Stat/Sun-Tzu
Posted: Thu Nov 5, 2009 6:27 pm
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
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
