Amar'e Stoudemire's Resurgence More Critical Than Ever to New York Knicks
It may seem like a strange time to predict big things for Amar'e Stoudemire.
The 12-year veteran turns 32 in November and is coming off the second consecutive season in which he averaged fewer than 25 minutes per game. Injuries held him to just 29 games in 2012-13, and his 11.9 points per contest a season ago were his lowest numbers since 2005-06—when he only suited up for three games with the Phoenix Suns.
And yet, there's suddenly a shred of hope the six-time All-Star could at least partially return to form in his fifth and potentially final campaign with the New York Knicks—a season in which he'll earn $23,410,988.
"My joy is there. My love of the game is there," Stoudemire recently told reporters, via Fred Kerber of the New York Post. "I feel like I'm 19 again as far as how much I love to play the game of basketball. I feel youthful.
"To have that type of feeling again as I had my rookie year, to want to play and just want to be out there and get better as a player is pretty encouraging."
It's been a trying journey for Stoudemire, particularly after a successful 2010-11 debut with the Knicks in which he tallied 25.3 points and 8.2 rebounds in 36.8 minutes per game.
"Injuries sometimes take that joy away," he added. "You're not able to play, you're not able to become that leader that you know you are, you can't speak on things that you see on the basketball court because you're not out there within the battlefield with the guys."
So maybe Stoudemire's heart and mind have undergone some timely renewal. Maybe he'll even establish himself as a reliable second or third option under new head coach Derek Fisher.
But could he entirely redefine himself in the process?
"My goal this year is to become a better defensive player and be known as a defensive player," Stoudemire proclaimed. "It's a challenge I've got to accept."
And it's a challenge the Knicks will gladly encourage.
Stoudemire—who didn't attend college—did his growing up under head coach Mike D'Antoni, quickly developing into a feared scorer with explosive athleticism and a smooth mid-range game. Unfortunately, he picked up some problematic defensive habits along the way, focusing instead on anchoring an iconic run-and-shoot offense.
Perhaps it isn't too late for Stoudemire to learn some new tricks.
You'll just have to forgive Knicks fans for waiting to believe it until they actually see it.
They may not see it right away. These kinds of transformations take time, especially with roles and expectations undergoing some reshuffling under Fisher. Good as Stoudemire's intentions may be, there's no substitute for sustained effort and focus—virtues that rarely appear overnight.
Then there's physical toll with which Stoudemire must contend. Given his age and injury history, there's really no telling how much action he'll see throughout the season ahead.
After two seasons of minutes restrictions designed to keep him healthy, Stoudemire will apparently attempt to become more of a full-time contributor—with the medical staff's blessing, of course.
"Right now there aren't any minute restrictions, or he can only play the front of a back to back, or any of that," Fisher recently told media, via Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
"If we can find ways to be consistent in [scheduling the rest days] then we don't have to judge in the game whether or not it's too many minutes or whether he can start or [not based on minutes restrictions]," he added. "So we're excited that we can go into the season with an open mind in that regard and it's worked well so far."
An encouraging sign, yes.
More so, even, than Stoudemire's latest quest for basketball immortality.
The 6'10" power forward is attempting to preserve his health and physical tools with baths in red wine, a relatively new form of treatment with an aim toward longevity.
As the New York Daily News' Peter Botte explains, "Bathing in red wine—known as vinotherapy—is said to aid recovery and boost circulation by using grape seeds, skin and stems to heal and rejuvenate the body."
"It's a rejuvenation and it's not 100% red wine. It's water and wine combined, but majority red wine," Stoudemire told reporters this month. "The red wine bath is very important to me because it allows me to, it creates more circulation in my red blood cells. Plus, it's very hot, so it's like a hot tub.
"I felt great and after doing that recovery day, my legs felt rejuvenated. I felt great so I'm going to continue to do that for sure."
There may be some legitimate questions about the therapy's actual effectiveness, but the important thing is that Stoudemire feels 100 percent—for now anyway. His health history since 2005 is a mixed bag, particularly in recent years.
Stoudemire and Co. are saying—and probably doing—all the right things, but doubts will persist until he strings together a few months of sustained, elevated production.
If his body is right, he has a chance.
"I feel great. My body feels great," Stoudemire told media earlier this month. "I worked extremely hard this offseason to be in top shape and be there full-time. But my body feels great. I feel confident. Hopefully it pans out well."
Full time. That's the key. In the wake of two seasons typified by limited action, the Knicks need Stoudemire to last at least 30 minutes every night. They need him to be aggressive, to defend with mental and physical purpose.
They need him to be dominant again.
"Last year was a difficult year. I think this year is a different story," Stoudemire added. "I feel so much better now than I did last year. I'm healthy. I feel strong. So it's definitely a different situation.
"Obviously [I want] to reach back to my dominant self. I feel like I'm there now. I feel like my body is feeling so much stronger, so I feel dominant."
If there's really something to Stoudemire's optimism, team president Phil Jackson may have an interesting decision on his hands next summer. While it's unlikely Stoudemire will command a massive deal in free agency, now is his opportunity to raise his perceived value—in the eyes of Jackson and others alike.
Stoudemire insists he'll continue playing, and it's conceivable he continues playing in New York, albeit at a significantly reduced rate.
Much as this organization might like to forget its first chapter with the overly compensated former star, it would be premature to rule out a second act.
But for now, that's for Stoudemire to prove—and he'll get his chance in 2014-15.
"There are leadership qualities with Amar'e that you can't replace necessarily," Fisher told reporters this month. "We're excited to have him healthy. He played almost 70 games a season ago. We're hoping we can get to close to 80 or more this year."
It's a hope that says as much about New York as it does Stoudemire.
This team desperately needs a big man to step up after Tyson Chandler's departure via trade to the Dallas Mavericks. New York's increasingly strong perimeter arsenal (Jose Calderon, J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, Tim Hardaway Jr.) will assure superstar Carmelo Anthony a halfway decent supporting cast.
The bigger question is the Knicks' interior rotation.
If Andrea Bargnani stays healthy, he'll earn playing time on account of his ability to space the floor. Samuel Dalembert will play minutes in the middle, namely to defend the basket.
But Stoudemire is the closest thing to a real two-way weapon. He has the skill and pedigree to help carry the scoring load, and he has at least some potential to make a defensive impact.
There probably aren't any All-Stars in that big man mix, but the Knicks will take what they can get. Stoudemire's best All-Star impersonation may be good enough to return this team to the playoff conversation.
Earning that $23,410,988 won't be easy. Earning a newfound appreciation from Knicks fans, however, isn't out of the question just yet.
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