Hornacek is a Part of Sixers Past that Shouldn’t be Relived on the Sidelines

There’s Mike Malone — assistant head coach of the Golden State Warriors.  That makes sense.

There’s Brian Shaw — assistant head coach of the Indiana Pacers.  That also makes sense.

Then there’s the dark horse.  The shadowy figure in the alley that lurks around to scare the hell out of Philadelphia 76ers fans because it’s totally unexpected.  With all due respect to Utah Jazz assistant coach Jeff Hornacek … you are that shadowy figure, my friend.

The Inquirer’s John Mitchell is reporting that Hornacek is on the Sixers list of potentials to be the successor to Doug Collins.  Hornacek’s name has been thrown around as a candidate for the Charlotte Bobcats job as well as the 76ers.  (Honestly, how desirable can Hornacek be if the only other team that’s showing any interest is the Charlotte Bobcats.)

Hornacek has familiarity with the Sixers franchise dating back to when he was one of three pieces (Andrew Lang and Tim Perry being the other two) in the trade that sent hall-of-famer Charles Barkley to Phoenix — one of the most traumatic trades to haunt Sixers fans in the history of the franchise.  Hornacek and general manager Tony DiLeo have had a friendship even after the two years he was in a Sixers uniform.

If this is just a move where DiLeo is doing his friend a solid and giving him a job, it’s on the onus of owners Josh Harris and Adam Aron to step in and say, “Absolutely not!”  Keep this in mind, Tony.  YOUR contract is up this summer, so there’s a good possibility you won’t be here, anyway.  Harris and Aron have a vision for this Sixers team.  I don’t think anyone in Philadelphia knows what that vision is, but I have a hunch that Hornacek isn’t in that vision.

Normally when you bring in a hot assistant coach to become a head coach, the team he was previously employed with … was good — which the Jazz were not this season.  The Jazz had the 8th spot in the playoffs in the West, but they coughed it up during the last week.  Look at Brian Shaw.  He’s been a part of winning teams since he was in the league as a player and as an assistant coach with the Lakers, and now, Pacers.

Mike Malone — the big name on everyone’s radar — has been a part of a very surprising Golden State Warriors team that shocked the Denver Nuggets last week.  Before the Warriors, he coached a successful New Orleans Hornets team and was an assistant to Mike Brown in Cleveland for five seasons where the Cavs went 272-138.

The Sixers need a proven winner, not someone who’s been mediocre.  Mediocrity is a curse of this franchise, and Josh Harris, Adam Aron and Tony DiLeo (unless he gets fired) shouldn’t settle for it when it comes to the next head coach.  I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the resurrection of the past with the Sixers, recently, but Hornacek is a vision of the past I’d rather not relive on any level.