I can't believe I'm typing this post and starting this thread. I do, however, have a theory as to why Monty does what he does.
I'm beginning to think that the length of tenure is starting to wear thin here. Sometimes, guys just start tuning you and your shtick out. 3 years of losing basketball gets old, no matter how long you've been on the team.
The coaching this year has been worse than any of the other 3 seasons previous, and I'm sure the players have a lot to do with that aspect. It doesn't change the fact that the change needs to happen. His stubbornness this year is at an all-time high (as evidenced by the almost etched in stone rotations, both over the span of games and in-game). I wonder if that has to do with the team drowning him out. It is one of many possible explanations for his insistence on his initial decisions.
I can't possibly believe that any head coach in his right mind would watch tape and fail to realize what a turd-on-a-log Steimsma is. These players aren't blind. You have to think that they notice Steimsma is completely incompetent, Roberts couldn't stop the 50s-year-old Isiah Thomas, much less the new one, and Gordon/Reke should be running the offense more. There's obviously more. Don't even get me started on the hard-hedging. It's so bad, I can point examples from our seats out to the people I'm with as it's happening.
The effort on this team is in the youth. The youth is fighting to show they're ready (minus Davis who's just a complete stud on almost every human level). The "young vets" seem to be over it already. This is hardly the first game where Aminu, Gordon, Holiday, Tyreke looked like they could give 2 craps less about what's going on out there. Don't believe me? Look at the +/- from the last few games. Suddenly, our bench is actually an asset even though people keep pointing out our team is "full of D-Leaguers". Their words. Not mine.
Long story short. I'm not sure what Monty can do to fix what's happening at this point. It is probably in the best interest of both parties (including his own coaching career post-Pels) to part ways. It's going to take a winning streak of decent length (5 games minimum) to keep his job heading into next season. I just don't see it happening. These things happen over time. 3 seasons of .350 basketball will do that to you. We all know Monty is one prideful SOB. It certainly feels like he's making his last stand.