Gambo: Suns have begun contract negotiations with Jeff Hornacek

[SirStefan32]

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.

Come on now, I am not happy with the hire either, but let's be fair. Hornacek is nothing like Majerle. There is no indication that he is anything less than 100% focused on basketball and a total pro.

In my book, Jerry Sloan/ Utah system is a damn good thing. If Jeff can duplicate that, I will be very happy.

 

[AzStevenCal]

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.

I don't love the hire but I'm fine with it. I'm fine with it not because of where Hornacek played but because of how he played. We're all just guessing here so you take what information you have available and that's all you can do. I'd have been fine with any one of several other candidates too and none of them have any Suns connections that I'm aware of. And I was very much against the idea of Majerle or Barkley for that matter, two former Suns that are probably remembered much more fondly than Horny is.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

Jeff Hornacek is one of those special players that I admire as a person and as a player. He is rock solid. I watched him develop since his first rookie camp with the Suns. I do not see why he cannot develop as a solid head coach. I was so disappointed he entered coaching with Utah instead of the Suns. He was everything a team could want in an assistant coach so why not give him his opportunity to be a head coach at age 50. He is as ready now as he will ever be. IMO, Jeff has some Cotton Fitzsimmons rubbed off on him. He is a classy person. The Suns are not going to be a contender soon, so let him grow with the team. Jeff was coached up from being a second round pick into a quality NBA player. I have no doubt he can grow into a head coach as well.

 

[Mainstreet]

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

I suppose you don't like Gregg Popovich either.

 

[Mulli]

:championship:

aperboy:

 

[mojorizen7]

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 agree. Its one thing to hire a HC with no experience,its quite another to hire a HC with no experience to come into a situation where the cupboard is empty.

It could work out nicely,but the chances are better with an experience HC in this situation one would think.

I'd hate to see Hornacek come in here and get chewed up after 18 months.

 

[Errntknght]

The only bad thing about Jeff is that he was part of the Jazz meltdown. Still I'm cautiously optimistic since he was an intelligent player and level headed. Old school is fine with me as long as he doesn't have some agenda other than winning basketball games... playoff basketball games, to be specific.
Primarily, I'm just trusting that McD is making good use of the wealth of information he has on the candidates. Hopefully, it will take a couple of years to see whether Hornacek is good coach - if he's a disaster like Porter, Frank Johnson, Scott Skiles or D'Antoni it will be apparent much sooner. (Hunter doesn't make my list because we didn't know what Blanks agenda was, though I was losing hope that he'd prove out.)

I certainly hope Jeff is not manic on the sidelines, I don't think I could take another one of those. I don't expect it.

 

[Chaz]

Looks like this is a done deal.
http://www.azcentral.com/insiders/p...nacek-agrees-to-terms-will-be-suns-new-coach/

I always liked Hornacek as a player and a person but I don't know much about him as a coach. I know he is well liked in the organization.

I hope some Cotton Fitzsimmons and Jerry Sloan rubbed off on him. Along with his own development as a player and son of a coach hopefully he is prepared to be a good head coach. In Ryan McDonough we trust at this point.

 

[slinslin]

I suppose you don't like Gregg Popovich either.

Popovic is not an old-school coach, Popovic evolved as a coach along with the modern basketball style.

Jerry Sloan type basketball is not modern basketball. I hope Hornacek is a lot smarter than trying to coach based on that philosophy. I hope Hornaced has a much more analytical approach.

 

[desertdawg]

Horny was fun as a Sun, but isn't tested enough to merit this hiring. He isn't some brainiac up and comer with strategies galore. If our Owner thinks he's going to pull one by on us with some hometown hero, I'm just going to assume he is just Sarving some money by not even going after a big name. He talks all that game, but he would rather Sarv than spend, so for now I'm done investing emtionaly or finiancialy to this yardsale of a team. I hope Hornacek proves me wrong, but I don't see him bringing us back to form, especially starting with what he has to start with.

