In the Suns' favorite preseason fantasy, point guard Stephon Marbury leads an explosive, creative and unstoppable running game that features a graceful Shawn Marion on one wing and a powerful Amare Stoudemire on the other.

The highlight reels overload with emphatic fast-break finishes, and the Suns reward a city that waited patiently for the team to rebuild its nucleus.

The problem with that fantasy? The Suns still play in the Western Conference where the defending champion San Antonio Spurs and three-time champion Los Angeles Lakers reside. If the Suns want to rub elbows with the NBA's weighty upper crust, they'll have to execute just as effectively in the half court against the likes of Tim Duncan and Shaquille O'Neal.

No player is more important to that execution than Stoudemire, the reigning Rookie of the Year. The Suns 6-foot-10 power forward gives the team its best interior presence on offense since Charles Barkley, and its most intimidating defensive presence since Antonio McDyess' brief 1997-98 visit.

After a season of opening eyes around the league, Stoudemire knows he won't catch anyone snoozing this year.

?I think I'm going to get double teams from the first game on out, but I've prepared for it. I've worked on a lot of moves," Stoudemire said.

Among the skills Stoudemire says he has added to his repertoire are a mid-range jump shot to keep defenders from backing off of him, better ball handling, moves in the post and a better understanding of his one-on-one defensive assignments.

Rookie Zarko Cabarkapa is nursing a strained groin and may be limited as he seeks to get healthy for the start of training camp.

Fellow rookie Leandro Barbosa was supposed to arrive from Brazil after clearing up a visa issue, but he remained there because of his father's illness.

Both players will attend the NBA's rookie orientation program next week, then report for camp.

Amare Stoudemire went through his second full-court workout, and he was sucking wind by the time it was over after spending most of the summer recuperating from toe surgery.

"I was trying to play through it so I can get into better shape," Stoudemire said.

Although the surgery didn't help his conditioning, it may have aided his shooting. He spent the summer working on his shot, and it shows in workouts.

"(Assistant coach) Phil Weber is a great shooting coach," he said. "I had to change up my shot a little."

Stoudemire also underwent laser eye surgery, which should help his shooting and didn't hurt while he was taping an episode of Wheel of Fortune that will air during the show's "NBA Week" Nov. 17-21.

No, those aren't undersized T-shirts Shawn Marion is wearing.

The Suns small forward reported to informal workouts at America West Arena packing guns - the biceps variety.

Marion played and worked out in Chicago all summer and said he weighs 234 pounds, up about 14 pounds from his playing weight last season.

"I was up to 238, but that was too much," Marion said.

He's hoping he can keep the weight on through the rigors of an 82-game NBA season.

"That's the thing," he said. "I'm going to try to eat right so I can keep it on. I may hire a chef."

Mark Bartelstein and Priority Sports would like to announce the retirement of Danny Manning. After 15 storied seasons in the NBA, Manning has decided to leave the court as a player and return to his alma mater, Kansas University, where he will be actively involved with the athletic department and the men's basketball program in particular.

Manning leaves behind an illustrious career that includes numerous highlights and accomplishments. As a collegiate superstar, he was named the 1987-88 Wooden and Naismith Awards winner as he led his Jayhawks to an NCAA title. Those achievements were followed up by being the first overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft.

Manning is a two time NBA All-Star who ends his career with more than 12,000 points, 4,500 rebounds and 2,000 assists. He earned the 1997-98 NBA Sixth Man Award while a member of the Phoenix Suns. Manning is not only leaving his mark on the court; he will also go down in history as one of the few athletes in sports to have overcome three separate ACL injuries.

Manning's passion for the game, however, has not subsided. Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins and head basketball coach Bill Self have provided Manning with the perfect opportunity. He will be working with young athletes both on and off the court at Kansas, where he earned a degree in communications, as both a mentor and an advisor.

Amare Stoudemire played five-on-five full-court basketball on Thursday for the first time since he underwent surgery on his right foot in June.

The reigning NBA rookie of the year has been taking part in the Suns' informal workouts for the past 10 days but hadn't played full-court until Thursday.

"I thought he looked pretty good for his first time running," Suns coach Frank Johnson said. "I know he was anxious to get out there."

The informal workouts will continue until training camp starts in the final week of September.

A giant name in the basketball world took part in Thursday's workouts, or at least the last name.

William Pippen, nephew of superstar Scottie Pippen, joined Suns players and hopefuls for half-court workouts and full-court scrimmages.

Pippen, who resembles his famous uncle, "is long and athletic," Johnson said. "He doesn't shoot well, but he has a good feel for what's going on." Pippen played in college at Middle Tennessee State.

Amare Stoudemire is back on the floor, competing in live action.

Stoudemire, who underwent surgery on his right foot in June, took part in three-on-three, halfcourt scrimmaging Tuesday at the start of the Suns' informal "open gym" workouts.

He said he should be ready to go in fullcourt, five-on-five action in a matter of days.

"I'm a little out of shape," he said on Tuesday. "I got a little winded. No, a lot winded,"

Stoudemire had a bunion removed from his big toe and had a dislocated second toe repaired as well.

Overall, "I feel good," Stoudemire said after his Tuesday workout. "My toe feels great."

Still, he acknowledged that sometimes he feels "a little pain" after he works out. "I probably won't be 100 percent for another month."

Suns president Bryan Colangelo said Stoudemire "isn't in basketball condition," but otherwise looked good in his Tuesday workout.