Gambo: Suns have begun contract negotiations with Jeff Hornacek

[carey]

@Gambo620: The Phoenix Suns have begun negotiations with former Sun Jeff Hornacek on a contract to be their next head coach.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'm fine with this hire, Jeff was a smart player that gave his all. I don't know what he'll be as a coach but I like his chances to succeed (eventually if not in Phoenix).

Steve

 

[Folster]

I just got the 620 alert. I thought the Suns would go this route. I'm glad to have Horny back. It's a shame he had to be the one shipped out to bring in the Barkley. He deserved to be a part of the 92-93 team.

I'm not familiar with his coaching style; it will be interesting to see what he runs. I'm also curious to see how he rounds out his coaching staff. Too bad Majerle took the GCU job.

Elindholm must be stoked, and I bet Al McCoy is excited as well.

Just a few short weeks ago, Lance Blanks was our GM and Lyndsey Hunter was our coach. Things are finally starting to look up with this franchise.

 

[NashDishesDimes]

I just got the 620 alert. I thought the Suns would go this route. I'm glad to have Horny back. It's a shame he had to be the one shipped out to bring in the Barkley. He deserved to be a part of the 92-93 team.

I'm not familiar with his coaching style; it will be interesting to see what he runs. I'm also curious to see how he rounds out his coaching staff. Too bad Majerle took the GCU job.

Elindholm must be stoked, and I bet Al McCoy is excited as well.

Just a few short weeks ago, Lance Blanks was our GM and Lyndsey Hunter was our coach. Things are finally starting to look up with this franchise.

Things are far from looking up, its still absolute trash in my opinion. I hate to be negative but the way i see it: 33yr old 1st year GM, 1st year head coach, and no franchise players. Every member of this franchise, top to bottom, is expendable.

 

[sunsfan88]

This is bad. Especially with Memphis bowing out so fast, we could have had Joerger by waiting just 2-3 more days.

No doubt that this is a publicity stunt. The Suns FO knows there are idiot fans who will get all excited about a former Sun Hornacek returning as coach.

This guy is about as passive as it gets. If our players were walking all over Gentry, guys like Beasley will pummel over Hornacek. Highly doubtful that he will earn the respect of our players.

Hornacek is hardly the disciplinarian this team needs.

I really liked the McDonough hire though so I will trust his gut on this one and give Hornacek the benefit of the doubt. Assuming that he made the hire and not Sarver...

 

[sunsfan88]

Normally when you bring in a hot assistant coach to become a head coach, the team he was previously employed with … was good — which the Jazz were not this season. The Jazz had the 8th spot in the playoffs in the West, but they coughed it up during the last week. Look at Brian Shaw. He’s been a part of winning teams since he was in the league as a player and as an assistant coach with the Lakers, and now, Pacers.


Mike Malone — the big name on everyone’s radar — has been a part of a very surprising Golden State Warriors team that shocked the Denver Nuggets last week. Before the Warriors, he coached a successful New Orleans Hornets team and was an assistant to Mike Brown in Cleveland for five seasons where the Cavs went 272-138.

The Sixers need a proven winner, not someone who’s been mediocre. Mediocrity is a curse of this franchise, and Josh Harris, Adam Aron and Tony DiLeo (unless he gets fired) shouldn’t settle for it when it comes to the next head coach.

http://adioroyster.wordpress.com/2013/05/08/jeff-hornacek-philadelphia-sixers-head-coach/

Same reason why I didn't want him as the next Suns HC.

 

[Billy Bob]

I guess I'm an idiot, I think he'd make a great head coach.

 

[Griffin]

Hornacek has zero head-coaching experience at any level and only has been an assistant coach for two years, so he will be cheap. As a popular former Suns player, he will be well received by most fans. I suppose those were the two main selling points. And since the team is expected to be horrible again, it won't really matter how well he does. Or at least, it won't be immediately apparent whether this was a good move or not.

Now is he any good at developing young players, the one attribute the Suns desperately need in a new coach? Nobody knows, because he hasn't really helped develop anyone yet.

 

[Stop Whining]

This could be a good hire. Jeff is as smart as they come (BB IQ). And while some think he's passive in nature, you cant doubt his firey on the court competiveness as a player. IMO he will exibit the same professionalism as a HC. Waiting to see who his assistants will be. He could and should retain Igor for a smooth transition.

 

[Billy Bob]

I remember we used to call him sleepy, he looked like he just woke up from a nap.

 

[Dr. Jones]

Love this guy..... No nothing about his coaching chops though.

I wish we would be patient with Budenholzer though. Just give the guy a chance in the process.

 

[elindholm]

Elindholm must be stoked

I'll like seeing him on the sideline, but I don't have any particular reason to think he'd be a good head coach. He has experience as an assistant and seems more cerebral than Majerle, but that's all I know.

 

[slinslin]

I would have preferred to get a young fresh new-school coach. I have doubts that Hornacek can be that guy..

 

[elindholm]

What's a "new-school" coach? One who has learned how to work the words "defense" and "accountability" into every other sentence? It's like a political candidate who says he stands for "more jobs" and "lower taxes."

 

[Chaplin]

Hornacek was strongly considered for the Celtics head coach position when Doc Rivers was hired, so it's no big surprise that McD likes him.

And I'm with Eric--what is a "young new-school" coach? With as little experience we have from Hornacek, what says that isn't what he is? As far as Majerle goes, those bridges were burned by freaking Lance Blanks when he put Hunter as head coach.

 

[bankybruce]

Hornacek was strongly considered for the Celtics head coach position when Doc Rivers was hired, so it's no big surprise that McD likes him.

