Stephen Silas ‘agrees to join the Detroit Pistons and Monty Williams as lead assistant coach’

Former Houston Rockets head coach Stephen Silas has agreed a deal to become Detroit’s lead assistant coach alongside newly-hired Pistons head coach Monty Williams.

Back in April, Houston declined Silas’ option for 2023-24, ending his three-year tenure with a 59-177 record. 

The Rockets subsequently hired former Celtics head coach Ime Udoka to replace Silas, who may raid the Boston’s staff to reunite the coach with his former assistants. 

Williams agreed to a deal last week that gave him the richest contract ever for an NBA head coach in the form of a six years and $78.5 million deal, with team options and extensions that could push it north of $100 million.

The 49-year-old Silas has previously been a top assistant with Dallas, Charlotte and Golden State.

Stephen Silas has reportedly agreed to join the Detroit Pistons as the lead assistant coach

Monty Williams and the Pistons agreed to the largest contract ever given to an NBA coach

It remains to be seen who else Williams will add to fill out his coaching staff, but seeing as though he has become one of the most respected coaches in league since first being named an assistant coach in 2005, Williams should not be short of options to choose from.

The 51-year-old Williams took over the Suns four years ago in 2019 and had turned the organization into the most winningest franchise in the league over the past three seasons.

He also led the Suns to an NBA Finals appearance in 2021, and he was named NBA Coach of the Year in 2022. 

Williams had initially told interested teams – including the Pistons – that he was planning to take a year off from coaching before eventually being convinced to take over one of the NBA’s most challenging rebuilding projects. He is also still owed roughly $21million over the next three years by Phoenix.

Detroit finished last season with an abysmal record of 17-65 landing them last place in the Central division for the third consecutive season in a row and have not qualified for the postseason in the last four years. 

During five years under former head coach Dwayne Casey, the team accumulated a total record of 121-263. The 2019 playoff appearance had been only the franchise’s second since 2010. Casey resigned from his position at the end of the 2022-23 season.

Cade Cunningham(L) and Jaden Ivey(R) are set to be centerpieces of Williams rebuild 

Detroit also possess the No. 5 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft after another poor season

Despite their seemingly ever-present home in the NBA’s basement over the course of nearly the last decade and a half, the Pistons currently possess several promising building blocks for their new record-breaking coach, as well as Silas who comes from a Rockets team that was filled with young players.

2022 No. 5 overall pick Jaden Ivey had a solid rookie season with averages of 16.3 points and 5.2 assists, while Killian Hayes, Jalen Duren, Isiah Stewart and James Wiseman all showed flashes of potential. 

All of the aforementioned names besides Stewart were also lottery picks in the NBA Draft and entered the league with bundles of promise.

The most important building block for Detroit however remains franchise centerpiece and 2021 No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham, who was limited to only 12 games last season after suffering a broken leg.

Before suffering the season-ending injury Cunningham was on pace to improve on his averages from his impressive season as he had recorded 9.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game.