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havsum wrote:Traxxe wrote:So the last I've heard is that Amare turned down the Chicago offer but we're still talking about dollars. Don't know about the L.A. offer yet and what has been changed. The expectation is that Amare will not be a Sun within the FO.
How can Chicago or L.A. offer anything right now?
ruiner wrote:havsum wrote:Traxxe wrote:So the last I've heard is that Amare turned down the Chicago offer but we're still talking about dollars. Don't know about the L.A. offer yet and what has been changed. The expectation is that Amare will not be a Sun within the FO.
How can Chicago or L.A. offer anything right now?
Suns met him and offered him in Chicago and recently in LA. Nothing to do with the Bulls or Lakers/Clips.
When the Knicks meet with LeBron James on Thursday, they'll be offering the free agent a vision as bold as New York itself: Create your own dynasty.
A league source with complete understanding of New York's plans told SI.com that the Knicks will recruit the Cavaliers' two-time MVP with a grandiose vision of surrounding him with Hawks shooting guard Joe Johnson as well as an elite power forward -- Chris Bosh of the Raptors or Amar'e Stoudemire of the Suns -- to form a starring trio capable of contending for championships for years to come.
A similar plan has been discussed this week involving a proposed move by James and Bosh to Miami to join with Heat guard Dwyane Wade.
The Knicks have decided to target Johnson instead of Wade because of concerns that Wade and James are too similar in style and could clash over control of the team, according to the source. Though 6-foot-7 Johnson is a four-time All-Star who has led Atlanta to 100 wins over the last two seasons, he is viewed as a complementary player who is capable of joining with James and other stars in a constructive way.
Johnson's importance to this three-headed plan is underlined by the Knicks' decision to visit him first on Thursday in Los Angeles before circling back to Akron, Ohio, for their scheduled meeting with James.
The proposal of bringing three stars to New York marks a breakthrough in strategy for the Knicks, who have been seen as outsiders in the race for James. With an estimated $34.5 million in cap space, it has been assumed they would offer max contracts to James and another player -- with the veiled understanding that two stars probably wouldn't be enough to drive the Knicks past contenders like the Celtics and Magic, who have knocked James' Cavs out of the playoffs over the last two years, or the Lakers, who have won the last two championships.
By dividing its cap space equally among three elite recruits -- another idea floated on behalf of Miami -- the Knicks would pay starting base salaries of $11.5 million each to James, Johnson and the power forward. That amounts to a salary cut of $5.3 million per year compared to the max salary each player could receive from another market.
Including bonuses, each can player can earn an average salary of $15.7 million over a five-year contract, the source said.
The Knicks will enhance the offer by pointing out the numerous off-court opportunities available to star athletes in the world's largest media market, enabling the players to ultimately make more money in New York than each could on a max contract in other NBA cities.
The source emphasized that the financial offer will be dwarfed by its prestige: If James and his two fellow stars bring success of the highest order to New York, which hasn't won an NBA championship since 1973, they will become the league's most lauded players since Michael Jordan left Chicago.
Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston have realized enormous success as large markets, James will be told, but nothing will compare to the opportunities that could be waiting for James and his teammates if they were to win championships in New York.
While Miami can put together a similar offer, the Knicks believe the three stars will be more comfortable in the larger setting of New York, where the Yankees have congregated large numbers of stars for decades.
The three new Knicks would be joined by an existing second unit of young shooting forwards, Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler, and second-year point guard Toney Douglas, leaving New York to round out the rotation by signing three or four contributing role players to veteran-minimum contracts for next season.
The Knicks' key recruiter Thursday will be coach Mike D'Antoni, who has been an assistant coach to James on the USA Basketball teams that have played in the Olympics and World Championships in recent years. Presentations will also be made by Knicks owner James Dolan and president Donnie Walsh.
Altogether, they plan to raise two additional points during their presentation: Next summer they will promise to use the cap space created by Eddy Curry's $11.3 million expiring salary to make a run at a fourth free agent, whether it's Carmelo Anthony or another star. This enhanced flexibility is something James won't find in another market, he will be told.
