Amare Stoudemire, Boris Diaw: Phoenix Suns Special Preview Series

Last summer, Amare Stoudemire talked about how much he worked on his jump shot.  The result? He became one of the best mid-range shooters in the NBA.

Stoudemire's proclaimed area of improvement this summer?  Defense.  The Suns would be ecstatic if the same kind of results are shown in the 2008-09 campaign.

Indeed, the only weakness in the three-time All-Star's game is on the defensive end of the floor, where lack of positioning and silly fouls undermined his attempts to be considered an legit MVP candidate.

His rebounding (or lack thereof, at times) also seemed a glaring hole for someone with the combination of talent, size and athleticism that is matched only by his eastern counterpart, Dwight Howard.

Howard, of course, led the league in rebounding last season at a 14.2 per-game clip.

STAT's offseason commitment to the "D" side of the ball would help influence the team's change of identity to that which general manager Steve Kerr and new head coach Terry Porter are trying to implement.  If Stoudemire doesn't follow that vision, it'll be a hard sell on the rest of the team.

Offensively, Porter will no doubt want to take further advantage of Stoudemire's scoring abilities in a more traditional offense, giving Stoudemire an opportunity to be the first-ever member of a Suns team to lead the league in scoring.

Backing up Stoudemire (and playing alongside him, at times) will be Frenchman Boris Diaw, who's consistency is as frustrating as his skills are captivating.

After tantalizing the Suns and the league with his breakout 2006-07 performance that garnered Most Improved Player of the Year, Diaw has since settled into complacency.  Pundits point out it may not be coincidental this occurred after Diaw signed a lucrative 5-year extension worth $45 million.

When making an effort to be involved in the game, Diaw is a matchup nightmare.  Put a big on him, and he'll drive right past him.  Defend him with a guard, and Diaw will post him up.  Double him, and his uncanny passing skills come into play.

Combine those factors with his potential to rebound well, and Diaw should be a triple-double threat every night, rather than be threatened by exasperated fans who want to see him play up to his potential.

No other team in the NBA features more talent at the power forward spot than the Suns with Stoudemire and Diaw.  If they don't commit to reaching their potential however, no team will have such wasted talent at that position, either.