Utah Jazz: Jeff Hornacek hopes to be on coaching staff

SALT LAKE CITY — Jeff Hornacek was on the bench with Tyrone Corbin when the Utah Jazz hosted the Phoenix Suns on Friday night — and it seems like it's just a matter of time before he's a permanent fixture.

Hornacek said after the Jazz's shootaround on Friday morning that he hopes to be named one of Corbin's assistant coaches. Not much movement has been made in making it official since Jerry Sloan resigned, but when things calm down it may just be a formality.

"I'm here and Ty wanted me to help out so that's it for now," Hornacek said. "We'll hopefully figure it out in the next few days. It'll be fun to do and exciting to be out there with those guys."

Corbin said he'll have to sit down and talk with Hornacek about the position. They haven't had time to do that yet.

"Right now, Jeff has been with us," Corbin said. "He's going to help us a little bit more right now. We'll see where that goes. We haven't officially sat down and talked yet. It's so early in the process. We'll get it worked out.

"He's been working with us for the last couple of years with the guys. He's here. We'll have him with us a little bit more, and we'll see where it goes. He hasn't officially been (hired) an assistant coach yet, but we'll see where that goes."

Hornacek, a part-time shooting coach for the Jazz, said he has aspired to be a full-time assistant coach when the time is right. That time may be now, although it would come with some sacrifices for the former Utah Jazz sharpshooter.

Hornacek lives in Phoenix and one of his kids is a junior in high school.

"It's worked out great for me working part-time," Hornacek said. "I've watched the kids grow up."

Of the lifestyle change that would come with joining the Jazz coaching staff full-time, Hornacek said, "I'd have to figure something out for the rest of the year (in regards to living arrangements). We'll try to figure it out."

Hornacek would be a valuable asset in helping the Jazz through their current transition. Twice as a player, he had coaches get fired during the middle of a season. During his rookie year in Phoenix, John MacLeod was fired in February. As a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, Doug Moe was canned during the 1992-93 season.

"It's a little crazy for a while, but it'll get settled down," Hornacek said of coaching changes that occur during a season.

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