By Paul Coro | USA TODAY
Phoenix Suns hired Jeff Hornacek to three-year deal as head coach
Hornacek was star for Suns from 1986 through 1992
He had been assistant for Utah Jazz but was top candidate this offseason
Jeff Hornacek agreed to terms with the Phoenix Suns to become their new head coach and will sign the three-year contract by Monday morning.
The Suns quickly acted after impressive interviews from Hornacek, the popular former Suns player who has been an assistant coach for the Utah Jazz. He was interviewed for the Charlotte Bobcats’ head coaching job, and the Philadelphia 76ers also were interested in him.
The Cleveland Cavaliers were the first team to hire a coach this offseason when they brought back Mike Brown, but the Suns were among six teams currently seeking a new coach with as many as three more expected to join that search.
Hornacek, 50, joined the Jazz as a shooting coach shortly before the 2007 playoffs and moved into a full-time assistant coach role in February of 2011 when Tyrone Corbin, his former Suns and Jazz teammate, took over the Jazz coaching job from Jerry Sloan. Hornacek was known for his work with Utah’s younger players. His coaching style brings a lot of the intelligence that he was known for as a player and an even-keeled demeanor that can turn disciplinarian when necessary.
The Suns drafted Hornacek with the 46th pick in the 1986 draft and the 14-year pro played his first six seasons in Phoenix, becoming an All-Star in his final year with a 20.1 scoring average. Hornacek was then traded to Philadelphia as part of the Charles Barkley acquisition. He stayed there a season and a half before being traded in 1994 to Utah, where he started until his retirement in 2000. The sharpshooter helped lead the Jazz to two NBA Finals appearances and later had his No. 14 retired in 2002.
