Sources: Pistons fire Williams, still owe him $65M

After one season, the Detroit Pistons have dismissed coach Monty Williams, who leaves with five years and $65 million-plus left on his deal, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The decision to fire Williams was made at the ownership level, sources told Wojnarowski.

New team president Trajan Langdon will move to make his own coaching hire now.

The Pistons finished an NBA-worst 14-68 in Williams’ one and only season with the franchise. The 68 losses were the most in franchise history and the most in the NBA since the Philadelphia 76ers lost 72 games in the 2015-16 season, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

The Pistons also tied an NBA record with a 28-game losing streak last season.

Williams — a two-time NBA coach of the year — was lured to Detroit with a massive six-year deal after he was fired by the Phoenix Suns last year. He had initially planned to sit out a season while dealing with his wife’s cancer diagnosis but took on the Pistons’ rebuild under former Pistons general manager Troy Weaver.