PHILADELPHIA _ Monty Williams is heading to the desert.
The 76ers' lead assistant coach agreed to terms Friday to become the Phoenix Suns' head coach. But he'll remain with the Sixers throughout the postseason.
The hiring comes two days after Williams interviewed with Suns owner Robert Sarver and general manager James Jones for the job. That was his second interview with the team.
After that, Williams was considered the front-runner for the job, his second interview all but made it a done deal that the team would offer him the position.
"I am thrilled to welcome Monty Williams to the Suns family as our next coach," Jones said in a press release. "Monty brings a wealth of NBA experience, both as a coach and former player, in addition to being a high-character individual who will infuse basketball wisdom and life lessons into our locker room."
Jones added that Williams is respected for his coaching, leadership qualities and commitment to the community.
"All of which make him the ideal person to lead our team moving forward," Jones said.
Williams was one of the NBA's most-sought-after head-coaching candidates. He was also a finalist for the Los Angeles Lakers' vacant coaching position. Williams had two interviews for the Lakers job. The expectation is that Los Angeles will offer that job to former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Ty Lue.
The Suns fired Igor Kokoskov after just one year as their coach. Phoenix finished with the second-worst record in the NBA, 19-63, and also had the Western Conference's worst record for the third consecutive season.
Sixers coach Brett Brown is confident Williams will do well.
"I've known him for 15, 16 years," he said. "anyone who pays attention understand that he's 'elite people.' He's incredibly relational, prideful in studying how to be a coach.
"I hope he's taking something from our program."
Williams joined the Sixers' coaching staff in June after two years in the San Antonio Spurs' front office.
The Spurs job came after he spent the 2015-16 season as an assistant coach with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He took a leave of absence after his wife, Ingrid, died in a car accident on Feb. 10, 2016, and after the season it was announced that Williams would not return.
Before going to Oklahoma City, he compiled a 173-221 record during five seasons as the New Orleans Pelicans' head coach. Williams led New Orleans to postseason appearances, in 2011 and 2015. Before that, he spent five seasons as an assistant coach with the Trail Blazers. He also was an assistant coach for the U.S. men's national team from 2013-16.
