Stat/Sun-Tzu

[JohnVancouver]

from Hoopsworld (excerpt):

The Word On STAT: So far on the season Suns' forward Amar'e Stoudemire is averaging better than 19.2 points and better than 8.6 rebounds a contest, just a touch under his 21 point and 8.9 rebound career average. Not bad for a guy on a massively repaired knee and a recently detached retina.

The eye looks funky, there is no question when you talk with Amar'e you find yourself looking at it – it's a little redder than the other one, and little puffy. Stoudemire says he's fine and is having no issues with the eye and his numbers and shooting percentages say there hasn't been a drop off as a result of the injury.

That's good news for both Amar'e and the Suns.

The NBA trade deadline is just 105 days away and the Phoenix Suns are going to be linked to more trade talks than anyone in the league, mainly because it's a foregone conclusion that if Amar'e has the year he's having now and the stats and production stay the same, he will be opting out of the final year of his contract and hitting free agency in July.

So where does that leave things? The Suns are thrilled with Amar'e this season; he's come in and established a leadership tone. He is engaged and involved and has a great relationship with head coach Alvin Gentry and GM Steve Kerr. His veteran teammates Grant Hill and Steve Nash experienced life without STAT last year and are eager to have him back and contributing and the large core of young guys in Phoenix look up to Amar'e.

Life is good for Phoenix right now but there will be business to attend to fairly soon and no one has delusions about that.

Sources close to Amar'e believe that if he has the year he looks poised to have he will be one of the top free agents, as a result Amar'e goes shopping this summer and Miami is said to be a prime destination, however at the end of the day Amar'e will be Phoenix's player to lose.

Those same sources said the first choice for Amar'e is to get a new contract with the Suns, and he'll give them every chance to retain him. That's not going to come at a discount, but he'll give them every chance to make a deal.

On The Suns side, they are honest in saying they love Amar'e and what he's done so far this year, he's proven his worth and they want to try and make it work, however they have real issues to consider, meaning they are not going to back up the Maximum Contract truck just because Amar'e wants it. The words "future cap space" and "budgets" were used to describe the thought process.

That brings us back to the NBA trade deadline. There will be suitors and the Suns understand that teams will look to poach Amar'e, especially if the Suns' season gets away from them.

The Suns today are not sellers, they like this team, they want to give this team a chance to grow and are willing to take the risks involved in waiting out the Amar'e situation.

Things could change in a 100 days, but for now both sides are willing to ride this situation into the summer and see what's real, and neither side is looking for an exit.
So while Stoudemire name is bound to come up a lot in the next 100 days, it's unlikely today that he's moved. It's more likely STAT rides out the season, pushes the Suns for a Maximum Contract in July and if they balk he goes shopping in South Beach.



Another story:

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=14236

[DirtyDez]

Good read. I don't think he's worth the Max but we need a dominant low post scoring threat if we wanna be contenders in the future. Eff it i say give it to him, it's not my money

[MaryvalesFinest]

If the Suns decide to let him walk I at least hope their smart enough to do a sign and trade to get some draft picks or something...

[grumpysaddle]

If the Suns decide to let him walk I at least hope their smart enough to do a sign and trade to get some draft picks or something...

"they're" smart enough...

[MaryvalesFinest]

If the Suns decide to let him walk I at least hope their smart enough to do a sign and trade to get some draft picks or something...

"they're" smart enough...

What's your problem dude? It seems you try to pick a fight with me on every thread.

[grumpysaddle]

I'm just trying to make a grammatical correction, so, in the future, you might use the correct form of they're/there/their. Call me a grammar nazi, but errors like that are like nails on a chalkboard to me.

[aIvin adams]

I'm just trying to make a grammatical correction, so, in the future, you might use the correct form of they're/there/their. Call me a grammar nazi, but errors like that are like nails on a chalkboard to me.

yer a grammar nazi.


back to the BASKETBALL thread.. im glad both sides are comfortable with amare playing hard this season and figuring it out next summer. it would suck to lose amare, particularly for nothing, but waiting until summer is the best option for amare, suns fans, and the organization. maybe sarver will feel differently after amare brings us the LOB trophy this year.

[Shuttlesworth]

If the Suns decide to let him walk I at least hope their smart enough to do a sign and trade to get some draft picks or something...

"they're" smart enough...

What's your problem dude? It seems you try to pick a fight with me on every thread.

You've still been dressing like an emo kid since Halloween, haven't you...

[Mr. Sun]

I doubt he will go if Wade leaves, and the Heat will have a lot spending to do besides just Amare.

[MaryvalesFinest]

You've still been dressing like an emo kid since Halloween, haven't you...

Nah I didn't even dress like an emo on Halloween. The jacket I wore was the only thing really considered emo but other than that, that's why I lost the contest and the bet. The dude who won though deserved it though, he had a sick costume.

[Azsports77]

I am surprised that everyone seems to be fine with Sarver being a cheap skate and trading Amare which is the most likely scenario if they decide not to give him a new contract. First Sarver is responsible for not signing Joe Johnson all those years ago and guess what he ended up regretting it and now he virtually doing the same thing he can't be this stupid if Amare plays even better and puts up numbers in both offense and Defense then like the Suns needed him to do all along then if he decides to test free agency he would get a big contract. But this is different because unlike JJ who was a restricted free agent at the time , Amare presently is not but he would be if he choose to opt out which gives the Suns an ability to sign Amare to a contract that wouldn't be influenced by another team making an offer. Another question why is everyone so sure he is going to ask for a max contract at the end of the season and the reason I think this might not be so is because Amare has to know that getting that contract would make it hard for the Suns to improve the team and because KG did it and it was along time before KG won a chip. Last you can forget about Chris Paul and Wade neither will want to come to the valley to a rebuilding team !

[Kerrsed]

I am surprised that everyone seems to be fine with Sarver being a cheap skate and trading Amare which is the most likely scenario if they decide not to give him a new contract. First Sarver is responsible for not signing Joe Johnson all those years ago and guess what he ended up regretting it and now he virtually doing the same thing he can't be this stupid if Amare plays even better and puts up numbers in both offense and Defense then like the Suns needed him to do all along then if he decides to test free agency he would get a big contract. But this is different because unlike JJ who was a restricted free agent at the time , Amare presently is not but he would be if he choose to opt out which gives the Suns an ability to sign Amare to a contract that wouldn't be influenced by another team making an offer. Another question why is everyone so sure he is going to ask for a max contract at the end of the season and the reason I think this might not be so is because Amare has to know that getting that contract would make it hard for the Suns to improve the team and because KG did it and it was along time before KG won a chip. Last you can forget about Chris Paul and Wade neither will want to come to the valley to a rebuilding team !

1.Obviously you are new here as we all hate what Sarver has been doing.

2. Amare deserves a Max contract so why would he not go for one.

3. I agree and wish there was a way to get Wade. I would totaly ditch Nash if we had a chance to team Amare up with Wade. Dragic/Wade/Clark/Amare/Biedrins would be my line-up and just the thought makes my nipples hard.

4. Once again we ALL hate what Sarver/Kerr has/is doing to this team.

[Amaretotheline]

I adore Robert Sarver.

[Frank Lee]

I'm just trying to make a grammatical correction, so, in the future, you might use the correct form of they're/there/their. Call me a grammar nazi, but errors like that are like nails on a chalkboard to me.

I here ya GSad..... and must compliment you on yore proper virgule usage.