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Phoenix Suns 2003-04 Season Preview
Oct. 21, 2003
The Sports Network
=== Phoenix Suns 2003-04 Season Preview === By Richard Rosenberg, Contributing NBA Writer 2002-03 FINISH: 44-38 OFFSEASON ADDITIONS: G Brevin Knight, F Zarko Cabarkapa, G Leandrinho Barbosa, F Robert Archibald, C Cezary Trybanski OFFSEASON LOSSES: F Alton Ford, G Randy Brown, F Dan Langhi, F Bo Outlaw, F Jake Tsakalidis PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: PG Stephon Marbury, SG Anfernee Hardaway, SF Shawn Marion, PF Amare Stoudemire, C Jake Voskuhl COACH: Frank Johnson (Sports Network) - The Phoenix Suns won eight of their final 12 games of the 2002-03 season to finish at 44-38 and secure the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Phoenix faced the San Antonio Spurs in the first round and pushed the eventual NBA champions to six games before being eliminated.
This season, the Suns should continue to shine behind their main trio of Stephon Marbury, Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire.
Marbury will be entering his eighth NBA season and third with Phoenix. The 6-2 guard was acquired by the Suns on July 18, 2001, along with forward Johnny Newman and center Soumaila Samake from New Jersey in exchange for guard Jason Kidd and center Chris Dudley. In 81 games last season, Marbury averaged a team-high 22.3 points, 8.1 assists and 3.2 rebounds per contest.
Marion was selected by Phoenix in the first round (ninth overall) of the 1999 NBA Draft. The 6-7 forward had his best campaign in 2002-03 when he posted career-highs in points (21.2 ppg) and assists (2.4 apg). He also averaged a team-high 9.5 boards and 2.3 steals per outing.
Stoudemire earned Rookie of the Year honors last season. He appeared in all 82 games, including 71 starts, and averaged 13.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per contest. The 6-10 forward underwent offseason surgery to repair a dislocated toe that plagued him for the majority of the campaign.
Phoenix did make some offseason moves. The Suns sent big men Jake Tsakalidis and Bo Outlaw to Memphis in exchange for reserve guard Brevin Knight to free up some money.
Meanwhile, the club is hoping one of several young players steps forward. The most promising is one of their two first-round draft choices, forward Zarko Cabarkapa, who played well during the summer league. Rookie guard Leandrinho Barbosa and second-year guard Casey Jacobsen add to the Suns' talent pool.
BACKCOURT Starting alongside Marbury in the backcourt will be Anfernee Hardaway, who was limited to just 58 games last season after undergoing surgery on his right thumb in January. He originally hurt the thumb during practice on November 21 and played with the ailing digit until a specialist told him the injury could possibly be career-threatening if not treated.
For the season, the 10-year NBA veteran averaged 10.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per outing. Hardaway will be entering his fifth campaign with the Suns after being obtained by Phoenix in August of 1999 for Pat Garrity, Danny Manning and two future first round draft picks.
Joe Johnson will also see significant time at the shooting guard position. The 22-year-old Johnson was one of two Suns to play in all 82 games last season (Stoudemire) and started 34 times. He averaged 9.8 points, 3.2 boards and 2.6 assists per contest.
Knight spent the last two seasons with the Grizzlies after being acquired from Atlanta along with forward/center Lorenzen Wright and the draft rights to Pau Gasol on July 19, 2001 for forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim.
Knight appeared in 55 contests last year, including four starts, and averaged 3.9 points and 4.2 assists per outing.
Jacobsen participated in 72 games off the bench during his rookie campaign and struggled with his shot. He made only 37 percent of his field goal attempts and was just 52-of-165 from three-point range (31.5 percent). For the season, he averaged 5.1 points per game.
FRONTCOURT Marion and Stoudemire provide Phoenix with one of the top forward tandems in the league. In addition to his offensive ability, Marion is an underrated defender with outstanding quickness. His 2.3 steals per game last season were third-best in the league and he also blocked more than a shot per contest.
