2001–02 Phoenix Suns season explained

Team:	Phoenix Suns
End Year:	2002
Wins:	36
Losses:	46
Division:	Pacific
Division Place:	6
Conf Place:	10
Coach:	Scott Skiles (resigned) Frank Johnson
Gm:	Bryan Colangelo
Owner:	Jerry Colangelo
Arena:	America West Arena
Playoffs:	Did not qualify
Bbr Team:	PHO
Television:	KUTP Fox Sports Net Arizona Cox 9
Radio:	KTAR

The 2001–02 NBA season was the 34th season for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association.^[1] During the off-season, the Suns acquired All-Star point guard Stephon Marbury from the New Jersey Nets,^{[2] [3] [4] [5]} and re-signed former All-Star Suns guard and three-point specialist Dan Majerle, who was a member of the team when they appeared in the 1993 NBA Finals.^{[6] [7] [8]} Early into the season, the team acquired Bo Outlaw from the Orlando Magic.^{[9] [10]} The Suns got off to a 18–13 start, but soon began to slip under .500 as the season progressed as head coach Scott Skiles struggled to a 25–26 record, and was replaced by former Suns guard Frank Johnson.^{[11] [12]} The Suns posted a six-game losing streak in March and lost eight of their final eleven games, finishing the regular season at 36–46, and missing the playoffs for the first time since 1988.^[13] All home games were played at America West Arena.

Marbury would lead the team in scoring and assists, averaging 20.4 points and 8.1 assists per game, becoming the first Suns player to average 20 or more points per game since Kevin Johnson during the 1996–97 season. Shawn Marion increased his scoring as well, averaging 19.1 points per game along with 9.9 rebounds per game. Rodney Rogers and Tony Delk both continued to provide the team with scoring off the bench, before both being traded to the Boston Celtics in exchange for top draft pick Joe Johnson midway through the season.^{[14] [15] [16]} Penny Hardaway returned to appear in 80 games, after being sidelined all but four games the season before, and averaged 12.0 points and 4.1 assists per game.^[17] Johnson, who earned NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors, rounded out a team rich in talent at the guard position. Tom Gugliotta was again plagued by knee injury, only playing just 44 games due to left quadriceps tendonitis.^{[18] [19]}

The season was a disappointment for an organization looking to build a new core of talent. For the first time since the 1996–97 season, the All-Star Game did not feature a Suns player. To complete the season on a low note, a franchise-record of 13 straight playoff appearances was snapped when the Suns failed to qualify for postseason play.^[20] Following the season, Majerle retired after playing in his second stint with the Suns.^[21]

Offseason

NBA draft

See main article: 2001 NBA draft.

Roster

Roster Notes

• Point guard Randy Brown was acquired from the Boston Celtics at midseason, but did not play for the Suns this season due to a right adductor strain.

