Amar’e Stoudemire’s 5-year tenure in New York with the Knicks was supposed to bring the Knicks back to prominence. He even said it in his opening press conference.
Now it’s 5 years later and it has just been everything short of that, especially for Stoudemire.
In his 8 season tenure with the Suns he played in 52 playoff games, with the Knicks in 5 seasons, 12. He averaged 21 points per game with the Suns, 17 with the Knicks and in the last 4 seasons, he hasn’t played in more than 65 games in one season. Everything went from bad to worse and quick for Stoudemire.
Stoudemire seems like he knows the writing is on the wall and a buyout is happening soon.
He reflects with the New York Post’s Mark Berman.
“I gave it all, man — my heart, my body and my soul,’’ Stoudemire said after practice. “I truly gave it all. I’m still giving, still dedicated to the game of basketball, still dedicated to New York State and the Knicks.’’
Asked which way he is leaning, Stoudemire said, “I’m not focused on that right now. We’ll see when that time comes. Right now my loyalty is with New York and that’s what it’s going to be. Eventually we’ll get to the conversation, trying to iron things out. But we’re not there yet.’’
Now according to Peter Botte of the New York Daily News, the talks with Stoudemire’s Agent and the Knicks have started about finalizing the buyout for Amar’e Stoudemire, to make him a free agent and off the Knicks roster.
“I mean, I think there are a lot of options,” Walters said on Daily News basketball columnist Frank Isola’s NBA Radio show on SiriusXM. “I will say that the Knicks have been really great to Amar’e…and super supportive. And Jim Dolan, the owner, has been really loyal over the years to Amar’e and really great to him.
“And so I think Amar’e feels that he has a lot of loyalty to the Knicks and Jim, good days or bad days. He certainly didn’t think his last year would be like it is now where the team is struggling, but I think anything is possible. Amar’e and I have talked about what to do and, you know, it is an ongoing discussion and I’ve talked to the Knicks a little bit about it, but we haven’t gotten to anything substantive. And we’ll kind of see how things go. Amar’e wouldn’t do anything unless (Dolan) was cool with it, that’s for sure.”
So as typically as everyone does, we look at what’s next for Stoudemire?
What about a reunion, 2 possible reunions actually both involving the Suns.
There’s the reports of the Golden State Warriors bringing in Stoudemire. Amar’e and Kerr spent time together in Phoenix when Kerr was a part of the Suns organization in 2004 and he even become their GM in 2007 until June 2010, so he did see some of the best play of Amar’e Stoudemire as well as Stoudemire’s former coach in Phoenix, Alvin Gentry.
From Tim Kawakami of Mercury News.
In my column last night/today, I mentioned that the Warriors would definitely have some interest in Knicks PF Amar’e Stoudemire if he is bought out by New York in the next few weeks.
Stoudemire isn’t close to the same player he was 8 years ago and not even what he was 3 or 4 years ago, he’s always a health risk, and he has always been a shaky defensive player… plus it sounds like he might want to end up with Dallas, anyway.
But Stoudemire starred under Alvin Gentry in Phoenix… when Kerr was the GM there… and I think both men might be able to see a back-up 4/5 role for Stoudemire with the Warriors if he was interested in coming for a playoff sprint.
Stoudemire, maybe for 4 or 5-minute stretches, can do one thing no Warriors big man can do currently–get on the post, power his way to the rim, then finish with scoring skill.
What if Stoudemire actually returned to Phoenix though? The Suns are looking to make a move to get rid of one of their big men off the bench in Miles Plumlee, so getting him off will free up a roster spot.
Following from Jordan Schultz of the Huffington Post.
Amar'e Stoudemire buyout depends on how much money he wants to give up, but #Suns are likely front-runners/serious contenders if it happens.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) February 10, 2015
Stoudemire makes sense for Phoenix with center Alex Len injured. Golden State just sounds fun to give the Warriors the inside presence they need, albeit for a short amount of time in a game, but it would be a different look for them to have. The Suns’ up-tempo attack can really bring out the best in an offensive-minded and agile big like Stoudemire and the same can be said for the Warriors. Then again, don’t count out the Dallas Mavericks.