Stoudemire is already an exciting player to watch and will continue to improve as he gains a better understanding of how to use his numerous skills. Despite not having a legitimate jump shot, he was able to shoot 47 percent from the field last year thanks to raw power and a series of highlight-reel dunks.
The center position provides the biggest concern for the Suns. Jake Voskuhl will likely get the starting nod in the middle with Scott Williams coming off the bench.
The 6-11 Voskuhl appeared in 65 games last season, but started just once. He averaged 3.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per outing. The club is looking for him to improve on the defensive end.
The 35-year-old Williams, a veteran of 13 seasons, started 33 of the 69 games he saw action in during the 2002-03 campaign and averaged 4.0 points and 2.0 boards per contest.
Forward Tom Gugliotta was a non-factor last season. He started the first 10 games of the season before suffering a right foot stress fracture on November 22. The 11-year veteran ended up playing just 27 games, including 11 starts, and averaged career-lows in both points (4.8 ppg) and rebounds (3.7 rpg).
CRYSTAL BALL Phoenix' inability to land a talented free agent for the past few seasons has resulted in a weak bench. However, the production from the reserves should pick up, especially if Cabarkapa plays like he did in the summer league and Jacobsen regains his shooting touch.
Also, with the lack of a dominant presence in the middle, Phoenix still can't be considered a major power in the Western Conference. The trio of Marbury, Marion and Stoudemire should carry the Suns back to the postseason, but getting past the first round will be difficult unless the younger players develop more quickly than expected.
i only have one question for this writer, who is the dominant presence in the middle for the wolves, mavs or spurs? and if you tell me kandi i will tell you to go look at a picture of what amare did to him last year and then then tell me how dominant he is? duncan is a power forward not a center but he is still played very well down low. what is a doninanting presence in the middle? are you going to tell me that david robinson last year was dominant? bill cartwright? bill lambear? scott williams?
Oct. 21, 2003
The Sports Network
=== Phoenix Suns 2003-04 Season Preview === By Richard Rosenberg, Contributing NBA Writer 2002-03 FINISH: 44-38 OFFSEASON ADDITIONS: G Brevin Knight, F Zarko Cabarkapa, G Leandrinho Barbosa, F Robert Archibald, C Cezary Trybanski OFFSEASON LOSSES: F Alton Ford, G Randy Brown, F Dan Langhi, F Bo Outlaw, F Jake Tsakalidis PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: PG Stephon Marbury, SG Anfernee Hardaway, SF Shawn Marion, PF Amare Stoudemire, C Jake Voskuhl COACH: Frank Johnson (Sports Network) - The Phoenix Suns won eight of their final 12 games of the 2002-03 season to finish at 44-38 and secure the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Phoenix faced the San Antonio Spurs in the first round and pushed the eventual NBA champions to six games before being eliminated.
This season, the Suns should continue to shine behind their main trio of Stephon Marbury, Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire.
Marbury will be entering his eighth NBA season and third with Phoenix. The 6-2 guard was acquired by the Suns on July 18, 2001, along with forward Johnny Newman and center Soumaila Samake from New Jersey in exchange for guard Jason Kidd and center Chris Dudley. In 81 games last season, Marbury averaged a team-high 22.3 points, 8.1 assists and 3.2 rebounds per contest.
Marion was selected by Phoenix in the first round (ninth overall) of the 1999 NBA Draft. The 6-7 forward had his best campaign in 2002-03 when he posted career-highs in points (21.2 ppg) and assists (2.4 apg). He also averaged a team-high 9.5 boards and 2.3 steals per outing.
Stoudemire earned Rookie of the Year honors last season. He appeared in all 82 games, including 71 starts, and averaged 13.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per contest. The 6-10 forward underwent offseason surgery to repair a dislocated toe that plagued him for the majority of the campaign.
