65 mill that's going to burn fast. He isn't a 21 year old lol. That's wild that you think 65 million isn't enough and he's "not really" paid. You have to be rich to be saying that or know info that He burns through money and doesn't invest or save.

[@Tek1014media]

​​@@hooligan5381 you sound so stupid! 😂 Y'all kill me! talking that taxes 💩 He is set. Point blank period. You act like this is the last contract he's going to get.... Even if it's an assistant job

[@thebasketballhistorian3291]

Earned $78.5M just to coach a team for one year! 😳 No NBA player has even earned that much in one year of a contract.

[@86Sentra]

Kerr and Pop have surpassed this tho

[@BaithNa]

Its spread out over 5 years tho. He's not getting it all at once.

[@autobot622]

​@BaithNa he only had to work one year though. Never has to work another day in his life but will likely go in the booth of he sticks around

[@chicagotank]

@@BaithNa but he can sit at home and still get paid.

[@mdb1010]

@@BaithNahes still getting it

[@onidtubes]

For Stephen A, anywhere but L.A. is purgatory.

[@rileymcphee9429]

He's such a simp for them, it's embarrassing.

[@Mark-oy1wv]

Right!!?? Cleveland has a playoff ready roster…better than L.A.’s roster but notice how he never mentions them when a good candidate becomes available(no I’m not from Cleveland) and all that clown Stephen A. can think about is the beach and house parties in L.A. Dude makes me sick

[@foursup3139]

So Stephen A just excusing Monty of any responsibility or accountability for that horrible season he coached last year ?? Starting Killian Hayes over Jaden Ivey ?? Nothing ?? He’s a good man who was just stuck in poor Detroit with all of his millions 🎻🎻🎻

[@petekayyceclosedduncan2077]

Facts!!!

[@sullyproductions5757]

That would imply that Stephen A has watched at 3 seconds of a Pistons game

[@petekayyceclosedduncan2077]

@@sullyproductions5757 very good point..lol.. we Already know he's biased

[@mikekillagreen9432]

Lost his last 2 playoff elimination games by 30 points each at home and was the higher seed by a lot in one series. Choked a 2-0 lead in The Finals by losing 4 straight. Then becomes the highest paid coach. Smh

[@JamesSmith-gz1zn]

Facts bad hire. He’s a nice Guy and well respected but he isn’t a good coach

[@mikekillagreen9432]

@@JamesSmith-gz1zn Exactly

[@dopemoney23]

DIDNT CHOKE AYTON COST THEM BY PLAYING WEAK JUST LIKE HOW KAT PLAYED WEAK FOR WOLVES

[@briancoburn5957]

SAS didn't watch a single Pistons game last year. Monty Williams was an absolutely horrible coach. The guy started Killian Hayes, who is now out of the league.

[@rickyharden1123]

Now go get Mark Jackson to turn this young squad around

[@SquidysTents]

And then fire him right before they get good lol

[@Jmurda1983]

Why is it so hard to admit that dude was a bad coach? My goodness

[@lovepeace_goodvibez]

Monty owes Pistons ex-gm wagner for blessing him a 60 million golden parachute

[@sebastianmarquez4200]

You know the owner is the one who gave him that money right? The GM at the time Troy weaver have another coach in mind but the owner vetoed his decision and decided to throw a bag at Monty, like it was gonna make him want to coach this team. He was here t coach, he was here for the money. And I don’t blame him, can’t see anyone turning down that much paper.

[@iTuber012]

Pulled a Ben Simmons... Well done

[@dannyMCDelight]

Who knew purgatory paid so well 😂

[@marsaillecanty765]

Monty Williams to be in jail for stealing money from the Detroit Pistons 😐

[@brycedeloch2242]

They fired him😂

[@JerryJones-d4f]

How they let him go he didn’t quit

[@JohnFisherjpec]

How about ownership should be in jail for taking peoples money to watch their garbage…😂 ive thrown out trash before, and it doesn’t stink as much as the detroit pistons.

