Monty Williams Fired By Pistons, Now Gets $65 Million To Do Nothing

You know the phrase, "I can't win for losing?" Well, Monty Williams "can't lose for losing." The Detroit Pistons fired him after just one season, but they now must pay him $65 million over the next five years to not coach the team. 

The Pistons won just 14 games this season as they attempt a complete franchise rebuild. Williams had planned to take a year away from coaching to tend to his sick wife, but Detroit lured him in with a massive contract offer. 

The Pistons aren't the only team paying Williams, either. The Phoenix Suns fired him after the 2022-23 season with three years and $20 million left on his contract. 

The Detroit Pistons fired head coach Monty Williams, but they still owe him $65 million over the next five years.

(Brian Bradshaw Sevald-USA TODAY Sports)

So now, Williams has all the money he'll ever need, and he doesn't even have to work. Not to mention that work would have entailed coaching the worst team in the NBA. Not a bad deal for Williams, as social media users were quick to point out. 

As someone who once got paid to NOT work, I can honestly tell you … it's great. Yeah, there's no way around it. 

I got laid off from ESPN during the mass layoff following COVID. Don't shed any tears for me, though, it was the greatest thing that ever happened. 

I got the call in November, but because of Connecticut law surrounding mass layoffs, ESPN has to give people two months' notice that their job is going away. That meant they had to keep everyone on payroll for 60 days. 

Except, they told me I didn't have to show up for those two months. 

Then, I got a six-month severance package and all my vacation time paid out. Add it all up and ESPN paid me for nine months to not work at ESPN. Since I was miserable at that point, there was no better scenario. 

Yeah, Monty Williams is living the dream.