Mavs Considered Frontrunner If Amar’e Stoudemire Reaches Buyout With Knicks
Amar’e Stoudemire isn’t sure if he wants to pursue a buyout of his contract with the New York Knicks after this season, but it could happen right after the All-Star break. Should he do just that and become a free agent, the Dallas Mavericks would be first in line to sign the 13-year veteran, reports Tim McMahon of ESPN Dallas:
The Mavericks remain keen to sign Stoudemire’s fellow former All-Star big man Jermaine O’Neal, sources said, and are prepared to make the needed roster room to accommodate both O’Neal and Stoudemire should they become available.
In the short term, sources said, Dallas is actively searching for a big man worthy of a 10-day contract to bolster its frontcourt while O’Neal CONTINUES
to try to get himself NBA-ready via private workouts in the Dallas suburb of Southlake.
Amar’e Stoudemire, 32, is in the final year of his five-year, $99.7 million contract with the Knicks, and would only be going through with this buyout to give himself a chance to sign and play with a competitive team, like Dallas, while he can still produce.
Stoudemire has averaged 12.1 points and 6.9 rebounds in 33 games this season. He’s still been catering to several injuries, but he has managed to at the very least be a solid option on the floor. He could certainly fill a front court depth void for the Mavericks, especially after losing Brandan Wright in the Rondo trade, and his role would be minimal. Amar’e would basically serves as Dirk Nowitzki’s back up in the rotation, and those aren’t bad spot minutes to give someone like Stoudemire.
We’ll see how teams like Dallas, Houston, or even the Clippers might try to capitalize on the buyout market with Stoudemire and any other potentials as we approach the trade deadline and All-Star break.
