Photo © Bryan Horowitz via Flickr Commons.
After plenty of injuries, Amar’e Stoudemire’s time with the New York Knicks is ending with the team buying out his contract. The famed power forward/center was entering his final year in his five-year $99.7 million contract, but he and the Knicks reached an agreement to release the injury-prone star.
The New York Daily News initially reported about Amar’e’s potential departure, reporting he was going to use the All-Star break to think about his future in the Big Apple. And over the weekend, it was reported that he requested a buyout because the 32-year-old athlete wants to play for a playoff-caliber team. In a statement released by the star, “I feel truly blessed to have been able to play for the incredible New York fans, Mr. Dolan, my coaches, teammates and the entire Knicks organization for the past five years. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to contribute positively on the court and in the community.”
In his five years as a Knick, Amar’e averaged 16.2 PPG and 6.5 RPG: his numbers have dipped exponentially since putting up career numbers in his New York debut in the 2010-11 season.
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As for his future, ESPN has reported that he will likely sign with the Dallas Mavericks. According to league sources, the contract will not become official until the big man clears waivers on Wednesday: after this weekend’s buyout, several teams were in the running for the off the bench former superstar, including the Los Angeles Clippers and the Phoenix Suns. But it was the Mavs’ offense and playoff caliber team that attracted Stoudemire the most.
Carmelo Anthony responded to this surprise post-All-Star game: “One of the main reasons I’m a New York Knick today was because of him. To see him leave, to see the situation where it’s at today, I know what he wants and you have to respect that as an athlete as a competitor… There was hope when he came back. People started believing in the New York Knicks again. He was the main reason for that belief and for that hope.”
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