Taking Buyout Would Be Huge Win for Amar'e Stoudemire, Knicks and Playoff Teams

The New York Knicks and Amar'e Stoudemire never achieved the success they planned on when the power forward took his talents to Madison Square Garden in 2010. Now, with a potential buyout looming, their time together could be coming to a sudden end.

As Mark Woods reported for ESPNNewYork.com in the middle of January, the Knicks had already discussed such a move internally: 

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The Knicks, sources told ESPN.com recently, are not looking to move Stoudemire and, at least for now, intend to keep him for the rest of the season. But sources say they have discussed internally the possibility of buying out Stoudemire to let him play for a contender if he preferred that route. Stoudemire, of course, would have to agree to such a transaction. 

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Nearly a month later, it appears as though he might be amenable to such a course of action. He hasn't firmly stated that he'd ask for a buyout, but it's certainly under consideration. 

"All possibilities at this point are still open," he told Yahoo Sports' Marc J. Spears. "The door is still open for that [a buyout]. But at the same time, I am with the Knicks now. I got to stay optimistic about things and what we are doing here. I can't really focus on the future because it's not here."

A buyout would allow the two sides to agree on a certain number, which the Knicks would pay rather than his full salary for the current season. After that's completed, he'd be a free agent, able to sign with a team of his choosing, most likely for a minimum deal before he hits the open market once again next summer. 

Essentially, he'd go from eating up pointless minutes in New York to contributing for a contending team in some capacity. If all goes according to plan, of course. 

As Dan Feldman writes for NBC Sports, also referring to Andrea Bargnani (another buyout candidate), there's one factor that will decide how the situation unfolds: "This will come down to how much salary each player is willing to relinquish the rest of the season. Each could help a contender in a very limited role, and that might appeal to them—to the point they give up money."

If Stoudemire does agree to such a move, it should work out rather nicely for all parties involved.

For Stoudemire

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Why exactly is money a concern for this particular power forward? 

Sure, it's always acceptable for players to take the heftiest salaries they can find, as they're already working in a market with an arbitrary cap on their paychecks. If a player prioritizes making the most money possible over everything else, it's hard to blame him. 

But let's put Stoudemire's career in perspective. 

Heading into this season, Stoudemire had piled up $142,287,721 in salary, dating back to when he entered the league as a rookie with the Phoenix Suns. Sure, the $23.4 million he's scheduled to receive this season would increase that career total rather significantly, but is receiving only part of it really going to be a deal-breaker? 

It shouldn't be when you consider two other factors that Stoudemire is surely weighing. 

First, the power forward has plenty of off-court business ventures that help negate the necessity for big NBA paychecks.

He's a major shareholder with Hapoel Jerusalem Basketball Club, a basketball team in Israel hoping to eventually join the EuroLeague. He once had his own record label, Hypocalypto, which signed multiple rappers but folded during the 2011 lockout. His clothing line was once partnered with Macy's. He's even written children's books. 

And that's saying nothing of sponsorships and endorsement deals. 

Basically, Stoudemire is very much a Renaissance man. Not so coincidentally, he refers to himself as such on his official website. Even if these other ventures haven't helped him stockpile some extra wealth, he certainly has the requisite tools to do so later in life. 

Money, for him more so than most, shouldn't be a factor. He may have pled poverty during that 2011 lockout, but he was worth a reported $65 million at the time and has racked up some substantial paychecks since then. 

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But how about that second reason? Stoudemire still doesn't have a ring, and he certainly won't get close to one with the 2014-15 Knicks. 

Earlier in his career, the big man made a few postseason runs with the Suns. But even then, a championship remained elusive. Stoudemire has 64 playoff games under his belt, and while he's performed quite admirably as an individual, he's never advanced past the Western Conference Finals. 

He's actually only been there twice, achieving the feat in both 2005 and 2010. Now, his best chance at changing that and earning a title is a buyout. 

"For now, I know I've been through injuries throughout my career, so I want to make sure I'm able to be strong enough and prepared to play for a team that's contending for a championship," the ringless 32-year-old told reporters back in January, via Newsday.com's Al Iannazzone. "With New York, we're trying to rebuild, so hopefully, that will be sooner than later."