Phoenix did make some offseason moves. The Suns sent big men Jake Tsakalidis and Bo Outlaw to Memphis in exchange for reserve guard Brevin Knight to free up some money.
Meanwhile, the club is hoping one of several young players steps forward. The most promising is one of their two first-round draft choices, forward Zarko Cabarkapa, who played well during the summer league. Rookie guard Leandrinho Barbosa and second-year guard Casey Jacobsen add to the Suns' talent pool.
BACKCOURT Starting alongside Marbury in the backcourt will be Anfernee Hardaway, who was limited to just 58 games last season after undergoing surgery on his right thumb in January. He originally hurt the thumb during practice on November 21 and played with the ailing digit until a specialist told him the injury could possibly be career-threatening if not treated.
For the season, the 10-year NBA veteran averaged 10.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per outing. Hardaway will be entering his fifth campaign with the Suns after being obtained by Phoenix in August of 1999 for Pat Garrity, Danny Manning and two future first round draft picks.
Joe Johnson will also see significant time at the shooting guard position. The 22-year-old Johnson was one of two Suns to play in all 82 games last season (Stoudemire) and started 34 times. He averaged 9.8 points, 3.2 boards and 2.6 assists per contest.
Knight spent the last two seasons with the Grizzlies after being acquired from Atlanta along with forward/center Lorenzen Wright and the draft rights to Pau Gasol on July 19, 2001 for forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim.
Knight appeared in 55 contests last year, including four starts, and averaged 3.9 points and 4.2 assists per outing.
Jacobsen participated in 72 games off the bench during his rookie campaign and struggled with his shot. He made only 37 percent of his field goal attempts and was just 52-of-165 from three-point range (31.5 percent). For the season, he averaged 5.1 points per game.
FRONTCOURT Marion and Stoudemire provide Phoenix with one of the top forward tandems in the league. In addition to his offensive ability, Marion is an underrated defender with outstanding quickness. His 2.3 steals per game last season were third-best in the league and he also blocked more than a shot per contest.
Stoudemire is already an exciting player to watch and will continue to improve as he gains a better understanding of how to use his numerous skills. Despite not having a legitimate jump shot, he was able to shoot 47 percent from the field last year thanks to raw power and a series of highlight-reel dunks.
The center position provides the biggest concern for the Suns. Jake Voskuhl will likely get the starting nod in the middle with Scott Williams coming off the bench.
The 6-11 Voskuhl appeared in 65 games last season, but started just once. He averaged 3.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per outing. The club is looking for him to improve on the defensive end.
The 35-year-old Williams, a veteran of 13 seasons, started 33 of the 69 games he saw action in during the 2002-03 campaign and averaged 4.0 points and 2.0 boards per contest.
Forward Tom Gugliotta was a non-factor last season. He started the first 10 games of the season before suffering a right foot stress fracture on November 22. The 11-year veteran ended up playing just 27 games, including 11 starts, and averaged career-lows in both points (4.8 ppg) and rebounds (3.7 rpg).
CRYSTAL BALL Phoenix' inability to land a talented free agent for the past few seasons has resulted in a weak bench. However, the production from the reserves should pick up, especially if Cabarkapa plays like he did in the summer league and Jacobsen regains his shooting touch.
Also, with the lack of a dominant presence in the middle, Phoenix still can't be considered a major power in the Western Conference. The trio of Marbury, Marion and Stoudemire should carry the Suns back to the postseason, but getting past the first round will be difficult unless the younger players develop more quickly than expected.
i only have one question for this writer, who is the dominant presence in the middle for the wolves, mavs or spurs? and if you tell me kandi i will tell you to go look at a picture of what amare did to him last year and then then tell me how dominant he is? duncan is a power forward not a center but he is still played very well down low. what is a doninanting presence in the middle? are you going to tell me that david robinson last year was dominant? bill cartwright? bill lambear? scott williams?
