(My Sportsbook) - The Phoenix Suns endured a forgettable season in 2001-02. It was apparent the Suns were a team in decline when they failed to qualify for the postseason for the first time in 13 years. Despite his team's struggles, general manager Bryan Colangelo tried to keep a stiff upper lip.

"Let's just say I prefer to look at the glass as half full," Colangelo said.

There are no delusions in the desert: Colangelo isn't expecting to unseat the Lakers. If the Suns can start to inch back toward the .500 mark, that would probably be acceptable to the boss.

FRONTCOURT:

The Suns will once again start Jake Tsakalidis at center. Tsakalidis is not Shaquille O'Neal, but he did improve last season. If he continues to improve at the same rate, he'll be a serviceable option for the Suns.

Shawn Marion is a proven scorer and rebounder at small forward who is rapidly approaching an All-Star level. He needs to be more aggressive attacking the basket, which will enable him to create contact and get to the foul line.

Last season, power forward was a weakness. Tom Gugliotta showed his age and struggled physically. This may force the Suns to turn to youth at the position. Amare Stoudemire may in fact usurp Gugliotta with his tenacious rebounding. He also is a great shot-blocker with a mean streak a mile long. Most of his points will come from running the floor and crashing the offensive boards.

GUARDS:

The Suns traded Jason Kidd to New Jersey last season, hoping that Stephon Marbury would become their franchise player for years to come. His first season in Phoenix was not stellar, due in large part to ankle and hamstring injuries.

Marbury is a scorer, plain and simple. He looks for his own offense first, which is not the desired mentality for a point guard. Phoenix needs to get more of its roster involved in the action. It's been said that moving Marbury to the off-guard spot might be the answer. Of course, Marbury is at his best when he attacks the basket and breaks down defenders off the dribble. He can't do that if he doesn't have the ball in his hands.

Joe Johnson will start the season at shooting guard. He has good size at 6-8 and can be an effective playmaker. Johnson showed flashes of brilliance last season that the Suns hope he can build on.

BENCH:

The wild card to Phoenix' season could be Penny Hardaway. Will he return healthy? Will he accept a reserve role? These are the answers the Suns need to prognosticate their season. A moody Hardaway could set off a chain reaction and cause the team to implode. If he returns healthy and accepts a supporting role, the club will have an outstanding backcourt rotation.

Casey Jacobsen and Randy Brown will provide additional backcourt depth. Jacobsen is a good shooter who also moves well without the ball. Brown is a strong on-the-ball defender. He missed most of last season due to injury, and strong on-the-ball defender. He missed most of last season due to injury, and the Suns can only hope his health holds up. Phoenix added veteran Scott the Suns can only hope his health holds up. Phoenix added veteran Scott Williams to bolster the center position. Jake Voskuhl, who was the backup last season, will likely end up either traded or on the injured list.

The Suns are high on second-year forward Alton Ford. Ford looked impressive in the summer leagues and added even more muscle to a sculpted 6-9, 275-pound body. He's not afraid to bang inside, but has a limited offensive game. Phoenix basically just needs rebounding and defense from him.

OUTLOOK:

The Suns are not a playoff team in the stacked Western Conference. Phoenix will likely win 30-35 games and finish sixth in its division.