[@antoinejones1723]

It’s not his fault. This team is absolute trash

[@darkblueismyfavoritecolor.4082]

@@antoinejones1723 How do you know he's not just a trash coach? How could you possibly tell the difference?

[@natureredux1957]

The vast Majority of Coaches are wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy overrated.

[@bo0gi3]

LA you just got a gift from God

[@pronobb8104]

Hope they hire him and he sucks. Guy didn't put any care of his job in Detroit. It's such a shame. We were all excited too. It's one thing to be bad but another when you just don't care about losing...

[@StopNPOP-vn7fj]

@@pronobb8104cry😂

[@jeanpaul7223]

If Monty is smart he sits out and collect his money.

[@StopNPOP-vn7fj]

😂😂😂😂

[@JHPG5]

Lakers still not doing anything

[@Stank-Stankson]

Thank you for my Pistons, that man was never in it right from the start here, good luck to ya Monty and thanks Trajan! 👍🏽 Go Pistons baby!

[@MangoTroubles-007]

Cringy asf 😬

[@Stank-Stankson]

@@MangoTroubles-007 The man didn’t turn us down twice at first for nothing, his mind wasn’t in it I saw it right from the start. 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@marvdatboi]

He got the bag finessed that poverty of a franchise 😂

[@marsaillecanty765]

💍💍💍🏆🏆🏆

[@mowilliams8511]

What franchise u represent if it's not the Lakers or the Celtics yo team poverty also....

[@MangoTroubles-007]

Do they still have to pay him?

[@dionreed7325]

@@MangoTroubles-007yeah they still have to pay him.

[@dionreed7325]

@@MangoTroubles-007if you get fired and still under contract they still get paid from that franchise unless they wanna buy you out to get you off the books

[@mtndogdad]

JADEN IVEY IS FREE

[@ValianceXx]

MY BOY CAN FINALLY SPREAD HIS WINGS

[@JoseMarquez-wz3fr]

Bulls still won't fire Donovan, crazy.

[@Whydoweneedhandles427]

Bulls management is content on being mid. Just good enough.Blame Reinsdorf

[@JoseMarquez-wz3fr]

@Whydoweneedhandles427 I know but that GM they got is also horrible. His buddy's with Donovan.

[@TheClogndude]

Because Reinsdorf has a chokehold on everything. He only wants money, not success.

[@neutral6941]

The Lakers should sign Monty.

[@bigvsouthphilly2156]

No really. Of course everyone is gonna think that idiot. But I'd rather see them hire jj let LeBron finally have some accountability for the first time in his career instead of blaming everyone else

[@Royalwar0305]

@@bigvsouthphilly2156are you serious

[@phillipsosa3353]

@@bigvsouthphilly2156he’s never blamed anyone 😂 what are you talking about don’t be a hater bro.

[@bigvsouthphilly2156]

@@phillipsosa3353 I keep forgetting the espn comment section is full of idiots like u lol

[@MikkiChavez]

I only want us to sign a great coach when LeBron leaves. Until he leaves it'll be pure chaos

[@pjx607]

I'm sorry but Monty is not a good coach. He's a more reserved version of Doc Rivers. These aren't X and O coaches, they're more "inspirational". Coaches like Doc, Monty should not be getting these coaching gigs anymore. We need to give guys like Sam Cassell, JJ Reddick, Dave Joerger, Mark Jackson etc..

[@ashtrdvhjhedd]

Is Stephen A crazy? Lakers? Monty literally tanked the team. You want a coach that literally robbed the owner?

[@Sorry-sk4kt]

outside of Detroit or people who actually pay attention to the NBA don’t realize the team’s goal was to win around 30 games this year and not tank.

[@mars2b]

Monty got fired and won the lottery on his day off! 🤣🤣

[@ibnfaqir9223]

Monty Williams is not a good coach. God bless the genius that gave him 65 mil.

