Phoenix Suns: Monty Williams will start but will he finish?

It seems like the Phoenix Suns have finally found their man, as they agreed to terms with new head coach Monty Williams.

Rarely in the past few years have we seen Robert Sarver keep to his word when it’s come to the franchise. In all reality, he needs to thank the Lakers because Monty was considered the front runner for them until he saw that they were going with Ty Lue which helped him in deciding to choose the Suns.

Just with the whispers alone of people echoing his name was enticing enough. Most coaches with “names” that get hired are sometimes just that. A name.

One prime example of that is Luke Walton, who won championships as a player with the Lakers and the Warriors. Many believed he was warranted a head coaching job after he stepped in when Steve Kerr was out with an injury. He accepted the job as Lakers coach and the rest is history.

Or sometimes you have the case of a coach from overseas like an Igor Kokoskov or David Blatt who mostly are usually only as good as his team is. No slight but that is why they excel across the waters because they already have a culture instilled there to be taught basketball.

Then you have the coaches like Doc Rivers, David Fizdale and Lue. Coaches who find an understanding and culture of the locker room and take more of an “approach stance” and less of a “coach stance”. The type that will have fun with the team in practice and workouts but the minute the team is on that court it’s back to strictly getting business done.

Reason being there aren’t too many players willing to just get coached like the Greg Poppovich era Spurs. The same Poppovich who had Monty on his coaching staff as an intern. That year Monty earned his first championship under Pop.

He moved on to Portland where he was also an assistant and helped with player development. The Blazers had Travis Outlaw and Martell Webster who were both players that saw increases in their playing time and statistics. That bodes well for Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton who it seems like Monty won’t have a problem helping as he helped those before them.

As far as this upcoming draft pick, if the Suns somehow miss getting Ja Morant who they have been linked to, they have also been the front runners for the services of Jrue Holiday. Jrue and Monty grew close in New Orleans after the departure of Chris Paul, he really helped Holiday jump to another level as Jrue knew he needed to step up.

In the four years with the Pelicans (two with Holiday) the Pelicans made the playoffs the first and the last years of Williams’s tenure, even though he finished with a 173-221 record.

Even though Monty hasn’t had much success as a head coach, the time he has spent as an assistant has been great for numerous franchises. As of now the Suns are awaiting his departure from Philly after their playoff run.

Not to mention, he has been on the winning staff of a USA team that won gold in both the World Cup and Olympic Games working besides Coach K of Duke, Tom Thibodeau and Jim Boehiem.

Williams has a winning pedigree and the tutelage from excellent coaches as he’s went along in his career.

With all things happening for Williams off the court and his wife’s passing, this young Suns team could really rally behind him along with seeing how the process has been trusted in Philly. With Monty being the hands on coach he is, he may be able to bring some of that game with him to Phoenix. All in all, Monty Williams has the credentials and respect across the NBA to be a solid head coach.

A likeable coach in Monty and a great young nucleus could develop into Phoenix being one of the best young teams in the next couple of years. Let’s just hope the chemistry builds quick enough to keep Monty off the hot seat and continue to build chemistry towards wins and ultimately, a championship.