Regular season

Record vs. opponents

2001-02 NBA Records
width=100	Team	ATL	BOS	CHA	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	LAC	LAL	MEM	MIA	MIL	MIN	NJN	NYK	ORL	PHI	PHO	POR	SAC	SAS	SEA	TOR	UTA	WAS
Atlanta	—	2–2	2–2	3–1	3–1	0–2	2–0	1–3	2–0	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–1	1–3	0–2	2–1	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–4	1–1	0–3
Boston	2–2	—	2–1	2–2	4–0	0–2	2–0	2–2	1–1	0–2	3–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–3	1–1	3–1	4–0	3–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–2	1–1	3–1
Charlotte	2–2	1–2	—	4–0	3–1	0–2	2–0	1–3	2–0	1–1	3–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–0	2–2	0–2	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–3	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	3–1
Chicago	1–3	2–2	0–4	—	1–3	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	0–4	0–2	2–0	1–1	1–3	2–2	0–2	0–4	3–1	0–3	1–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–4	0–2	1–3
Cleveland	1–3	0–4	1–3	3–1	—	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–1	2–0	2–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	3–1	3–1	2–0	1–3	2–2	1–3	0–3	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	0–2	1–2
Dallas	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	—	4–0	1–1	4–0	2–2	2–0	2–2	1–3	4–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	1–3	3–1	1–1	3–1	1–1
Denver	0–2	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–1	0–4	—	0–2	1–3	2–2	0–2	1–3	1–3	3–1	0–2	0–2	2–2	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	3–1	2–2	0–4	0–4	3–1	1–1	1–3	0–2
Detroit	3–1	2–2	3–1	3–1	3–1	1–1	2–0	—	1–1	1–1	3–1	1–1	0–2	2–0	2–1	2–2	1–1	3–1	3–1	2–2	2–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	3–1	1–1	4–0
Golden State	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–4	3–1	1–1	—	1–3	0–2	2–2	1–3	3–1	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–4	2–2	0–4	0–4	0–4	0–2	0–4	1–1
Houston	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	3–1	—	0–2	1–3	0–4	1–3	0–2	1–1	2–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–2	1–3	0–4	0–4	2–2	1–1	2–2	1–1
Indiana	3–1	0–3	1–3	4–0	2–2	0–2	2–0	1–3	2–0	2–0	—	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–2	1–3	1–1	1–3	2–1	3–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–1	3–1
L.A. Clippers	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–2	3–1	1–1	2–2	3–1	1–1	—	1–3	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	0–2	2–0	1–1	0–2	3–1	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–1	0–4	1–1
L.A. Lakers	1–1	0–2	2–0	0–2	2–0	3–1	3–1	2–0	3–1	4–0	2–0	3–1	—	3–1	1–1	2–0	2–2	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	3–1	3–1	1–1	3–1	2–0
Memphis	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–4	1–3	0–2	1–3	3–1	1–1	1–3	1–3	—	1–1	0–2	0–4	0–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–3	2–2	1–3	0–4	0–4	1–1	3–1	0–2
Miami	1–3	1–3	0–3	3–1	1–3	1–1	2–0	1–2	2–0	2–0	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	—	3–1	0–2	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–3	0–2	2–2
Milwaukee	3–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	1–3	0–2	2–0	2–2	2–0	1–1	3–1	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–3	—	0–2	1–2	1–3	2–1	1–3	0–2	0–2	0–2	2–0	0–2	4–0	2–0	3–1
Minnesota	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	3–1	2–2	1–1	2–2	2–2	4–0	2–0	2–0	—	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–2	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–2	1–1	3–1	2–0
New Jersey	1–2	1–3	3–1	4–0	3–1	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–1	2–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	3–1	2–1	1–1	—	4–0	3–1	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	1–1	3–1
New York	3–1	0–4	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–2	3–1	0–2	0–4	—	0–4	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–0	3–0	1–1	1–3
Orlando	3–1	1–3	1–3	3–0	3–1	1–1	2–0	2–2	2–0	2–0	1–3	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–3	1–2	1–1	1–3	4–0	—	3–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	3–1	1–1	2–2
Philadelphia	3–1	3–1	3–1	2–1	3–0	1–1	1–1	1–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–0	1–1	0–2	3–1	3–1	1–1	2–2	3–1	1–3	—	2–0	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	0–2	2–3
Phoenix	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–3	1–1	4–0	2–2	1–1	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–1	2–0	2–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	—	2–2	1–3	1–3	2–2	1–1	2–2	0–2
Portland	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–2	2–2	2–0	2–2	3–1	1–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	1–1	2–0	2–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–2	—	2–2	1–3	3–1	1–1	1–3	2–0
Sacramento	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–3	4–0	2–0	4–0	4–0	0–2	3–1	1–3	3–1	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–1	2–2	—	3–1	2–2	2–0	4–0	1–1
San Antonio	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	3–1	4–0	2–0	4–0	4–0	1–1	3–1	1–3	4–0	1–1	0–2	2–2	0–2	2–0	2–0	1–1	3–1	3–1	1–3	—	2–2	1–1	4–0	2–0
Seattle	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–3	1–3	1–1	4–0	2–2	2–0	3–1	1–3	4–0	0–2	2–0	2–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–1	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–2	—	2–0	1–3	1–1
Toronto	4–0	2–2	2–2	4–0	3–1	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–0	1–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	0–4	1–1	2–2	0–3	1–3	3–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	—	1–1	1–2
Utah	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–3	3–1	1–1	4–0	2–2	1–1	4–0	1–3	1–3	2–0	0–2	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–2	3–1	0–4	0–4	3–1	1–1	—	2–0
Washington	3–0	1–3	1–3	3–1	2–1	1–1	2–0	0–4	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	0–2	2–0	2–2	1–3	0–2	1–3	3–1	2–2	3–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–1	0–2	—