[@harryo82]

I'm convinced SAS has never seen a basketball game.

[@eddielacrosse2]

Im a Pistons fan. THE FACT THAT THEY DONT PUT ANY BLAME ON HIM IS CRIMINAL. Mannnnnnnnn this is sad.

[@blablablaa14]

God how funny would it be if the Lakers hire Monty just so he can decide to bench Austin Reaves the entire year for no reason

[@user-em6lz4bz9f]

Monty is a good coach but I don’t think he truly wanted to be here, we should try and bring in Sam Cassel

[@DarrelWashingtonJr9002]

Bro pistons suck they need to fire the whole front office

[@user-em6lz4bz9f]

@@DarrelWashingtonJr9002 they did

[@SMOOTHL33]

Hire darvin ham, lol

[@DarrelWashingtonJr9002]

@@user-em6lz4bz9f no everything get rid of the players as well

[@Breezahh]

Good coach but lost 14 thibs beat embiid with Josh hart as his spearhead that's a good coach, give thibs this team pretty sure they win at least 35 games

[@deeang349]

eh i dont know. J-Kidd might've had them rocking. Maybe Monty isnt really that good without top 5 talent?

[@dreasdwolfox3435]

guy says at the press conference that he took the job for the money. why people surprised he didn't look like he was into the job lmao

[@soda8736]

Really?

[@dreasdwolfox3435]

@@soda8736 yup. he said short answer is the gm, players and the money. then laughed about how its disrespectful to say the money isn't part of the reason lol

[@soda8736]

@@dreasdwolfox3435 lol These Christians

[@johnpearson6245]

Lakers should definitely hire Monty Williams and have JJ as his assistant that way if for some reason it doesn’t work out they can move forward with JJ. Monty Williams is the best option right now.

[@JHPG5]

Hire him so lakers can be a 9th seed

[@LeoorLeonard]

@@JHPG5they’re going to get better pieces, maybe they won’t be as riddled with injuries

[@Breezahh]

Best option?😂Monty? Best!? 😂do u know how many CLOSE games they lost due to his coaching if anything they can take him as a assistant behind handy

[@siptang81]

When the front office has a behind closed doors meeting with Monty halfway through the season questioning his rotations and why he's got Jaden Ivey in the doghouse, you knew they were gonna drop him.

[@ltsJoeMama]

Monty with the massive W. I'd gladly get fired for 65M.

[@80visionaire]

Molly talks too much. Sheesh!

[@BrianNinoMonton]

Hey Rob Pelinka, interview this guy!!

[@SMOOTHL33]

He will, to be a assistant to j.j. redick.

[@crimemafiafamily4352]

Funny joke 😂

[@JHPG5]

Noone worried about LA

[@cjokerp]

Lakers Front Office Organization = 🗑

[@garyweglarz]

Monty's lineups were incomprehensible, his substitutions were incomprehensible and his minutes distributions were incomprehensible - other than that - Monty was just freaking great.

[@KCP33ify]

But KD and book got him fired from phoenix 🙄

[@Skippingdude]

Can you imagine firing someone for 65 million dollars? 😮😮😮

[@garysmith4218]

The Pistons did him a solid. He wasn't gonna succeed there and the front office is a joke. At least he got paid. Sad cause I miss the Pistons being a competitive team.

[@jhales313]

Monty doesn’t deserve another job anytime soon especially in LA. Stop making excuses for him Stephen.

[@gregh77]

Is it breaking news ESPN if it was reported by your network an hour ago?

[@orionguevera]

are you retarded ?

[@juanthompson8016]

Who cares. Are you really looking for something to complain about? Go touch grass 😂😂

[@terryo3512]

Stephen quit lying. When Detroit signed him you said they would be 7-8 seed😂.

[@ijayrizzy3116]

So the highest paid NBA coach isn’t a coach anymore. That’s funny.