 

[Gaddabout]

Some thoughts:

- Hornacek is a technique and fundamentals monster. I've never seen a player get more out of so little God-given talent. He could play angles on defense like he was telepathic. He was ALWAYS open because he moved in space an intuitively knew where the holes in the perimeter D would be. He was a fantastic passer at the 2. Amazing ball skills. All of this was learned through education and sweat.

- I don't understand the "sleepy" comment. Horny was *intense.* In the first year of KJ/Chambers/Horny, Magic got out on a 3-0 with Worthy and Scott. Horny -- who had been knocked to the floor by Worthy -- got up and beat Magic to the free-throw line and took a beautiful charge. It was a brutal collision -- Magic had to have 40 lbs. on him. Horny got up and SCREAMED at his teammates for not even trying to get back on defense. Defense was played after that. If he had a Zen-like approach on offense, that's preferable to me.

- Hornacek is actually highly regarded in the NBA as someone who can work with young people. That's why the Jazz hired him in the first place.

- The only reason Horny hasn't been a coach longer is because he could afford to not work while his kids were growing up. Now they're grown up and he's in demand in the NBA.

I get why this doesn't energize the fanbase, but of all the Suns players in the past, Horny was the guy I always felt would be a good head coach. It's in his blood, he clearly showed he knows the game, and Phoenix has always been the place where his heart is.

Great hire? I dunno. But I think it's a good hire, and the right one for the youngsters that will soon be on this team.

 

[Lefty]

Let's give him a chance. It's not like it could get any worse.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

I like the hiring on Horny, and I'm also happy with McDonough.

Right now, we have the most hopeless roster in the NBA. It'll be interesting to see what McDonough sees as a solution. Do we purge most of the current roster? Do we use cap space to acquire a bad contract and get extra picks? Do we sign someone to a big money deal?

While we're pretty much at rock bottom, I'm excited to see how this coach/gm duo will work.

 

[Mainstreet]

Popovic is not an old-school coach, Popovic evolved as a coach along with the modern basketball style.

Jerry Sloan type basketball is not modern basketball. I hope Hornacek is a lot smarter than trying to coach based on that philosophy. I hope Hornaced has a much more analytical approach.

I view Gregg Popovich as an old school disciplinarian like Sloan. Work hard and play within the system. However, make a mistake or two, you are out of the game. Most players like that about a coach, if it leads to winning, and are eventually able to embrace it. There is no doubt who is in control of the Spurs. Duncan, Parker and Ginobili are the stars but they play the game the way Popovich wants. Popovich even pulled Duncan in the 4th quarter against GS in the playoffs when he was not producing.

 

[Superbone]

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

This.

 

[Superbone]

Some thoughts:

- Hornacek is a technique and fundamentals monster. I've never seen a player get more out of so little God-given talent. He could play angles on defense like he was telepathic. He was ALWAYS open because he moved in space an intuitively knew where the holes in the perimeter D would be. He was a fantastic passer at the 2. Amazing ball skills. All of this was learned through education and sweat.

- I don't understand the "sleepy" comment. Horny was *intense.* In the first year of KJ/Chambers/Horny, Magic got out on a 3-0 with Worthy and Scott. Horny -- who had been knocked to the floor by Worthy -- got up and beat Magic to the free-throw line and took a beautiful charge. It was a brutal collision -- Magic had to have 40 lbs. on him. Horny got up and SCREAMED at his teammates for not even trying to get back on defense. Defense was played after that. If he had a Zen-like approach on offense, that's preferable to me.

- Hornacek is actually highly regarded in the NBA as someone who can work with young people. That's why the Jazz hired him in the first place.

- The only reason Horny hasn't been a coach longer is because he could afford to not work while his kids were growing up. Now they're grown up and he's in demand in the NBA.

