Leading up to the start of every new season, NBA general managers are asked to vote on a number of topics. Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams was the big winner in one category.
With the 2019-20 NBA season on the horizon, the NBA’s general managers were polled once again to vote on a number of predictions for the coming season.
The Phoenix Suns’ newest head coach, Monty Williams, was tabbed as the most likely to have the biggest impact as a new or relocated coach.
Williams comes in as the fourth head coach for the franchise in the last three years, and looks to bring the franchise their first winning season since the 2013-2014 season – and their first playoff appearance since 2010.
His impact will come in producing wins for the organization, along with developing the young talent presented to him – a problem that nearly every head coach who has preceded him failed to do with any regularity.
Mikal Bridges, Deandre Ayton, and Devin Booker highlight the core of this Suns team and must each become legitimate and recognizable stars if the franchise is ever going to reach the heights we all hope from them.
Robert Sarver, James Jones, and company should give Monty Williams at least three years to develop the roster, instead of firing him after only one or two unsuccessful year(s) like the most recent head coaches.
They need to allow Monty to create some consistency and a winning culture, something the franchise has lacked for almost decade.
Monty Williams has experience with winning cultures, as in intern coach under Gregg Popovich with the San Antonio Spurs, who has the third most wins as a head coach all-time. He also spent time as an assistant to Brett Brown in Philadelphia, who finished 3rd in the Eastern Conference last season.
Williams is the man, and should live up to the expectation of general managers around the league if Phoenix wants their players to learn how to win.
He will, though, have a greater advantage than other recent Phoenix head coaches.
Free agent point guard Ricky Rubio signed with the team, filling a hole they had been unable to fill for two-to-three years.
Rubio helps the team dramatically with his role of being a pass first guard, hopefully leading an offensive that has flow, rather than the ones seemingly stuck in mud for the entirety of Devin Booker’s career.
He will be able to give Book, Ayton, and Bridges much better looks offensively.
With all these pieces in place Monty Williams should have a huge impact on the Phoenix Suns and fans should see significant improvement from the past couple years – and the league’s general managers agree.