Considering the circumstances, Monty Williams did an admirable job coaching a New Orleans Pelicans team plagued by injuries, and made up of mismatched parts to the eighth seed in this year's ultra-competitive Western Conference. The feat wasn't enough, though, as Yahoo Sports reports that Williams was fired Tuesday.

Citing league sources, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports writes that Pelicans general manager Dell Demps had been wrestling for greater control of the franchise. The report says that during the season, there was evidently decreasing support from management towards Williams' staff.

Prior to this season, the 43-year-old former NBA player last led the team to the playoffs back in 2010-2011. Williams had one year left on his contract, as well as a team option for another year. Wojnarowski notes that Williams had a scheduled management meeting the morning of his firing, with the expectation that the team would pick up his 2016-2017 option.

As noted by Yahoo Sports, Pelicans team owner Tom Benson wrote a public letter of congratulations expressing his support for Williams, as well as his staff and team. "I am very excited about the future of our Pelicans and you have my word and my resolve to bring everything to bear to win," Benson wrote.

Williams' firing makes New Orleans the third head coaching opening, following the Denver Nuggets and the Orlando Magic.
But, as pointed out by Wojnarowski, the presence of the league's next transcendental star, Anthony Davis, makes the Pelicans the most appealing situation of the three.

Under Williams, Davis developed into a first overall pick beaming with potential, to a member of Team USA, to an All-Star Starter, and one of the most complete players in the league at just 22 years of age.

After Chris Paul left the franchise, the Pelicans had made improvements from a 21-win season, to 27, 34, to 45 wins this season.