I get why this doesn't energize the fanbase, but of all the Suns players in the past, Horny was the guy I always felt would be a good head coach. It's in his blood, he clearly showed he knows the game, and Phoenix has always been the place where his heart is.

Great hire? I dunno. But I think it's a good hire, and the right one for the youngsters that will soon be on this team.

Thank you. Excellent post.

 

[sunsfan88]

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.

That's the only reason that people like it. If Hornacek was a former Maverick or something but had the same credentials that everyone here would be hating the hire.

Sarcee knows that getting a fan favorite as HC can increase the pathetic ticket sales he had last year. And that's exactly what he's doing.

 

[sunsfan88]

I don't see why we didn't go with Grant Hill rather than Hornacek.

 

[Mainstreet]

That's the only reason that people like it. If Hornacek was a former Maverick or something but had the same credentials that everyone here would be hating the hire.

Sarcee knows that getting a fan favorite as HC can increase the pathetic ticket sales he had last year. And that's exactly what he's doing.

I don't see why we didn't go with Grant Hill rather than Hornacek.

It seems like your argument is contradictory. Hornacek has coaching experience in the NBA while Hill, to my knowledge, has no experience coaching experience in the NBA.

Besides give the new GM and coach an opportunity. Maybe it is just because you are just more familiar with Grant Hill than Jeff Hornacek. I do think Hill can become a good head coach someday if he gets coaching experience and commits to it as a career.

Besides, I'm curious as to why you are so cynical as a Suns fan.

 

[Sleepy]

Jazz fans are gutted to lose Hornacek: http://www.slcdunk.com/2013/5/26/4368090/goodbye-jeff-hornacek

That makes me feel even better on this hiring.

Welcome back to Phoenix Horny!

 

[Mainstreet]

Jazz fans are gutted to lose Hornacek: http://www.slcdunk.com/2013/5/26/4368090/goodbye-jeff-hornacek

That makes me feel even better on this hiring.

Welcome back to Phoenix Horny!

The fan comments below the article tells it all.

 

[AzStevenCal]

It seems like your argument is contradictory. Hornacek has coaching experience in the NBA while Hill, to my knowledge, has no experience coaching experience in the NBA.

Besides give the new GM and coach an opportunity. Maybe it is just because you are just more familiar with Grant Hill than Jeff Hornacek. I do think Hill can become a good head coach someday if he gets coaching experience and commits to it as a career.

Besides, I'm curious as to why you are so cynical as a Suns fan.

Oh he's just disappointed that we didn't hire Penny Hardaway as Head Coach and Shaq as his top assistant.

Steve

 

[JS22]

I don't see why we didn't go with Grant Hill rather than Hornacek.

Is this a serious question? You essentially just contradicted yourself by saying the Suns hired him to please the fans. Not because he was qualified. Then you suggest Grant Hill?

 

[BC867]

We all like Jeff Hornacek, of course. But, really, what does it matter?

The next Suns coach (who will now be Horny) is a buffer. What else could he be with our incomplete roster?

If he keeps his head above water, he'll build the experience to join a competing team.

If it swallows him, it will hardly reflect on him either way as far as his coaching career. Every NBA front office knows how incompetent Sarver has been in fronting a team in the best basketball league in the world.

Until Sarver bails out, what does it matter? Which is frustrating for a long-time Suns fan to say.

 

[Superbone]

We all like Jeff Hornacek, of course. But, really, what does it matter?

The next Suns coach (who will now be Horny) is a buffer. What else could he be with our incomplete roster?

If he keeps his head above water, he'll build the experience to join a competing team.

If it swallows him, it will hardly reflect on him either way as far as his coaching career. Every NBA front office knows how incompetent Sarver has been in fronting a team in the best basketball league in the world.

Until Sarver bails out, what does it matter? Which is frustrating for a long-time Suns fan to say.

Take your meds, BC. Things are looking up. We've got a top notch talent evaluator and a promising new head coach. Blanks is gone. Hunter is gone. Take a deep breath. Things are getting better.