As we all know… there has never been and never will be a “perfect” coach.
So unless you are holding someone to that standard of perfection, you then must know that every coach possesses his/her respective shortcomings…
Now, if you want to bash dudes like Earl Watson, go for it. But the incessant bashing from a few of you, of a coach who took a floundering joke of a franchise to 8&0 in the bubble, then to a 2 - 0 in the NBA Finals last season, then to 64 wins this year and the #1 seed overall, to winning the NBA Coach of The Year (after being selected the same last year by his fellow NBA coaches), to now just a win away from getting back to the Western Conf Finals….well, I think you’re more than just a little naive.
Monty makes decisions with loads of pre-thought and intention. Perhaps more-so than most other coaches. I have no doubt that his decision ti stick with Payne for as long as he did, was backed by some strategy only Monty and a few others know. I accepted it. And I accept the change he has now made.
As fans, it’s our right to criticize. I get it. But the truth is none of us have ever been in a leadership position that would even be in the same stratosphere as a NBA head coach. Heck, most of you have never been in any form of a complex, high stress and multi-facets leadership position, period.
Developing maximized relationships with players, coaches, ownership, media and fans, as well as developing, installing and executing a culture and philosophy, on top of being a keen in-the-moment decision-maker, is all rarely blended together in ways that produce consistent excellence. IMHO, Monty has created a foundation that appears to be built this way and therefore, has achieved a degree of success few others coaches have ever achieved.
He gets the benefit of the doubt from me… because he’s earned it!