Bickley: Suns need to hire Dan Majerle as their next head coach

Nostalgia and passion are powerful forces in professional sports. They are twin pillars on Planet Orange. They mean more to Suns fans than most NBA consumers.

That’s why the next full-time head coach is an obvious choice for a downtrodden organization.

His name is Dan Majerle. Maybe you’ve heard of him.

This is a tricky proposition for everyone involved. It requires humility, tap dancing, fake smiles, forgiveness and a collective sacrifice to a higher calling. The earth would shake and mountains would have to move. But it could all happen with a single phone call.

Suns owner Robert Sarver would have to swallow some pride and trust in trust, forging a meaningful bond with one of Jerry Colangelo’s biggest supporters. Colangelo would have to encourage Majerle to resuscitate the franchise he created from dust, even at the expense of Grand Canyon University, a school that properly deifies the Valley icon, representing his only competitive outlet in Arizona.

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Once absolved from pangs of guilt and betrayal, Majerle would have to feel welcomed and empowered by a franchise that passed him over in order to hire Lindsey Hunter, a colossal blunder that prompted the Suns legend to walk out the door in anger.

It’s a messy deal with no room for power plays, agendas or ego. This is about heart and truth, and how the Suns are the Valley’s most important franchise, a team that put Phoenix on NBC and the sporting map. They were once a small-market team that forged the fourth-best winning percentage in the NBA without ever winning a title, a designation that speaks to incredible consistency, even with the absence of championship rings.

The Suns reflect the triumphs, struggles, history and the best of Arizona better than anyone else. They are bigger than any coach, player or owner, even Colangelo, Charles Barkley and Steve Nash.

They represent us.

Majerle had no desire to comment on any potential interest, which makes him all the more appealing as a job candidate. He has now recorded 100 wins at GCU, helping forge one of the most emotionally vested fan bases in college basketball. After an erratic regular season, he must guide the Antelopes to a Western Athletic Conference championship to earn a NCAA Tournament berth in the school’s first year of eligibility.

Given our chaotic landscape, where the Sun Devils are reeling and the Wildcats are hoping to avoid the FBI in March Madness bracket sheets, Majerle has a chance to rise above the cesspool and civic disappointment. But I know his heart remains with the Suns.

Same with Colangelo, who has never received a sunset worthy of his contributions to our state. He should have statues outside Chase Field and Talking Stick Resort Arena, a fitting tribute to the teams he delivered to the Valley. If a statue of Rocky Balboa is the touchstone of Philadelphia, it’s a shame we haven’t done the same.

I’m also certain that Colangelo would endorse this move. While power corrupts, Colangelo has learned how to use it generously and gracefully. During a recent radio interview, he once again pledged his love to the NBA franchise he birthed in 1968. He added that, “life is too short to hold grudges. It’s a waste of time.” He would never stand in opposition to a Majerle homecoming.

This is not meant as a slight to current interim head coach Jay Triano, who made it clear that he wants the job on a full-time basis. He is smart, credible and has already shown the depths of his experience and talent. He inherited a dumpster fire, a team that fired Earl Watson three games into the current season. He’s done an admirable job of balancing conflicting agendas and holding young men accountable. He’s earned the respect of Devin Booker, whose happiness must be preserved at all costs. The Suns could do a lot worse.

But Majerle is an even better option. His coaching skills exceed his value as a hood ornament. His passion is contagious, and his love for battle has never waned. He is more than qualified for the job and is the rare type that understands what the Suns mean to Arizona.

Better yet, he understands why.

As the Suns conclude another unbecoming season filled with lopsided losses, winning fewer than 30 percent of their games for a third consecutive season, you can almost feel the pressure building. Even if they reap the No. 1 pick in the draft, the team will be adding yet another teenager to a team too young to compete in the NBA. There is pressure on the organization to conduct a thorough search for their next head coach and not just appoint interims that have flamed out in the past, from Hunter to Watson.

There is also great value in those who understand the team’s legacy. Jeff Hornacek was a celebrated choice as head coach. Kevin Johnson felt obligated to come out of retirement, helping the Suns win a playoff series without Jason Kidd. The return of Steve Nash felt perfect, just like his subsequent MVP trophies.

It’s time to let Majerle tap into our well of passion, serve the team he loves and honor what Colangelo once built with Arizona’s first professional franchise. While many candidates are great basketball coaches, he can restore glory to a fallen franchise. Because he know what it means and what it feels like in Arizona.

So go ahead, Robert. Make the call. For all of us.

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Reach Bickley at dan.bickley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8253. Follow him on twitter.com/dan.bickley. Listen to “Bickley and Marotta” weekdays from 12-2 p.m. on 98.7 Arizona’s Sports Station.