Awards and honors

Week/Month

• Shawn Marion was named Western Conference Player of the Month for March.
• Stephon Marbury was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played November 26 through December 2.
• Shawn Marion was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played March 25 through March 31.

Season

• Joe Johnson was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

Player statistics

Season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
	5	0	8.4	.273	.000	1.000#	0.8	0.4	.0	.0	1.6
	6	0	9.0	.333	.333	.	1.3	0.5	.2	.0	1.0
	15	0	8.6	.411	.429^	1.000#	0.7	1.6	.3	.0	4.6
	2	0	3.0	.250	.	.	0.0	1.0	.0	.0	1.0
	41	1	21.4	.399	.320	.836	3.0	2.0	.8	.1	10.6
	53	0	8.5	.517†	.	.737	2.0	0.1	.1	.1	3.1
	44	40	25.7	.422	.333	.757	5.0	1.8	.9	.7	6.5
	80	56	30.8	.418	.277	.810	4.4	4.1	1.5	.4	12.0
	29	27	31.5	.420	.333	.778	4.1	3.6	.9	.4	9.6
	65	0	18.2	.343	.336^	.590	2.7	1.4	.7	.2	4.6
	82	80	38.9	.442	.286	.781	3.2	8.1	.9	.2	20.4
	81	81	38.4	.469†	.393^	.845#	9.9	2.0	1.8	1.1	19.1
	73	36	24.2	.550†	.500^	.417	4.6	1.7	.8	1.1	4.7
	28	1	9.7	.380	.143	.783	0.8	1.0	.3	.0	2.8
	50	7	25.1	.466	.350^	.828	4.8	1.4	1.0	.3	12.6
	3	0	8.0	.500†	.	.	2.3	0.7	.0	.3	2.7
	67	47	23.6	.475†	.000	.698	5.6	0.3	.3	1.0	7.3
	59	34	15.3	.554†	.	.752	4.3	0.3	.2	.4	5.0
	46	0	10.7	.435	.385^	.870#	1.8	0.6	.2	.2	5.0

• – Stats with the Suns.
  

† – Minimum 300 field goals made.
^ – Minimum 55 three-pointers made.

1. – Minimum 125 free throws made.

Transactions

Trades

July 18, 2001	To Detroit Pistons---- Clifford Robinson	To Phoenix Suns---- Jud Buechler John Wallace $1.6 million trade exception
July 18, 2001	To New Jersey Nets---- Chris Dudley Jason Kidd	To Phoenix Suns---- Stephon Marbury Johnny Newman Soumaila Samake
October 29, 2001	To Chicago Bulls---- Soumaila Samake 2003 second-round draft pick ( Matt Bonner)	To Phoenix Suns---- Jake Voskuhl
November 15, 2001	To Orlando Magic---- Jud Buechler	To Phoenix Suns---- Bo Outlaw 2002 first-round draft pick ( Amar'e Stoudemire)
	To Los Angeles Clippers---- Vinny Del Negro Cash considerations
February 20, 2002	To Boston Celtics---- Tony Delk Rodney Rogers	To Phoenix Suns---- Randy Brown Joe Johnson Milt Palacio 2002 first-round draft pick ( Casey Jacobsen)

