Could Masai Ujiri be stacking the deck with regards to Dwane Casey’s eventual replacement?
Two days ago, former New Orleans Pelicans head coach Monty Williams was relieved of his duties as head coach. The news came to the surprise of many. The Pelicans made the playoffs for the first time since Chris Paul left despite a number of injuries to their core rotation (Jrue Holiday, Anthony Davis, Ryan Anderson) and it looked as if Williams would to be spared. Nevertheless, Williams was canned and is now a free agent.
Williams’s preference would be to latch on somewhere as a head coach, but the Raptors are reportedly looking to recruit him as an assistant, reports ESPN’s Marc Stein.
Rumbles that Toronto will sound out Monty to see if he'd have any interest in joining Dwane Casey's staff with Raps making changes on bench
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) May 14, 2015
Yet it's far more likely, of course, that Monty Williams waits for next HC opportunity, perhaps getting in mix with either Denver or Orlando
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) May 14, 2015
Reading into the cards here, bringing on a former head coach with experience into a situation in flux can be looked at in two ways. One, Williams is a fine coach and he could help Casey and the Raptors as an assistant. Two, Casey is heading into the last guaranteed year on his contract, his assistants are getting shuffled up by management and a former head coach has been conveniently stashed on the bench. Call it the P.J. Carlesimo.
With respect to Williams, he coached the Hornets/Pelicans to a 173-221 record over five seasons which included two playoff appearances. Granted, those two appearances didn’t lead to very much, but still, he’s a man of high character who developed strong bonds with his players. He also left New Orleans on the best of terms, giving a tremendously classy exit interview.
But Williams did have his shortcomings. He reportedly didn’t see eye to eye with management in New Orleans and Williams favors something of an old-school approach. Ironically, he’s a lot like Casey in both demeanour and thinking.
