Report: D'Antoni potential coaching candidate for Suns if Hornacek loses job
The Phoenix Suns' laundry list of problems both internally and on the hardwood should leave no one within the organization feeling secure about their job.
The team is riding a nine-game losing streak following an embarrassing 20-point loss to the 8-27 Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night. Head coach Jeff Hornacek - who just recently saw two of his assistants get canned - may be next on the chopping block if the Suns continue down the turbulent path they're on.
Should the franchise part ways with Hornacek, current Philadelphia 76ers associate head coach Mike D'Antoni may be in line to return to Phoenix, as there is "active buzz" in coaching circles that he will be on the Suns' list of potential candidates, according to ESPN's Marc Stein.
D'Antoni coached the Suns from 2003 to 2008, leading Phoenix to two 60-win seasons, two appearances in the Western Conference Finals, and an overall record of 253-136 (.650). He was also famous for implementing the visually stimulating "seven seconds or less" offense with Steve Nash running the point.
He wound up leaving the Suns to sign a four-year, $24-million contract with the New York Knicks, although his success in the Valley didn't follow him to the Big Apple, where he went 121-167. Following a two-year stint with the Los Angeles Lakers, D'Antoni found himself out of the league until recently joining the 76ers staff.
Phoenix's issues go well beyond who's manning the sidelines, though. Eric Bledsoe - the team's top scorer at 20.4 points and 6.1 assists per game - is lost for the season with a torn meniscus, while Markieff Morris is as disgruntled as ever, with team owner Robert Sarver calling out the 26-year-old for his actions and comments since the Suns decided to deal away his twin brother, Marcus Morris.
Hornacek is just two seasons removed from finishing second in Coach of the Year voting after leading Phoenix to a 48-34 record in 2013-14, and having played seven seasons in a Suns uniform, it may be difficult for ownership to kick someone to the curb who has such a deep history with the franchise.
Then again, with five of the team's recent defeats coming against some of the worst teams in the league (Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, Sacramento Kings, Milwaukee Bucks, and Denver Nuggets), Hornacek - who has a team option in his contract for 2016-17 - may end up being the scapegoat for a season where any light at the end of the tunnel has officially been blanketed by darkness and despair.