
Jun 6, 2023
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has acknowledged that as far as coaching salaries are concerned, it’s open season.
Speaking before Game 1 of the NBA Finals Thursday in Denver, Silver said Monty Williams’ six-year, $78.5 million contract with the Detroit Pistons reflected the league’s market reality: Coaches’ compensation isn’t collectively bargained and governed like it is for players.
Williams’ deal — signed this week after the 2022 Coach of the Year was fired by Phoenix last month — is the largest ever for an NBA coach and reportedly could reach $100 million with options and incentives included.
The pact immediately amplified concerns that smaller-market clubs could lose out in future bidding wars for top coaching talent.
“We’re able to negotiate collectively with the players because they choose to negotiate as a union,” Silver said. “The coaches haven’t made that election … teams compete individually, and it’s where the marketplace takes us.”
Source: Front Office Sports