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Phoenix Suns: 5 Long-Term Replacements For Jeff Hornacek

By Gerald Bourguet

Jan 8, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek in the second half against the Miami Heat at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Heat defeated the Suns 103-95. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 8, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek in the second half against the Miami Heat at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Heat defeated the Suns 103-95. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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January 14, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors interim head coach Luke Walton during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Lakers 116-98. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Luke Walton

Luke Walton may be one of the hottest coaching commodities on the market after the 2015-16 season. As the interim coach of the Golden State Warriors this season, it was smooth sailing for the defending champs under Walton’s direction, with the team posting an unreal 39-4 record in that span.

Unfortunately for Walton, all of those wins and losses are still credited to Steve Kerr, but if Walton were to be given credit for those wins, he’d hold the NBA’s best all-time win percentage (.907). Obviously that number would go down if he were to accept a job from the Phoenix Suns, but the point still stands: Walton will be sought after by a number of NBA teams this summer.

The problem here is it’s tough to tell how well Walton would be able to do coaching a team that’s not as skilled, talented, hard-working or cohesive as the Warriors are. Though Walton did a commendable job holding the ship together in Kerr’s absence, this team was pretty much a well-oiled machine no matter who was in charge.

Would Walton struggle to lead a team that’s nowhere near as well put together like the Suns? Or would he be able to successfully implement what he’s learned from his time at the helm of one of the NBA’s all-time greatest teams? That’s what teams will be wagering on this summer when Walton’s name comes up in head coaching discussions.

Next: No. 2

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