And I'm with Eric--what is a "young new-school" coach? With as little experience we have from Hornacek, what says that isn't what he is? As far as Majerle goes, those bridges were burned by freaking Lance Blanks when he put Hunter as head coach.

I think what he is saying is that Jeff is more Steve Kerr, Jerry Sloan and Tom Thibodeau than he is Brian Shaw, Doc Rivers and Marc Jackson and I don't think he means coaching style either.

 

[SirStefan32]

I was always a big Hornacek fan, but this is a terrible hire. I was really hoping we'd get an assistant coach with a lot of experience. I hope I am wrong, and I hope Jeff wins multiple coach of the year awards, but my initial reaction to this is that it is not a good hire.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I was always a big Hornacek fan, but this is a terrible hire. I was really hoping we'd get an assistant coach with a lot of experience. I hope I am wrong, and I hope Jeff wins multiple coach of the year awards, but my initial reaction to this is that it is not a good hire.

I'm surprised by this. More often than not, I'm in agreement with you and when not, I at least understand where you're coming from. But how could anyone removed from the situation consider this a terrible hire (or a great hire)? We just know so little about Jeff as a coach. We see first time coaches succeeding elsewhere so that can't be the problem? Anyway, I could understand someone calling this a questionable hire but any surer statement than that floors me.

Steve

 

[Chaplin]

I was always a big Hornacek fan, but this is a terrible hire. I was really hoping we'd get an assistant coach with a lot of experience. I hope I am wrong, and I hope Jeff wins multiple coach of the year awards, but my initial reaction to this is that it is not a good hire.

Why? I get that he hasn't had the "assistant coach" title for very long, but he's been a part of coaching staffs for a lot longer than that. I think that this hire fits pretty well with McD and his own amount of experience.

If he can get our young players better and relate to the vets, I don't care what amount of experience he has. We can't in one breath praise the philosophy of our new GM and in the next vilify him for the very first thing he does. Do fans support McD or not? That's the question. Yesterday they did, today, there seems to be some people that have changed their mind rather suddenly.

I will say one thing: Hornacek has loads more experience than Lyndsey Hunter ever had, so that's a huge plus in my book. Also, he spent a lot of time with Jerry Sloan, so it's not like he is a complete rookie at this.

 

[SirStefan32]

I'm surprised by this. More often than not, I'm in agreement with you and when not, I at least understand where you're coming from. But how could anyone removed from the situation consider this a terrible hire (or a great hire)? We just know so little about Jeff as a coach. We see first time coaches succeeding elsewhere so that can't be the problem? Anyway, I could understand someone calling this a questionable hire but any surer statement than that floors me.

Steve

You are right. I suppose I was so disappointed that we didn't go after Budenholzer that I ended up being a little too tough on Hornacek.
"I am disappointed by this hire" is what I should have said, not "This is a terrible hire." It was a subjective statement/ opinion that I wrote as an objective statement.

 

[SirStefan32]

Why? I get that he hasn't had the "assistant coach" title for very long, but he's been a part of coaching staffs for a lot longer than that. I think that this hire fits pretty well with McD and his own amount of experience.

If he can get our young players better and relate to the vets, I don't care what amount of experience he has. We can't in one breath praise the philosophy of our new GM and in the next vilify him for the very first thing he does. Do fans support McD or not? That's the question. Yesterday they did, today, there seems to be some people that have changed their mind rather suddenly.

I will say one thing: Hornacek has loads more experience than Lyndsey Hunter ever had, so that's a huge plus in my book. Also, he spent a lot of time with Jerry Sloan, so it's not like he is a complete rookie at this.

See my response to Steve. I am just very disappointed we didn't end up with my first choice.

I am also not vilifying our new GM. I thought he was a great hire, and I like to give people the benefit of the doubt until they give me a reason not to anyway, so McD is OK in my book. I trust that he made the right choice- just disappointed that Mike B. isn't gonna be our next head coach.

Having said all that, your Hunter argument is silly. Hunter is terrible, and comparing someone to Hunter to make them look good is like comparing something to crap topped with vomit to make it seem like it smells nice.

 

[AzStevenCal]

You are right. I suppose I was so disappointed that we didn't go after Budenholzer that I ended up being a little too tough on Hornacek.
"I am disappointed by this hire" is what I should have said, not "This is a terrible hire." It was a subjective statement/ opinion that I wrote as an objective statement.

Understood. Only time will tell if this is a good hire. Obviously, I love a good cliche. Actually, I even love the bad cliches, they save me from having to think up something original.

Steve

 

[overseascardfan]

Mixed feelings for me. On one hand, his dad is a basketball coach so he grew up around coaching. He played under great coaches in Jerry Sloan & Cotton Fitzsimmons and has some assistant coaching experience and will be very popular with old school Suns fans.

But his potential hire goes against what McDonough said he is looking for in a HC, a great leader. PHX is going to have a pretty young roster next year and the new HC is going to have to be able to instill discipline and I'm not sure Hornacek is that type of guy. Generally, you'd want a coach with a respected reputation whom the young guys can believe in, most of the team will have to Google Hornacek to find out who he is.

 

[Sleepy]

Would not mind to see the Suns hiring Hornacek at all, hopefully he does well here.

 

[slinslin]

Hornacek was strongly considered for the Celtics head coach position when Doc Rivers was hired, so it's no big surprise that McD likes him.

And I'm with Eric--what is a "young new-school" coach? With as little experience we have from Hornacek, what says that isn't what he is? As far as Majerle goes, those bridges were burned by freaking Lance Blanks when he put Hunter as head coach.

Because Horny is already 50 and comes from a Jerry Sloan // Utah Jazz oldschool system. Everything about Horny screams oldschool.

But I am not surprised most Suns fans like it. Apparently being a former Sun player is the most important quality, see majerle.