Will NBA Teams Be Smart and Not Overpay for Amar'e Stoudemire?

The 2010 NBA free agency crop has been talked about for a long while now. One of the biggest names of the group besides LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Joe Johnson is Amare Stoudemire, and the team that signs Stoudemire will overpay.

For a player who possesses tremendous athleticism his lack of rebounding and lack of defensive ability is disconcerting. Another issue with Stoudemire is the fact that he's limited offensively.

It's truly hard to believe that player who can average over 20 points per game would be limited offensively, but it's true. What's even more pathetic though is the notion that Stoudemire's play throughout the season would garner him a huge contract.

At this moment the question is what did Stoudemire do that would warrant the big money? Was it the fact that the Phoenix Suns finally got past the San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs?

It definitely wasn't about his season stats this year was it? Granted that Stoudemire played in every game for the first time since 2006-2007. 

The past season would be the third best year for him in scoring at 23.1 points, the 8.9 rebounds he averaged would be tied for his fourth best season, by averaging only an assist per game that would be his fifth best season for his career, his steals per game at .6 were the seventh best season for him, and the one block per game would tie for his seventh best season for his career. 

So, it's really interesting to see the belief that Stoudemire had played for a big contract when none of his significant stats such as blocks, rebounding, or even points were the best of his career. The blocks were tied for the worst of his career and this is from a man who his possessed with incredibly athleticism. 

For Stoudemire, his field goal percentage of 55.7 percent was the fourth best season he's had in the league and his free throw percentage of 77.1 percent—which is solid for a big man—was the fifth best season percentage. 

This regular season it shows further proof of the media trying to build up a player who didn't necessarily do anything to earn a huge payday. There are teams that would love to add Stoudemire's athleticiscm, but in the end whether he stays in Phoenix or goes somewhere else, those teams are going to overpay for him. 

In the playoffs that's where some free agents earn their money. In six games against the Portland Trail Blazers, Stoudemire's numbers were rather pedestrian. That series saw Stoudemire average: 

20.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.67 assists, .33 steals, 1.67 blocks, on 54.1 percent shooting, and 73.8 percent from the free throw line. 

Those numbers hardly seem that impressive against the Trail Blazers now do they? 5.5 rebounds against a team that doesn't necessarily have power forward or center that is known for their ability to inhale rebounds. Aren't the elite players numbers supposed to go up in the playoffs not down? 

How about against the Spurs? What were Stoudemire's numbers like? The answer is much better than what they were against the Trail Blazers, especially in the first two games of the series that the Suns eventually ended up sweeping. 

He averaged 20.5 points, 9.25 rebounds, 1.25 assists, .5 steals, 1.25 blocks, on 47.4 percent shooting, and 83.8 percent from the free throw line.

His scoring average remained the same as it did in the Portland series, his rebounding went up significantly, his assists went down a little, steals were a little bit better, his blocks went down, his field goal percentage went down, and his free throw percentage was significantly better as well. 

So, only two categories really improved for Stoudemire while the rest of the numbers went down. 

How about so far what's going on in Suns series against the Los Angeles Lakers? So far Stoudemire is averaging: 20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, .5 steals, 1.5 blocks, on 55.5 percent shooting, and 64.7 percent free throw shooting. 

So, far in the series it seems that Stoudemire even though he's shooting the ball well hasn't been able to contribute much except for scoring. The 4.5 rebounding for a tremendously gifted power forward is absolutely ridiculous and his inability to help out on the defensive end is just as sad. 

For the entire playoffs Stoudemire is averaging: 20.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 blocks, .41 steals, on 52 percent shooting, and 75.6 percent from the free throw line. 

The series against the Lakers clearly shows the reason why the Suns even with Steve Nash running the point will never be able to reach the Finals, Stoudemire's just not the type of power forward that can get it done on the glass and at the defensive end. 

It has been shown the last two games against the Lakers. In the first half of the second game of the series Stoudemire only pulled down one rebound. Let me repeat that he only pulled down one rebound. He did manage to pull down five in the second half to have a grand total of six for the game. 

Pau Gasol on the other hand in the second game of the series pulled down a total of nine rebounds in the game. In the first half he had three and in the second half he grabbed six. 

But, it hasn't been the play of Gasol on the glass that has benefited the Lakers. It has been Lamar Odom's rebounding ability that has provided a spark. After game one Stoudemire called Odom's night "lucky."

No, it wasn't luck for Odom. It's called Odom was using his athleticism to crash the boards something that Stoudemire has never been known to do. That's the reason why Stoudemire is only averaging 4.5 rebounds for the series and Odom is averaging a total of 15.

Compared to Stoudemire stats for the series here's a look at Odom's numbers: 18 points, 15 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2 steals, .5 blocks, on 64 percent shooting, and 75 percent from the free throw line.

There would be no question if you were to ask which player would you like to have on your team player a or player b?

Player A would be the one averaging 20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks and Player B would be the one averaging 18 points, 15 rebounds, and 2 steals. 

The answer would be Player B and it's not even close. 

Besides just looking at the numbers that Stoudemire has put up for the season and playoffs there's big questions about how he would do outside of Phoenix's system.

Truly, the only fit that is possible for Stoudemire is in New York with former coach Mike D'Antoni who doesn't mind the lack of rebounding or lack of defensive ability of Stoudemire.

But, what would happen if Stoudemire was signed outside of a system that called for the team going up and down the floor as quickly as possible? Does Stoudemire possess the ability to create his own shot if he's put in the post? 

Stoudemire's ability to score with the Suns was predicated on three things; transition meaning Stoudemire getting easy points on fast breaks, Stoudemire hitting a 10-12 foot jumper on the pick and roll, and Nash's ability to dish the ball when driving into the lane. The Suns do not run post ups for Stoudemire if it does happen it's only because a defender hadn't switched off of him. 

Does Stoudemire have the ability to rebound well for his position? The 8.9 rebounds he averaged this past season was good enough to rank at No. 17. What about a team that would ask Stoudemire make more of an effort on the defensive end? 

At this point Stoudemire is going to get his pay day and whether it's Phoenix or New York the team is going to overpay for the services of Stoudemire.