[@keyza508]

Molly just be shouting out nonsense to feel included 🥴🤦🏾‍♂️

[@big-l5771]

65 mz to step away from losers😂😂 Cleveland is the perfect spot

[@Jdp_1597]

The Detroit Pistons haven’t been right for YEARS y’all crazy if yall think Monty was the problem😂

[@dr.lawrencel.bradford9762]

The Detroit Pistons on Wednesday fired coach Monty Williams after one season, absorbing the remaining $65 million on his contract.

[@Lord_OTD]

Lmao. Monty is laughing straight to the bank 😂.

[@royalace2271]

Monty knew what he was doing. He purposely signed that massive contract and did everything to get fired after 1 year knowing his full contract is guaranteed

[@patrick6313]

NOW WE ARE ON THE CLOCK. LETS HOPE THINGS TURN AROUND SOON.

[@pandamein2297]

Pistons shouldn't have fired him. It's his job to put the talent together.

[@NesControl]

BREAKING NEWS: THE LAKERS HAVE SIGNED MONTY WILLIAMS AS HEAD COACH

[@brucelau2023]

he got the bag finessed and that poverty of a franchise but is there any reason why First Take wasn't on TV today?

[@mauricestephens4130]

He gets paid from Phoenix and Now the Pistons. Monty is getting paid not to coach. Strong business model. La will hire him and Chris Paul. Lakers still cant get passed Mavs, Denver or Wolves.

[@blablablaa14]

Monty Williams was one of the worst coaches last year. Pistons would rather pay him 65m than let him keep ruining their young core. He should be barred from coaching for what he did for Jaden Ivy

[@ballerz980]

Espn needs to talk about hockey

[@slapjones1959]

I wonder the media going talk about the Detroit coach job every day 🤔

[@Soundersfan2023]

You know it's bad when Chris mad dog Russo is agreeing with you when saying that someone got a lowball deal as a head coach in a terrible situation.

[@shareofmoney]

Why would you hire a coach, not give him a real chance to turn things around, only to fire him with still having to pay him.

[@jordanmartin9086]

He looks perpetually lost inside of a grocery store and it takes him 5 unenthusiastic minutes to get a point across. How did this man get through any kind of job interview?

[@johnpestano22]

pistons got talent Cade, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren we got pieces we just need veterans and proper coaching

[@travisperry3651]

Stephen A is not gonna say Monty is a bad coach because he’s bkack and their friends. He most definitely likes to give black coaches all the praise right or wrong.

[@FakeAFSongLyrics]

What a way to honor Juneteenth by liberating Monty Williams from the hellhole that is Detroit, MI!

[@googleface5]

Monty Williams sabotaged Detroit’s season. Maybe he’s actually a good coach, but he chose not to be in Detroit to swindle the Pistons

[@shawnchristopher5088]

Monty was doomed to fail going to the Pistons. They didn't give him the support he needed, and him taking practically a team of ncaa players to play at nba level is daunting. Detroit also barely made moves in the trade deadline. They needed vets to help the young guys. Monty would have been better off with the Lakers. He'll be OK

[@icemann1419]

I don’t understand giving a head coach one year with the worst team. Your never gonna make a difference in that short amount of time in this league. No faith whatsoever.

[@sonnyc2539]

Exactly that was a very dumb decision by the Pistons. Yeah his rotations and lineups were pretty awful, but towards the end of the season, he was starting to get a better grasp of the talent and Monty was improving when it came to lineups and rotations. With his contract, Monty should have at least be given two more years.

[@stevedub8035]

As a Detroiter... Monty never should have taken the job

[@tariqs4357]

HE WON'T BE ANYWHERE NEAR A KNICKS BENCH 😂 MONTY WON THE DETROIT LOTTERY!

[@Travdust]

Monty made intentionally terrible calls all year to get fired on purpose. Dwayne Casey would've won at least 20/25 games.

