Editor's note: ESPN Insider's Chad Ford breaks down what last season's NBA lottery teams need to do to get to the playoffs. ESPN.com's "Fixer-Upper" series continues with the Phoenix Suns.

The Suns are the enigma of the Western Conference. Are they setting or rising? It depends on who you ask.

An informal poll of league executives about the Suns' chances in the West next season had them everywhere from a seventh seed in the playoffs all the way down to the cellar next to the Grizzlies and Nuggets.

Why is there such a disparity?

Last year, several general managers cruelly referred to Suns GM Bryan Colangelo as the Executive of the Year for building the Nets, Pistons and the Celtics into playoff contenders. The trade of Jason Kidd to the Nets for Stephon Marbury was roundly considered a flop. Colangelo gave away Cliff Robinson to the Pistons and then shipped off two important role players -- Rodney Rogers and Tony Delk -- for a guy that plays the same position as his $12 million-a-year two-guard.

However, just a few months after the season, the perception of the Suns is already beginning to change. The Suns may have pulled the coup of the draft by grabbing high school stud Amare Stoudemire with the No. 9 pick. Stoudamire was so impressive at the L.A. Summer Pro League and the Rocky Mountain Revue that several GMs, including Jerry West, began referring to him in star terms.

Despite dire predictions this spring about Shawn Marion's future, he re-upped on a six-year deal. Figure in the Suns' second first-rounder, Casey Jacobsen, and the Suns addressed their two biggest needs -- an athletic, low-post scorer in the mold of Antonio McDyess and a sharp shooting guard to sink 3s.

What a difference a summer can make.

Still, a few problems remain. Penny Hardaway is boiling on the Suns' bench. Stephon Marbury's confidence seemed shaken after Kidd's magical turnaround of the Nets. And Tom Gugliotta is always a question mark.

Can the Suns claw their way into the playoffs? ESPN.com poured over depth charts, trade rumors and salary-cap information and even sought the advice of a few NBA general managers to give you the four things the Suns must do to get into back to the playoffs this season.

	Hardaway

Step 1: Dump Penny Hardaway.
The Suns are pulling out all the stops to move Hardaway after he bumped heads all season with point guard Stephon Marbury. Colangelo has already stated that Joe Johnson will have the starting job at shooting guard going into camp and that Hardaway will have to win back his job. That's unlikely. The team has soured on him and the chemistry with Marbury just doesn't work. The Suns can't afford to have that logjam at the two. If Hardaway is stuck on the bench, he'll be a major disruption. Can they move him? They'll have to take back a big contract or two in return, but anything may be worth getting Hardaway out of the mix. Of course, that's easier said than done.

One interesting option is the Knicks, who have shown some interest in Hardaway in the past. Hardaway came into the league playing point guard and would be a nice answer to the Knicks' woes at the point if he was willing to make the switch and if the Knicks determined he was healthy. If the Suns could pry away Latrell Sprewell, the addition of Spree, along with Marbury and Shawn Marion, would put this team back in the playoff hunt in the West. As far as money goes, the two contracts are almost identical, but the Suns would actually get a little cap relief. Spree's contract is up in the summer of 2005. Hardaway's nightmare isn't over until the summer of 2006. If the Suns threw in a No. 1 pick and a young stud like Johnson, would the Knicks pull the trigger?

The other team that could be intriguing is the Pacers. They've been looking for a big, veteran point guard and Hardaway could fit that need. If the Suns were willing to take back Ron Mercer and Austin Croshere in return, the two teams could probably agree to a trade. Hardaway could split time at the point with Jamaal Tinsley and at the two with Reggie Miller. While neither Mercer or Croshere would be huge upgrades for Phoenix, Mercer's contract is up in two years, giving the Suns about $20 million in overall cap relief.

	Strickland

Step 2: Find a veteran backup point guard.
The Suns have their fair share of money woes, but given the market, they should be able to steal away a veteran point guard on the cheap. Erick Strickland had a solid year for the Celtics last season, but he's basically picking between minimum offers. Strickland can swing between the point and the two and has decent range on his 3-point shot.

Step 3: Turn Amare Stoudemire loose.
High school players typically struggle their first couple of years in the league, but Stoudemire showed tremendous potential in summer-league games. Physically, he's already there. He's got the NBA body and his athleticism is remarkable. He's very raw offensively, but his rebounding and shot blocking could make him into a Ben Wallace-type player until his offense emerges. The Suns must resist the urge to try to give Tom Gugliotta or Bo Outlaw all the playing time. Stoudemire is the future of this team and it looks like he has the skills to come in and contribute immediately.

Those moves would give the Suns this opening-day roster: