Morgan: Fate of Suns is now in Kerr’s hands

As the Knicks ushered Mike D’Antoni into New York on Tuesday, like Caesar into Rome, we were all reminded why there is no circus like a New York circus.

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Gotham’s fans, temporarily blinded by the brilliance of D’Antoni’s smile and his pinball offense, were talking title while ignoring the lead weights tied to their legs named Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry.

Mercurial point guard Stephon Marbury showed up, and all was good with his former coach — at least until training camp.

The media — the all-knowing, all-seeing (even-if-nobody-else-saw-it) New York media — were there, lurking like Brutus, waiting for the inevitable strike.

But for now, they too were caught up in the unexpected wooing of a savior.

And what of the Valley’s fans?

Did you have a moment of pause when you realized the man who had averaged 58 wins a season was gone?

Did you have a moment of doubt? A hint of regret, anger or frustration?

Collect your saliva and spit it out.

Offseason Suns angst has been too much a habit in these parts. We can’t handle another summer of what-ifs.

At the risk of turning the page too soon on a remarkably entertaining era, I say do it now.

Don’t give another thought to D’Antoni, whose pride and cockiness were the hubris of an otherwise delightful man. A general manager has the right to demand some oversight of his club if it is falling short of a title. To deny otherwise suggests arrogance.

It’s time now to focus your attention on general manager Steve Kerr, who has just been handed a canvas and several cans of open, quickly drying paint. What do we really know about the Suns’ new boy wonder?

We know he played on ready-made championship teams in Chicago and San Antonio. We know he’s Sarver’s good buddy.

So we know he’s lucky.

But why should you, the fan, have any faith that he knows how to keep this franchise winning, and maybe even lead it to its first title?

There’s nothing on which to base such a judgment.

Even the Shaquille O’Neal deal was said to have been Sarver’s and D’Antoni’s idea. Kerr gets to walk away clean because we were told he was skeptical about the trade.

This is not to say Kerr won’t be successful. Everyone has to start somewhere. Kerr’s intelligence and easygoing demeanor should serve him well as he leads the Suns into the future.

He’s also played for two teams that owned the blueprints to success. Maybe he stole a few pages.

But playing doesn’t translate into managing. Kerr didn’t work his way up through the ranks like so many success stories before him. He didn’t learn under another great executive from whom he might have culled wisdom and practical know-how.

It has always been assumed that the Suns would win games, even if they never won the ultimate prize.

For the first time in 40 years, it’s fair to question the direction of this franchise. There are no proven basketball minds currently residing at US Airways Center, save the one who sits 10 rows behind the bench and owns the honorary title of Chairman.

With D’Antoni gone, Jerry Colangelo’s stamp has all but been erased from the management team.

What’s left are a few hopefuls with limited résumés, less experience and a pile of problems on their hands.

Kerr is the one who must lead them.

No pressure, Steve, but the hopes of an entire city now sit in your lap.

And Michael Jordan won’t be coming off a double-screen to bail you out.