In addition, the Knicks can warn James that if he doesn't want to join them, then he should consider how he'll feel competing against Johnson, Bosh or Stoudemire and one or two more stars by 2011-12. As they'll tell James Thursday, they have no choice but to build a championship team -- with or without him. They will encourage him to decide quickly, in order to help them recruit a big winner.
Will this be enough to bring James to the Knicks? By appealing to his sense of destiny and the promise of commanding the world's largest stage as NBA champion, they believe they've come up with a dynastic plan as audacious as the city they hope he'll adopt when contracts can be signed July 8.
fromthetop321 wrote:I got Lebron number 1, he is also leading defensive player of the year. Curry's game still reminds me of Jeremy Lin to much.
Calvin Klein wrote:JJ fail. He leaves PHX to be "the man" and now he can end up being the 3rd option.
A confidante of Suns free agent Amare Stoudemire said he has cooled on the Heat because he's disappointed he's not Miami's No. 1 power forward choice. But Stoudemire will listen if Miami calls. Miami Herald
Amar'e Stoudemire and Suns make progress in contract extension talks on Tuesday night, and will talk further on Wednesday, sources tell Y! 4 minutes ago via web
Jordan45822 wrote:http://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/17391516621Amar'e Stoudemire and Suns make progress in contract extension talks on Tuesday night, and will talk further on Wednesday, sources tell Y! 4 minutes ago via web
Trying to cover his bases with the top free agents, Pat Riley has planned a meeting with Phoenix Suns free agent power forward Amare Stoudemire on Thursday in Los Angeles and also plans to meet with Utah Jazz free agent power forward Carlos Boozer.
• Stoudemire's camp believes he is Miami's number 2 power forward choice behind Bosh. But Boozer's camp was left with the impression that he is Miami's No. 2 power forward choice behind Bosh. Boozer, who would love to sign with Miami, will meet with the Heat, Knicks, Nets and Bulls. Stoudemire will meet with multiple teams.
• A confidante of Suns free agent Stoudemire said he cooled on the Heat last week because he was disappointed he was not Miami's No. 1 power forward choice. But Stoudemire was pleased to learn that Miami wants to meet with him at the start of free agency and is eager to hear what the team has to say.
Jordan45822 wrote:http://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/17391516621Amar'e Stoudemire and Suns make progress in contract extension talks on Tuesday night, and will talk further on Wednesday, sources tell Y! 4 minutes ago via web
Stoudemire, Suns make progress
By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports 1 hour, 19 minutes ago
*
Amar’e Stoudemire(notes) and his agent met for several hours with Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver on Tuesday night and gathered momentum on a possible contract extension, team sources told Yahoo! Sports.
Sarver and Suns coach Alvin Gentry met with Stoudemire and his agent Happy Walters in Los Angeles, and made a case for the All-Star forward to stay with the Suns.
Sources say the two sides are expected to resume talks on Wednesday, and Stoudemire is holding off opting out of the final $17.6 million season of his deal to make him a free agent. Free agency begins at midnight ET, and sources say it’s still possible Stoudemire will opt out of his contract and continue negotiations with the Suns while also meeting with other teams.
Stoudemire is considered one of the elite free agents on the market. He’s a target of several teams with salary-cap space, including the New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets, Miami Heat and several more capped-out teams that will try to engineer sign-and-trade deals with Phoenix.
Stoudemire, 27, averaged 23.1 points and 8.9 rebounds for the Suns last season. Along with Steve Nash(notes), he helped lead the Suns to the Western Conference finals, where they lost in six games to the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite a history of knee and eye injuries, Stoudemire didn’t miss a game last season.
Stoudemire was drafted out of high school with the ninth overall pick in 2002, and spent eight seasons with the Suns.
MaryvalesFinest wrote:Jordan45822 wrote:http://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/17391516621Amar'e Stoudemire and Suns make progress in contract extension talks on Tuesday night, and will talk further on Wednesday, sources tell Y! 4 minutes ago via web
Hope Sarver isn't getting desperate...
nashill wrote:looks like the celtics are gonna rebuild. how about a trade for expiring jrich + barbosa for garnett and tony allen?
garnett, amare, hill, dudley, nash.
rolo, frye, dudley/hill, tony allen, dragic.
You promised to never post again for a whole year if Amare was resigned to max right?
