League sources tell ESPN that Suns coach Jeff Hornacek is in danger of losing his job after the woebegone Sixers got just their second win of the season Saturday night in Phoenix against his team. The Suns sit at 12-20, in a tie for 12th place in the Western Conference. But they started 7-5 before losing 15 of their next 20 with Saturday night’s cringe-inducing loss to the Sixers.
The fear within the Phoenix organization is the team is no longer responding to Hornacek, who led the Suns to a surprising 48-34 record in his first year as head coach, and a solid 39-43 record last season. Over the summer, despite Markieff Morris’ odd trade demands (he recanted on media day), the Suns locked up incumbent guard Brandon Knight to a long-term deal, after trading for him at the deadline, and signed Tyson Chandler in a coup that almost enticed LaMarcus Alridge to come to the desert.
Even without Aldridge, the Suns were expected to compete in the deep Western Conference for one of the final playoff seeds. But now the team is looking for answers during their slide in the standings, and Hornacek is likely next in line if Phoenix isn’t prepared to make a personnel move before the February deadline.
Unfortunately, the news that Morris threw a towel at the Suns coach, leading to a two-game suspension, buttresses the belief Hornacek isn’t getting through to the team.
Saturday night also saw starting point guard Eric Bledsoe exit in the second quarter with a sprained left knee, which Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic reports could lead to “extended time” missed depending on MRI results.
Eric Bledsoe is expected to miss extended time for Saturday's left knee injury. MRI results on possible meniscus damage are to be announced.
— Paul Coro (@paulcoro) December 27, 2015
The Suns are in the unenviable position of NBA mediocrity. Their expensive backcourt and center make them too good to compete for a top lottery selection, but the loss of Bledsoe, Markieff’s continued poor play and the second-worst turnover percentage in the Association prevents them from joining the playoff log-jam behind the elite teams in the West (Golden State and San Antonio).
Is it time to deal ‘Kieff and just rebuild? And, if that’s the case, does Hornacek still spearhead the rebuild from the bench? The first month of the new year could offer an answer, but it doesn’t look good for the former Jazz guard turned Suns coach.
(ESPN)
