When Amare Stoudemire signed his huge contract to come to New York and play for the Knicks, he was played up as the savior of the franchise. Coming off the heels of the debacles with Isaiah Thomas and then Larry Brown, New York was in a fragile state. It wasn’t long before Carmelo Anthony also joined STAT in New York. Even with on and off injuries to Stoudemire, most analysts considered the Knicks on the cusp of a return to greatness. It really hasn’t played out that way, and probably the biggest disappointment of all has been Amare Stoudemire’s health and his inability to regain his dominant form that he displayed in years in Phoenix paired with Steve Nash.
But that’s all coming to an end, as reports are surfacing from league sources that Amare Stoudemire and the Knicks have agreed to terms on a buyout. The sources say he is now free to discuss signing with other teams, and could be on a new team as early as Thursday of this week. It is not a major surprise considering reports have been circulating for a month that the Knicks and Amare both wanted this deal, but it will be odd seeing STAT in a new uniform.
A league source told the Daily News that Stoudemire and the Knicks formally reached a buyout prior to Sunday’s All-Star Game and that the six-time All-Star, who should clear waivers by Wednesday, could be in a new uniform by the time the league schedule resumes on Thursday.
“It’s hard for me to believe,” Carmelo Anthony said after Sunday night’s game. “It hasn’t really sunk in. One of the main reasons I came to New York is because of him.”(via NY Daily News)
There is a lot of speculation as to where Stoudemire will land. He obviously doesn’t have the same lift he once did to dominate the competition with his athleticism, however he does currently appear healthy and has developed a reliable jump shot with decent footwork in the paint. He seems like just the type of player a Gregg Popovich could make serviceable in the Spurs team first, pass first, system.
The Dallas Mavericks are also reported to be interested in Amare’s services, and are one or two small pieces in their rotation away from getting the depth they need to put it all together for another run at a title this season.
Finally, a lot of analysts are saying Golden State may be a great fit for Amare who have dealt with on and off injuries to their front line. The Warriors also have a history with Jermaine O’Neal that showed players like Amare that their system can benefit former athletic bigs who have lost a step but are saavy and can provide stability to their uptempo run and gun game.
We will keep you posted as to where he ends up.
