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Jeff Hornacek Not To Blame For Suns’ Struggles

By Gerald Bourguet

Apr 10, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Phoenix Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek looks on against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans won 90-75. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 10, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Phoenix Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek looks on against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans won 90-75. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jeff Hornacek
Mar 29, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek (left) talks to guard Eric Bledsoe in the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at US Airways Center. The Thunder defeated the Suns 109-97. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Managing Personnel

I’m not here to make a bunch of excuses for Hornacek, because he’s not a perfect coach. His team’s offense desperately needs to find a way to incorporate ball movement, he’s dropped a long way from the Coach of the Year candidate he was in 2013-14, and at times this season, it’s really felt like he’s losing touch with his team.

But perhaps the coach is not the problem. Can you really blame him for having a hard time getting through to the Morris twins, players who call out their own fans and are being investigated in an aggravated assault case? Or for struggling to get the best out of guys who can barely even drink legally like Len and Warren (or Goodwin, who can’t even drink legally yet)?

Hornacek has also had to play players like Archie Goodwin (20 years old), Marcus Morris and Brandan Wright out of position at times. How can anyone expect a stable product with such a mismatched roster?

This young team is a work in progress. It’s not going to happen overnight, and Hornacek has shown far more positives as a head coach than negatives. Keep in mind, this was a 25-win team when Hornacek took over.

Now, two seasons later, we’re all pissed off that the Suns aren’t making the playoffs with the fourth youngest roster in one of the most loaded Western Conferences we’ve seen? Maybe we should cut the guy a little slack.

Expectations were high this season, and rightfully so. But the offseason acquisition of Thomas threw this team’s chemistry out of whack and Hornacek’s been reeling trying to squeeze some good out of a constantly changing lineup.

Take a look at the teams you believe have a promising future as a potential title contender and you’ll notice they all have something the Suns don’t yet: a franchise player capable of taking over games.

Hornacek isn’t to blame for that either, and now that he has a whole summer to build chemistry with his new core, hopefully he can soon end this playoff drought that has people prematurely questioning his job status.

Next: Should The Phoenix Suns Re-Sign Brandon Knight?

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