For the second time this season, the Phoenix Suns have shaken up their coaching staff. First they fired assistants, Mike Longabardi and Jerry Sichting. In turn, they promoted Earl Watson and Nate Bjorkgren to the bench. Now they have dismissed Head Coach Jeff Hornacek.

They gave Hornacek a second chance to turn around the lowly Suns, whom were 48-34 in his first year to dropping to 39-43 last season. This year, they have taken a headfirst dive in the shallow shallow end of the kiddie pool to 5-15 and losing to the revamped rebuilding Sixers at home, to dropping out of an airplane sans parachute free falling into a volcano to 14-35 and at the bottom of the West table. 

Granted, franchise centerpiece, Eric Bledsoe, has been ruled out for the season and there has been a disgruntled conjoined twin that has been separated from his better half seething on the bench. These outstanding basketball products could’ve helped save this season for the Suns and Hornacek. But we don’t live in the world of could’s and should’s, but in the world of instant gratification.

This team could’ve grown after a season of losses. However, a team that hasn’t won a title in over 30 years of inception and has seen roster turnover and inconsistency since the departing of Mike D’Antoni, Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion and the Run’N’Gun Suns have the front office and fans anxious. 

The moves in the recent regime have totally failed and have damaged the team: TWO PG failed system of Goran Dragic-Isaiah Thomas, signing of a declining vet of Tyson Chandler whom has shown progress and flash but for $15m you could’ve invested in the future, not letting go Markieff Morris and letting him ruin chemistry, re-signing PJ Tucker another declining vet, STILL RUNNING A TWO PG SYSTEM WITH BLEDSOE AND BRANDON KNIGHT, and not signing any players of value or production to complement the young stars on the team.

The only positive of this season has been Devin Booker (10 PPG 42% 3FG w/ a 30 point game this year). He has shown out this year, even if it is on a failing flailing team, and is showing his true promise and living up to his hype despite being a sixth man on a stacked Kentucky team.

Jeff Hornacek’s tenure has been tumultuous. Going from fighting for playoff contention, to fighting for his job. The Suns are now in reset mode to fix this mess of a team, (but we’re all human and should not demonize a coach because we all make mistakes. Grant it, it’s costing a team millions in revenue but he’s not the right fit for the job.) which is exactly what I have been doing in My GM mode. A little foreshadow/coincidental action. I believe that Jeff Hornacek is a good coach, and could be, he just wasn’t a great fit in Phoenix at all and his time has come. 

Many fans would love to see the Run’N’Gun style come back to Phoenix, but I hope they can settle for stability and growth. As a Suns fan, I’d take both.

Stats courtesy of ESPN.go.com

Photo courtesy of archive.azcentral.com