Will Amar'e Stoudemire Shine or Struggle in Year One With the New York Knicks?
Amar'e Stoudemire was the big free-agent signing of the summer for the New York Knicks. Receiving a five-year, $99.7 million contract, there are high expectations for the explosive power forward.
Reuniting with coach Mike D'Antoni—the coach he has had the most success with—Stoudemire will be expected to replicate his best years on the Suns as he is unquestionably "the man" here in New York.
Of course, the big question surrounding Amar'e is whether or not he can thrive without Steve Nash setting him up. Many do forget that Amar'e was quite successful before the two-time MVP joined the Suns. Stoudemire beat out high-profile center Yao Ming to win Rookie of the Year in 2003. The following year he increased his scoring average to 20.6 points per game, and even made it on the 2004 Olympic squad.
The Knicks have a rather underrated point guard in Raymond Felton to put the ball in positions for Amar'e to score. Felton excels in transition and pick-and-roll situations with his ability to turn the corner and take it to the hoop. Raymond may never be as good as Steve Nash, but he's certainly talented enough to do a convincing impression playing alongside Stoudemire.
The other issue critics are quick to point out is his history of injuries. Contrary to popular belief, Stoudemire has played relatively healthy for a large portion of his career. Aside from the microfracture surgery he had years ago and a freak eye injury, Amar'e has rarely missed any time. In fact, Stoudemire is one of the few success stories after having gone through microfracture knee surgery. Plus, his commitment to wearing goggles during games makes the eye injury a non-issue.
Rebounding is a slight area of concern as he is replacing David Lee—an absolute monster on the boards. Even though Stoudemire has a respectable career average of 8.9 rebounds per game, he has yet to break the double-digit barrier for a season. A player of his size and length should be able to average over 10 rebounds per game—an attainable mark if he commits to attacking the glass.
Defensively, Amar'e is a bit of a mixed bag. When he puts in the effort, he can stand toe-to-toe with some of the best in the game. However, he seems to conserve some of that energy to utterly destroy opponents on the offensive end.
With Ronny Turiaf anchoring the paint and Anthony Randolph lurking along the wings, Stoudemire may not have to be a defensive force for this team to succeed. If he can at least approach, if not exceed, his career high 2.1 blocks per game average from 2007, the Knicks' front-court will be in good shape.
While still in his prime, Amar'e is 27, and nearing the dreaded 30-year mark. For a player who most believe relies primarily on his athleticism, it looks troubling. However, he has shown that he can still take it down the lane and throw down thunderous dunks with ease. Also, if you have been paying any attention to his career you can see his ever-improving jump shot has become a reliable option for Amar'e to turn to.
As Amar'e continues to expand his offensive arsenal, he only becomes a bigger headache for opposing teams to defend—as if he wasn't already. Defense and rebounding will be the "X-Factor" in his personal and team success with the Knicks. Make no mistake about it, Stoudemire is primed for a career season in the Big Apple.
Bold Prediction: 55 Percent FG | 82 Percent FT | 27.2 ppg | 9.3 rpg | 2.2 apg | 0.9 spg | 1.5 bpg
