2016 has been a rough year for the Phoenix Suns. From disgruntled players to a mid-season coaching change; from losing streaks to exciting draft picks; from hope for the present to hope for the future; the Phoenix Suns have taken us on a roller coaster ride these past twelve months. Let us now dig into the events of the past year, and take a sneak peak into the future.
January through April
January (Record that Month = 2-12 / Record in the Calendar Year = 2-12)
Mar 29, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Markieff Morris (11) celebrates a three point shot by making a gun with his finger aimed at the Oklahoma City Thunder bench in the first quarter at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The Suns entered 2016 in shambles. After beginning the 2015-16 season 7-5, they finished the 2015 calendar year 5-16. By January 1, 2016 the Suns had lost 7 in a row in rout to the second worst losing streak of the season – 9. (More on the worst losing streak soon).
By this point in the season everyone knew the Suns were going to rid themselves of Markieff Morris. He had already been on a many month’s long crusade to be traded and had become villain number one in the minds of Suns fans. But what was slowly becoming apparent, was that Head Coach and fan favorite Jeff Hornacek was now on the hot seat. The team was losing at a fantastic clip for the franchise, and even though Morris had been the central-figure in the team’s dissolution, Hornacek was taking a larger and larger brunt of the blame…
On the court, the Suns’ struggles were historic. Their first game of 2016 was a monumental loss to the Sacramento Kings who were only 12-20 at the time, not much better than the 12-23 Suns. Yet Sacramento manhandled Phoenix from beginning to end, including a 44 point outburst in the third quarter leading to a 142-119 blowout. The 142 points by a Suns opponent was the most in a regulation game since December 4, 1990 when Phoenix lost to Chicago, 155-127.
The highlight of the month came on January 23 when Archie Goodwin nailed a three-pointer at the buzzer to lift the Suns to a 98-95 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Goodwin, who started that game and led all scorers, was on top of the world. Unfortunately, the high did not last long as reality quickly sunk back in. The Suns lost their next four straight to end the month, and all that had ailed the team, began to come to a head.
February (1-9 / 3-21)
Jan 21, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek reacts against the San Antonio Spurs at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Spurs defeated the Suns 117-89. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
February started off with a bang: The firing of Head Coach Jeff Hornacek.
On February 1, Jeff Hornacek was fired and the first shoe of the season fell. The Suns were currently 14-35, and Hornacek seemed to have lost control of the locker room.
The move had become widely expected, but was nonetheless questioned by most of the media and Phoenix Suns fans alike. General Manager Ryan McDonough had failed to trade Markieff Morris yet, and everyone outside of the franchise at least knew that he was the cornerstone of the team’s failure. Might a delay in the firing of Hornacek and promotion of Earl Watson until at least after Morris was traded have saved the season and Hornacek’s job?
The answer will forever remain unknown, but at least Suns fans needed not wait much longer to finally see an end to the Morris-led drama.
On February 18, 2016, literally in the final moments before the passing of the trade deadline, Markieff Morris was traded to the Washington Wizards for what amounted to be a 1st round pick in the 2016 NBA draft after the two players returning in the deal were each waived before the month ended. The move was widely credited as a successful one by Ryan McDonough because the acquisition of a 1st round pick for someone who was literally leading to the downfall of a team, seemed entirely impossible.
On the court the Suns’ futility continued regardless of who was manning the sidelines or who comprised the roster. The four game losing streak that they entered the month with ballooned into a franchise-worst tying 13 game losing streak that was unexpectedly ended with a surprise victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on the last game of the month – the only victory in the month of February.
March (5-11 / 8-32)
Mar 4, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Phoenix Suns center Alex Len (21) is congratulated by center Tyson Chandler (4) during the second half at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
On the court the Suns saw a slight uptick in wins over the course of the March, but their futility remained relatively constant. General discussion about the Suns was mercifully off of the topics of locker room cancers and coaching changes, and Watson ramped up his theme of family and love among the players on the roster. Even though there were persistent rumors that Archie Goodwin was not happy since his clique that included the Morris brothers had now dissolved away, the team seemed to finally be happy and the community was able to begin mending its relationship with the Suns franchise, now post Morrii.
After losing two in a row to begin the month, the Suns won two, only the fourth time on the season that they had a multiple game winning streak. The first of those two victories was a 102-84, 18-point victory over the Orlando Magic, the fewest points they would hold an opponent too in the calendar year.
April (3-4 / 11-36)
Feb 25, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Ronnie Price (14) loses control of the ball against Brooklyn Nets forward Chris McCullough (1) during the second half at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Nets won 116-106. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Phoenix would finish the season on a note that would ring off-key in the ears of most Suns fans.
With nothing else to play for, Phoenix fandom had turned their hopes to the 2016 draft lottery long ago. And as difficult as the season had been, reaching a high point in the lottery would at least be a positive note in a season full of foul ones.
Wanting as many ping-pong balls as possible, a Phoenix loss might actually be a Suns win. With the Philadelphia 76ers reaching the depths of history winning only 10 games, and the Los Angeles Lakers winning only 17, the Suns had a decent chance at having the third most ping pong balls in the draft if only they could ‘beat out’ the Brooklyn Nets. Fortunately for Suns fans, the Nets swept the season series 2-0. Unfortunately for Suns fans, down the stretch Phoenix won a few too many games, and by winning three out of their last four, they jumped two games ahead of the Nets and finished fourth overall in the draft lottery.
Less than a week after the season ended on April 13, on April 19, the Suns appointed Earl Watson as head coach for the upcoming season.
Stay tuned tomorrow for 2016 May through August in Review!
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