[@gurdevrai-q9t]

He just didn't care

[@oceanviews6088]

This is why I don't respect Stephen A Smith.. Monty Williams clearly didn't want the job only took it for money and did a horrible job coaching !

[@ramseyebryant]

“You know how much I love Jeanie buss “…. Why ????

[@WizardofWestmarch]

Why would Monty want the LA job? Odds are at best the Detroit contract includes offset language so he'd be coaching for no additional money while dealing with the pressure of LA when he didn't even want to coach last year before Detroit offered him so much money he could no longer refuse.

[@BLACKICONOCLAST]

I HOPE SAM CASSELL AND MARK JACKSON GET A HEAD COACHING JOB BEFORE MONTY WILLIAMS GET ANOTHER COACHING JOB

[@MrJDuro]

Contract is insane.

[@hailmendoza6106]

If im Monty Williams im taking the next year off. Like nothing basketball for the year

[@nyteowl8069]

Monty took the job to get paid. He knew this was coming lol

[@SH-jv5uf]

Monty got fired on Juneteenth. That’s appropriate. He got his freedom from the dumpster fire which is the Detroit Pistons- with his 40 acres and a mule ($65mil)!!

[@MichaelRucker-ns5po]

Mad dog really said it's easier to turn a football team around than a basketball team?

[@mhitch2220]

At least Detroit has the lions right now.

[@nonamewillbegiven6847]

No, you don't seem to understand how 1 hit wonders work egg brain

[@marvinsanders3847]

Lakers will never offer Monty a deal again 😂

[@kevinnewton1888]

Easier to win in the NFL than in the NBA? I vehemently disagree with that take Mad Dog.

[@carolyncvaldez257]

I loved Monty here in Phoenix...

[@williesims3452]

Stephan A is crazy. Monty is so overrated, and it’s about time. There is no way this Pistons team shouldn’t be better with so much talent!!

[@sebastianmarquez4200]

Yeah we were a dumpster fire, and Monty was one of the reasons why. He was literally doing things that didn’t make sense lmao the man was literally coaching to get fired. And he wasnt here for a while, he was here for a year.

[@VictorHimbanyama]

Detroit needs krispyFlakes in that front office

[@DThornDigital]

Bro is going to be on the greatest Vacation ever

[@jefffreedom3727]

Wrong word, the right word is "Heaven" , again, "Heaven". $65 million and $20 million from Suns for not doing anything. I mean someone who's got MBA or Phd will not even get that money on an average after 50 years of working.

[@Iconic132swczwk]

Monty is a very mediocre coach Stephen a as usual is wrong

[@DORAEMON-bw8jk]

JJ Redick has just lost his Lakers job opportunity. Monty will become LeBron's next Yes Man Coach. Detroit is too impatient, at least give Monty another season before firing him.

[@flynnryder6113]

Monty is one of the most fraudulent coaches I’ve ever seen. That pistons team had no idea what they were doing on the floor each night. The only reason any outlet defends him is because he’s a black coach.

[@David-i3b7w]

Doc Rivers has him beat by alot

[@flynnryder6113]

@@David-i3b7w doc doesn’t own the longest losing streak in nba history but he’s terrible as well

[@nonamewillbegiven6847]

​@@flynnryder6113they don't defend him

[@nonamewillbegiven6847]

​@@flynnryder6113if he was terrible, he wouldn't have a job guy

[@jamesrowe2383]

I Hope JJ decides never go back on First Take I don’t think he gets the respect he deserves

[@This_World_Aint_For_The_Weak]

I don't think Doc Rivers is a coach to coach Giannis. I really don't. Personally i would hire Montey Williams and give him 16 million dollars for 2 years. I really would. After the Bucks beat the Bucks, Montey Williams was the one who came and congratulated Giannis. I would get him to Milwaukee.

[@Bowditch200]

A class act , he took the job and did very little to improve play. Remember when good coaches made players better. How is this guy credible to coach LA? Lost in the finals and didn’t adjust after