NEW YORK // While the top free agents are pondering their futures, the New York Knicks gave them something to think about. If LeBron James or Dwyane Wade come to New York now, a dominant big man will be there waiting. Amare Stoudemire agreed to sign for the Knicks for nearly US$100 million (Dh367m), vowing to lead a rebirth in New York that the team hope will not have to be done alone.
"This could help get the dominoes falling and he'd be a great teammate for somebody," said Mike D'Antoni, the Knicks coach. "We went after a very, very good free agent and you can't tell what's in other people's minds, but we do know that if you're serious about winning, we've got a piece that helps you do that." The Knicks said they intend to sign Stoudemire to a contract later this week when the free agent moratorium period ends. His agent, Happy Walters, said the deal is for the maximum allowed, which would be about $99.7m over five years.
Stoudemire has already started recruiting, saying he spoke to James's people and directly to Wade last week. He plans to pitch them again, but insisted he won't be affected if those players say no to New York. "Totally comfortable, totally confident that my leadership qualities will uplift all of us to do something great this upcoming season," Stoudemire said. "So again, the Knicks are back." The deal cannot be signed until tomorrow, after the salary cap for next season has been set.
It was a desperately needed score in free agency for the Knicks, who had signs that pictured Stoudemire in their uniform and reading "Welcome, Amare Stoudemire" all over the entrances to Madison Square Garden. After spending two seasons clearing enough cap space to afford two top players, they met with James, Wade and Chris Bosh last week, and believe they could still land one of them. The move reunites Stoudemire with D'Antoni, his former coach in Phoenix. Stoudemire averaged more than 20 points per game in every season they were together and immediately becomes the best player D'Antoni has coached since leaving the Suns after the 2007/08 season.
"He's a dominant offensive player for sure, in a variety of ways," D'Antoni said. Stoudemire's days with the Suns ended late last week when the team agreed to $48m worth of deals with forwards Hakim Warrick and Channing Frye. The sides had discussed an extension, but the Suns looked elsewhere after they had reached a stalemate. Wearing a blue Knicks hat, Stoudemire said he understood owner Robert Sarver's position and was not disrespected by the Suns' refusal to give him a maximum deal that would have paid him millions more.
He added that he has always loved New York and wanted to play here since the Knicks passed on him in the 2002 draft. Stoudemire is the first big player in this much-hyped free agent class to change teams. The other top players could announce their decisions later in the week, and perhaps they might take a second look at New York now that there is another huge piece in place. "No one wanted to make the first move and I feel confident enough to take that first step and hopefully now we can bring a few guys in to join me," Stoudemire said.
"I think to a degree the fact that Amare really wanted to come here, stepped up front, it got to the point where we had to acknowledge that and say that means something to us," the Knicks president, Donnie Walsh, said. Stoudemire has career averages of 21.4 points and 8.9 rebounds and helped the Suns reach the Western Conference finals this season. * AP