Free agents

Additions

Date	Player	Contract	Former Team
July 6, 2001	Charlie Bell	Undisclosed	Michigan State Spartans
July 19, 2001	Dan Majerle	Signed to 1-year contract for $1 million	Miami Heat
August 29, 2001	Daniel Santiago	Re-signed to 1-year contract for $465,850	Phoenix Suns
September 27, 2001	Chris Andersen	Undisclosed	Fayetteville Patriots (NBA DL)
September 27, 2001	Dan McClintock	Undisclosed	Denver Nuggets
September 27, 2001	Derek Hood	Undisclosed	Snaidero Udine (Italy)
September 27, 2001	Kendrick Johnson	Undisclosed
January 7, 2002	Joe Crispin	Signed for rest of season	Southern California Surf (ABA)

Subtractions

Date	Player	Reason Left	New Team
September 28, 2001	Johnny Newman	Waived	Dallas Mavericks
October 7, 2001	Chris Andersen	Waived	Denver Nuggets
October 9, 2001	Dan McClintock	Waived	Skipper Bologna
October 11, 2001	Kendrick Johnson	Waived
October 20, 2001	Derek Hood	Waived	Mobile Revelers (NBA DL)
December 11, 2001	Charlie Bell	Waived	Phoenix Eclipse (ABA)
January 7, 2002	Daniel Santiago	Waived	Lottomatica Roma (Italy)

Player Transactions Citation:^[22]

External links

• Standings on Basketball Reference

See also

• 2001–02 NBA season

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2001-02 Phoenix Suns Roster and Stats.
2. News: Robbins . Liz . PRO BASKETBALL; Nets' Shake-Up Ships Marbury for Suns' Kidd . The New York Times . June 29, 2001 . July 30, 2021.
3. News: Heisler . Mark . Kidd, Marbury Latest Big Deal . Los Angeles Times . June 29, 2001 . May 28, 2022.
4. News: Suns Trade Star Guard Kidd, Get Nets' Marbury in Return . The Washington Post . June 29, 2001 . July 13, 2022.
5. News: Suns Agree to Trade Kidd to Nets for Marbury . Tampa Bay Times . June 29, 2001 . November 30, 2022.
6. News: Dan Majerle Signs with Suns . United Press International . July 19, 2001 . December 31, 2021.
7. News: Tutumello . Mike . Majerle Goes Home to the Arizona Heat . Sun Sentinel . October 4, 2001 . October 20, 2022.
8. News: Wise . Mike . PRO BASKETBALL; Jordan Against the New Generation, Lakers Against the World . The New York Times . October 30, 2001 . July 16, 2022.
9. News: Brewer . Jerry . Magic Send Outlaw to Suns . Orlando Sentinel . November 17, 2001 . October 20, 2022.
10. News: Suns Get Outlaw in 3-Team Trade . United Press International . November 16, 2001 . January 11, 2022.
11. News: Associated Press . PRO BASKETBALL; Skiles Resigns as Suns' Coach . The New York Times . February 18, 2002 . January 11, 2022.
12. News: Associated Press . Suns' Skiles Resigns, Johnson Takes Over . Los Angeles Times . February 18, 2002 . November 26, 2022.
13. Web site: 2001–02 Phoenix Suns Schedule and Results. Basketball-Reference. July 2, 2021.
14. News: Report: Rogers, Delk to Celtics . United Press International . February 20, 2002 . May 5, 2023.
15. News: Associated Press . Boston Acquires Delk, Rogers from Phoenix . Los Angeles Times . February 21, 2002 . October 20, 2022.
16. News: Celts, Suns Make Trade; Jackson Set to Be Dealt . Deseret News . February 21, 2002 . July 24, 2021.
17. Web site: 2001–02 Phoenix Suns Roster and Stats. Basketball-Reference. July 2, 2021.
18. News: Suns Place Gugliotta on Injured List . United Press International . January 8, 2002 . January 11, 2022.
19. News: Suns Activate Oft-Injured Gugliotta . Midland Daily News . February 12, 2002 . October 25, 2022.
20. News: Phoenix Suns . Basketball-Reference . January 24, 2022.
21. News: Associated Press . Buford Clarifies Drug Suspension . Los Angeles Times . February 15, 2002 . October 25, 2022.
22. Web site: 2001–02 Phoenix Suns Transactions. Basketball-Reference. July 2, 2021.