Four seasons ago, the Phoenix Suns finished the season in the conference finals after losing, 4-2, to the Dallas Mavericks. That was the team's second-straight trip to the NBA final four, as Phoenix bowed out, 4-1, to eventual champion San Antonio in 2005.

The core of those teams featured Steve Nash (two-time MVP), All-stars Amar'e Stoudemire (Stoudemire missed 79 games in 2005-06) and Shawn Marion, defensive stopper/dead-eye shooter Raja Bell, super-sub Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw (Diaw spent time at all five positions during that run), Tim Thomas and Eddie House (both are guys who can get you 20-30 off the oak) and Kurt Thomas.

The Suns, who had a book, ":07 Seconds or Less," a publication chronicling the team's 2005-06 season written by longtime basketball writer Jack McCallum, written about them, didn't even make the playoffs last year. The west was tough last season and Stoudemire missed extended time with an eye injury, but for a team that features two of the greatest of all time at their respective positions (Nash and Shaquille O'Neal) to not make the playoffs is absurd.

The group featured in McCallum's book has since been broken up. Of that core, only Barbosa, Nash and Stoudemire remain. Phoenix may still be fun to watch, but the sun has set on the team's relevance.

Phoenix Suns
Phoenix's core now features a 37-year-old with bad ankles (Grant Hill), a 35-year-old with a bad back (Nash) and a 26-year-old coming off eye surgery (Stoudemire). That group also features former MSU star Jason Richardson and Barbosa, 28 and 26, respectively.

Phoenix does have some young pieces that should contribute in second-year center Robin Lopez and 2009 lottery pick Earl Clark.

The Suns have the pieces to have a solid season, but with the moves some other teams out west have made, I don't think Phoenix has enough in the tank to compete.

Nash's back problem would be a bigger issue if he relied on athleticism, which he doesn't. Last season, in 74 games, Nash shot .503 percent from the field, while pouring in 15.7 ppg and handing out 9.7 assists a night. Nash has the ability to make everyone around him better, but this group looks like someone just threw it together.

I also don't have faith in head coach Alvin Gentry, who coached in Detroit for parts of three seasons. This is Gentry's fourth coaching stint. He's taken one team to the playoffs - the Pistons in the lockout-shortened 1999 season. Gentry has a career record of 195-239 and has been fired mid-season twice. I've read that the Suns players love Gentry, but I don't see him putting them in the best position to win for an entire 82-game season.

I don't think Phoenix should look at dealing Nash or Stoudemire, but what Phoenix should do, assuming they don't make the playoffs this season, is draft an understudy for Nash. Phoenix has failed to develop a back up for the two-time MVP. Having one in tow would make for a smooth transition once Nash calls it quits. Next year's draft class doesn't have that great a crop of point guards, so looking at someone like Raymond Felton in free agency next summer would be a good move.

It would do Phoenix good to make some moves this season, as Stoudemire has an early termination option that kicks in next summer.