Monty Williams to return to coaching, become 76ers lead assistant

Monty Williams has agreed to a deal to join Brett Brown's coaching staff as the lead assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers, league sources told ESPN.

Williams, 46, will leave the San Antonio Spurs front office, where he has spent the past two years. Williams spent five seasons as head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans, reaching the Western Conference playoffs twice.

Williams left the Oklahoma City Thunder as associate head coach in the aftermath of a car crash that took the life of his late wife, Ingrid, in February 2016. He relocated to San Antonio with his children, where Williams had extended family to help his children and him.

Williams interviewed for the head-coaching job in Milwaukee this spring. His return to the bench with Brown and the Sixers signifies his next stop to becoming a head coach again. The Sixers lost assistant coach Lloyd Pierce to the Atlanta Hawks as head coach.

New Orleans reached the playoffs twice in Williams' tenure: in his first season (2010-11), prior to the Chris Paul trade with the LA Clippers, and in his final season (2014-15), after rebuilding around young center Anthony Davis. The Pelicans were 45-37 in Williams' last season, when they lost an opening-round series to the Golden State Warriors.

Williams won a gold medal as part of Mike Krzyzewski's USA Basketball coaching staff at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016.