"Jason Richardson does not sleep well on airplanes, even the one that left Charlotte, N.C., at 2 a.m. Arizona time to take him to his new Valley home.

Between a full day of traveling, physical exams and a playbook crash course, the new Suns guard was sleep deprived when he took the court Friday night. But that did not mean he wasn't thrilled to be in Phoenix.

Richardson is living his dream of playing for a team such as the Suns after spending just one of his first seven NBA seasons on a winning team, the 42-40 Golden State Warriors of 2006-07. He had been picturing this chance.

"Every day of my career," Richardson said. "To be surrounded by guys like this and guys that have established themselves, have been MVPs, have been All-Stars. I just wonder what that's going to bring to my game.

"Now we're going to see, and hopefully it is going to take my game to another level and I can make this team better."

Richardson, who scored 21 points in 34 minutes in his Suns debut Friday, was taking his pregame nap in New Orleans on Wednesday when he was disturbed by a phone call.

"It's Rod Higgins," the Charlotte Bobcats general manager said. "You ready to go to the West Coast? It was a tough decision, but we're trading you to Phoenix."

"Huh?" Richardson said.

"Wake up, man," Higgins said. "It's a good thing. You're going to play for a championship."

On Friday, Richardson said: "I started smiling after that, just the mention of a championship. I don't necessarily feel like I have to go out there and get numbers every night," said Richardson, later adding, "It's not about individual goals. It's all about winning."

He came to the Suns in the Wednesday trade that also netted forward Jared Dudley, whom Suns coach Terry Porter envisions as a rotation player.

"When I was a kid, I dreamed of playing with guys like Shaq (O'Neal), Amaré (Stoudemire) and Steve (Nash). Now for it to come true feels like being drafted all over again."

On Richardson, Dudley said: "This situation is going to free him up so much more. His defense is much improved, and he'll do anything in his power to help this team.""