After delivering the New Orleans Pelicans to the playoffs for the first time in four seasons, coach Monty Williams was fired on Tuesday morning.
General manager Dell Demps had been wrestling for greater control of the franchise and pushed out Williams. Around Williams’ staff this season, there was a sense of decreasing management support and unnecessary obstacles, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
Williams, 43, led the Pelicans to the playoffs in the 2010-11 and 2014-15 seasons.
Williams navigated a distressed roster marred by injuries and filled with holes to deliver the Pelicans to the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoffs, where New Orleans was swept by Golden State. After winning 46 games in his first season with Chris Paul in 2010-11, the gutted Pelicans made incremental improvements of 21, 27, 34 and finally 45 victories this season.
Williams had one year left on his contract and a team option for a second.