It certainly won't be soon enough to come on this current contract, one that expires at the end of the season. 

For the Knicks

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The motivation here runs far beyond just saving money. Sure, the Knicks would stand to pay Stoudemire less than he'd make by remaining under contract throughout the remainder of the 2014-15 season, but this is more about everyone else in the rotation. 

Even though Stoudemire doesn't fit in with the current plans and is seeing his enduring skills go to waste on a bottom-feeding New York squad, he's still playing 24.9 minutes per game. A sprained ankle is currently keeping him out of the lineup, but prior to a rash of injuries, he was even in the starting five. 

Why? Well, the Knicks can't just bench him forever. Stoudemire still has some production left in the tank, and he's too professional to merit earning one DNP-CD after another. 

But getting him off the rosters opens up more possibilities. 

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The Knicks can give additional playing time to developing players, hoping their skills improve as they gain more experience on the court. They can experiment with alternate lineups, attempting to find one combination of frontcourt players that will be more conducive to success down the road. 

Players such as Travis Wear, Quincy Acy and Jason Smith will be the primary beneficiaries, but what if this finally forces Derek Fisher to move Carmelo Anthony back over to the 4 for a larger portion of each game? Though he's widely known as a small forward, Anthony thrived when playing the bigger spot in the lineup, as his post-up game and quickness were too much for defenses to handle. 

In fact, take a gander at how he's fared at each forward spot in the lineup over the last few years, courtesy of 82games.com: 

Every year, it's the same story. 

Anthony provides significantly better offensive production at the 4 and struggles just a tiny bit more on the defensive end. And when the two sides of the ball are combined, he's more of a net positive at power forward every single year. 

Now, explain this: 

Over the last few years, the Knicks have gotten away from what's worked.

Anthony has more success at power forward, so naturally the team is going to transition out of any schemes that feature him as the second-biggest player on the court. 

Apparently, playing Anthony at the 4 isn't part of the vaunted Triangle offense. But it should be, and perhaps a newfound opening in the rotation will allow Fisher and the rest of the New York coaching staff to realize that. Such a realization alone would be worth severing ties with Stoudemire, as Anthony will continue to serve as a franchise centerpiece for a number of years. 

For Playoff Teams

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Stoudemire may not be worth his massive contract anymore. He's a walking injury risk who's all but guaranteed to spend some time on the inactive list every couple of months. 

But when he plays, he's still pretty valuable. 

In 32 appearances this season, the power forward fondly known as "STAT" has averaged 12.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.6 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. He's shooting 55.1 percent from the field and still dominating as a pick-and-roll threat when he attacks the basket. According to Basketball-Reference.com, his player efficiency rating is a strong 19.4. 

The Knicks, surprising as this may be, are actually better on both ends when he plays. With Stoudemire on the bench, New York scores 99.8 points per 100 possessions and allows 110.7 over the same stretch. But when he's on the floor, the offensive and defensive ratings jump to 106.3 and 109.6, respectively, which means he has a net impact of 7.6 points per 100 possessions. 

Surely, there are some contending teams who could make good use of his services. 

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The Los Angeles Clippers desperately need a bench presence in the frontcourt, as the current options just aren't getting the job done behind DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin. The Oklahoma City Thunder are in the same boat, as their second unit is in need of a more consistent punch than the one offered by the oft-shooting guards. 

What about the Houston Rockets? Especially now that Dwight Howard is out for an extended period of time, the frontcourt is rather thin.

The Charlotte Hornets could use an explosive power forward with experience as they try to dial up their offense as a complement for a defense that's churning out more wins. Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers all need a bit more big-man depth before they make their playoff runs. 

There's not exactly a shortage of squads that would be chomping at the bit if Stoudemire became available. It would be like throwing a bloodied steak into a pool filled with piranhas. 

A buyout of this power forward's contract would be a win-win situation for the two parties directly involved—Stoudemire and the Knicks. But chances are good it would become a win-win-win endeavor as soon as a third team enters the fray. 

Note: All stats, unless otherwise indicated, come from Basketball-Reference.com are are current heading into Feb. 6's games.