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One-on-One: TNT's Harlan Talks Suns' Moves, Outlook

The Suns's recent slew of trades and fight for a playoff spot -- highlighted by tonight's matchup with Oklahoma City -- have made them a hot topic in NBA circles. Thursday night's game will be broadcast live by NBA on TNT announcer Kevin Harlan, who has witnessed Phoenix's evolution since the 1980s.

Suns.com's Matt Petersen caught up with Harlan to talk about Phoenix's trade deadline moves, the roster moving forward, and much more concerning Suns basketball.

How surprised were you that Jeff Hornacek became an NBA head coach?

You always watched him as a player, and he was very even-keeled. You could tell that his vision of the floor and his grasp of what was in front of him and what needed to be done always kind of characterized his play. He was very smart. Gifted, obviously, with a terrific shot. More rugged, probably than people thought as a player. He could take his lick and jump back up. I just always admired the way he played.

There are certain players you can watch on the floor and the way they move without the ball and the way they’re always in the right place when they do get the ball and how they always find the right teammate at the right time. They’re in the proper place defensively with rotations and everything else. Those players stand out…with him it was a constant pattern of all those assets.

I honestly thought he might do college, because I thought his soul was too good, his temperament would fit perfectly with the college game where he could really teach. Obviously he’s done a wonderful job in the NBA and dealing with a young team as it is.

What's your take on Brandon Knight and the Suns' recent moves?

Knight Stuffs it Home

I’ve always enjoyed Brandon Knight. He’s jumped around a little bit, obviously, in his career. He’s only been in the league four years and this is his third team. There probably is a little outside concern as to why he hasn’t stuck, but I think he’s looking for the right fit. If anybody can figure out how guards need to play and where a player of his skill level fits, it’s Jeff. I feel very confident that they will incorporate him quickly and that his presence will be felt in a hurry.

I think with what they were facing and what they had to do, they made the right move. I'm glad they made it. I think it's going to pay off in the end.

...It’s a lot of conjecture to this point. Let’s see how that materializes. You’ve got Brandon Knight in the mix. I think they got close last year and just missed out. People are saying, ‘alright, let’s take the next jump.’ Sometimes it doesn’t happen just the next year, because there’s still time to fit the pieces together as they’re going to be. I don’t necessarily know that that picture is all that clear.

I think it’s a work in progress. But, how about this, it’s a work in progress that stays over .500. [It’s a] work in progress that’s fighting in the ninth position in the toughest conference in basketball. I think that’s a pretty good experiment to watch because they’re having success while growing and finding out what the right combination is at the same time.

Is the two-point-guard system as different as it's being billed?

Detroit has had that. The three-guard thing can work. The two-guard, two-point-guard system can work. It’s been done before. It maybe has not been the way teams have gone for a variety of reasons. Number one, it’s hard to find two competent point guards on one team that can play with one another and shift their position from play to play…

I kind of think that it takes someone with a little vision to make it work. If you’ve got the players on board, if they can concede dribbling it all the time and having the ball in their hands all the time, then they can shift on the fly. It takes a pretty special set of circumstances – coaching, player attitude, everything else – to make that go. I think Jeff is the one to construct it. He’s established it. It’s got some legs in Phoenix.

What's your take on Alex Len's development?

Len on Both Ends

The thing about Len is this is really his first full season, in essence. He’s really got a heavier work load. We know he’s had some injuries in the past, foot and ankle injuries, surgeries in the last year. I think with these young players, especially foreign players, I think that you’ve got to let them breathe a little bit. There’s got to be some breathing space…Let’s let this kid breathe and get his footing under him.

No one doubts that he's going to be a wonderful player. Mike Fratello, who I worked with up in Portland the last time we saw the Suns a couple weeks ago, is very high on him. Really likes him.

What's your reaction to Al McCoy still doing what he's been doing since the early 1970s?

Thank God we’ve got a guy that can bridge generations and colorfully describe with the wonderful words and emotion that he has what the beauty of the NBA is all about.

I could go on and on about a guy like Al McCoy, who has always been a wonderful friend, a mentor in a lot of ways as a young broadcaster myself. He’s one of the first legendary voices in this league to extend a hand and offer any assistance he could. He has a wonderful perspective on life. He’s a family man. I can’t say enough about Al McCoy. They don’t make them like that anymore.