The Phoenix Suns have been one of the best stories in basketball over the last two seasons. Long viewed as an afterthought in the Western Conference, the Suns made the postseason for the first time in 11 years last season, got to the NBA Finals, and followed that up with a 64-win season in which they looked like the best team in the league.
The addition of Chris Paul and the development of guys like Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton get plenty of credit for this, but one can argue the franchise’s turnaround began with Monty Williams getting appointed head coach. As such, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported on Saturday afternoon that Williams received and agreed to a long-term contract extension to stay in Phoenix.
ESPN Sources: Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams has agreed on a long-term contract extension. Williams, the NBA’s coach of the year, had two years left on his original five-year deal — and now moves under contract for several more seasons.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 23, 2022
In his corresponding story for ESPN, Wojnarowski noted that Williams had two years remaining on the 5-year contract he signed when he joined the team after working as an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers. It is unclear how many more years will be added to Williams’ contract as a result of the extension.
Williams has been named the National Basketball Coaches Association’s Coach of the Year in each of the last two seasons, and during the 2021-22 campaign, he earned the NBA’s Coach of the Year award. He has accrued a 149-78 record during his three years in Phoenix, while last season’s 64-win campaign set the record for the most regular season wins in franchise history.