05.20.08 5:00 AM CDT
• Sports
• Playboy Staff
Dave Golokhov, host of Hardcore Sports Radio (Sirius 186), foresees dark days in the desert.For the last four seasons, the Phoenix Suns have been close to an NBA Championship, but no cigar. But last February, instead of making minor renovations and improving a good team, they've done Extreme Makeover: NBA Edition. Now, like one of Josh Howard's blunts, everything has gone up in smoke. They are left with an over-the-hill, overpaid center in Shaquille O'Neal, an all-offense no defense All-Star in Amare Stoudemire, a faded former MVP in Steve Nash and with Mike D’Antoni off to the Knicks, no head coach.
The latter figures to be the biggest problem. The Suns' opening should be considered the worst head coaching positions in the NBA. The Suns have a mature team with Championship expectations but the tide has already hit its high point and is now rolling back.
In a perfect world, the Suns' wanted ad would look something like this: Looking for veteran head coach, NBA Finals experience a must. Preferably, one or more Championship rings with the pedigree to handle adversity, expectations and egos.
Alas, Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich are busy and there is a shortage of seasoned coaches who can bring optimism to this mess.
The incoming head coach is in a lose-lose situation. Since the Suns have been contenders recently, anything short of a Championship will fail to meet expectations. Any incoming coach will know exactly what D'Antoni realized before he bounced: this team is on the decline. Heavy minutes and age has caught up with Steve Nash, acquiring Grant Hill was a paper move that left a paper cut, trading Shawn Marion for Shaq's rickety body and overbearing contract was a mistake and selling all of those first round picks has turned out to be an awful decision.
You might think coaching in Miami or Memphis is a worse proposition, but at least in those cases you will get a honeymoon stage and a young team that will heed your lessons. Phoenix has a veteran squad that will only respect a brand name head coach. Winning a Championship is the only thing that will appease the team and fan base and since that is not going to happen, new Suns' coach – whoever you are – your days are already numbered.
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