Why the Suns fired Monty Williams: Mat Ishbia’s title push and another sour end

PHOENIX — Mat Ishbia took ownership of the Phoenix Suns in February, not even 100 days ago. His first major move was orchestrating a trade for Kevin Durant, a franchise-altering decision designed to position the Suns for their first NBA title.

On Saturday, not quite 48 hours after Phoenix was embarrassingly eliminated from the Western Conference semifinals, Ishbia made a second major move. After talking with general manager James Jones about the organization’s direction, he fired coach Monty Williams.

Ishbia made his fortune in the mortgage-lending business, doing so with a hands-on approach he calls “being in the weeds.” While it wasn’t initially clear how that would translate into NBA ownership, it is now. Ishbia has a heavy hand in basketball operations.

After Thursday’s 125-100 elimination loss to the top-seed Denver Nuggets, Williams had taken responsibility for not having the Suns ready to play. A day later at the Phoenix practice facility, he said he understood the business aspect of NBA coaching and the pitfalls that come with it. All he could control was doing the best job possible.

In a statement announcing the dismissal, Jones credited Williams for his role in the organization’s reversal, which included a trip to the 2021 NBA Finals and posting the league’s best regular-season record a year later. “We are filled with gratitude for everything Monty has contributed to the Suns and to the Valley community,” Jones said. “While it was difficult for me to make this decision, I look forward to continuing the work to build a championship team.”

Where Phoenix goes from here isn’t clear. Mike Budenholzer, an Arizona native recently fired from his job as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, will be connected to the job. Former Toronto coach Nick Nurse, fired last month, may as well. Both coaches have won championships.

The Suns have sturdy pillars in Durant and Devin Booker, two of the best players in the sport. They also have questions. Deandre Ayton, the No. 1 pick of the 2018 NBA Draft, has yet to realize his potential and has possibly regressed. Chris Paul, who just turned 38, has slowed down and is set to make $30.8 million next season, but only half is guaranteed. The roster is top-heavy, and the Suns don’t have much financial flexibility.

A former walk-on point guard at Michigan State, Ishbia has a basketball background. Upon graduation, he turned down a job to become a college assistant coach and instead joined his father’s mortgage business. Ishbia says he strives to learn every aspect of his trade, and he has treated basketball the same. If he doesn’t know the answer, he surrounds himself with those who might. This was clear throughout the playoffs.

Close friend Isiah Thomas, the Hall of Fame point guard and former NBA coach and executive, was by Ishbia’s side throughout the postseason, on the road and at home. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo and former college teammate Mateen Cleaves also visited. Every game, Ishbia sat in the front row, leaning forward, hands clasped, looking like the coach he almost became.

It’s not known if Ishbia or Jones consulted with Booker or Durant prior to dismissing Williams, but it would be odd if they did not. As reporters on Friday were let into the practice facility, Booker walked up the stairs with Jones for his exit interview. Booker, almost always available to the media, didn’t talk to reporters after Game 6 and left the practice facility before doing so Friday. That may have meant something or nothing at all. Booker next season will have his sixth head coach in nine years.

Durant had a history with Williams. Early in his career, during his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Williams was an assistant coach under Billy Donovan. It didn’t take long for him to earn Durant’s respect. “I love him already,” Durant said not long after meeting Williams. “He’s just a great teacher of the game. Great with people.”

Williams went 194-115 over four seasons with Phoenix. For an organization that had bottomed out, missing the postseason for nine consecutive seasons, he changed the culture, and he did so with professionalism and grace. Driven and confident, Williams wasn’t afraid to admit what he didn’t know, and he took responsibility when the Suns didn’t play up to the standard he had set.

After missing the playoffs his first season, Williams led the Suns on a surprising run to the 2021 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Bucks in six games. In 2022, Phoenix posted a franchise-record 64 wins before flaming out against Luka Dončić and the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference semifinals. Like this season, they were routed at home in the decisive game, a sour finish to an outstanding season. Williams was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year.

This year, Ishbia bought the team from suspended governor Robert Sarver and pulled off the Durant trade in February. By the time Durant recovered from a knee injury, the Suns had 20 games to build chemistry before the playoffs. Expectations soared. The Suns won their first three before Durant sprained his left ankle March 8 during pregame warmups, a setback that sidelined him for three weeks. In hindsight, it may have sealed Phoenix’s fate. Maybe Williams’ as well.

“Obviously, if KD doesn’t get hurt in warmups, things may be different right now, we may still be playing,’’ reserve guard Damion Lee said Friday. “If we didn’t make the trade, things may be different. Who knows? We can’t live in the fantasy world.”

With Ishbia watching courtside, Williams made questionable decisions in the playoffs. After going 8-0 with Durant in the lineup during the regular season, he altered his starting five in Game 1 against the Clippers. He never settled on a rotation, subbing by feel, a move that backfired. He played Booker and Durant too much, wearing out both. The postseason’s hottest player, Booker shot 12 of 32 over Phoenix’s final two games. Rushed and frustrated, Durant was 18 of 43.

That said, Williams’ biggest failure might have centered on Ayton. The two didn’t have the best relationship during their time together. Entering this season, not long after he had signed a four-year, $133 million max extension, Ayton told reporters he had not talked with Williams once over the offseason, which seemed strange given Ayton’s importance. Asked about their relationship Friday, Ayton said it had always been good, adding, “What family don’t argue?”

After the Durant trade, Ayton, who has averaged 16.7 points and 10.4 rebounds over five years, became more of a role player. As his touches decreased, so did his aggression. He sat out Game 6 with a rib contusion, leaving the Suns, also without Paul because of a groin strain, severely shorthanded. Denver blew open the game with a 17-0 run to end the first quarter. The Suns never recovered, a repeat of their 2022 elimination loss to Dallas — that one coming in Game 7. The lack of competitiveness was as jarring as it was unacceptable.

Ishbia is an aggressive leader. In his book, “Running the Corporate Offense: Lessons in Effective Leadership from the Bench to the Boardroom,” he writes that he’s a big believer in trial by error. That is, “Make a decision and go for it. Make necessary changes along the way.” The first sentence applies to the Durant trade. The Suns made a big decision and went for it. The second applies to Williams’ dismissal.

With Phoenix’s championship window possibly closing, Ishbia saw it as the necessary move.

(Photo: Christian Petersen / Getty Images)