Best Potential Free-Agent Landing Spots for Amar'e Stoudemire If Bought out
Amar'e Stoudemire isn't going to remain without a team for very long if he and the New York Knicks agree on a buyout. The veteran power forward may not have the same explosive athleticism he boasted during his prime, and he's not much of a defender, but he's quietly been a productive player when healthy.
Heading into the All-Star break, Stoudemire is averaging 12 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game while shooting an impressive 54.3 percent from the field. Surely, there are a few teams out there who could use that type of impact.
But the Knicks are no longer one. Not only does a buyout offer them a chance to hand him less money, but it pushes them closer to the front of the Jahlil Okafor race and gives the younger players a chance to grow on the court.
"All possibilities at this point are still open," Stoudemire recently 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."
The first step is getting both sides to agree on a figure, one that will inevitably be far less than the power forward's current salary. After that, the second step—signing with a new team—won't take very long.
There are going to be plenty of suitors.
Charlotte Hornets
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The Charlotte Hornets may have put together one of the league's best defenses in recent weeks, but their offense could use a bit more firepower. During the 27 games since their initial winning streak began on Dec. 19 against the Philadelphia 76ers, the former Bobcats have earned offensive and defensive ratings of 100.3 and 98.5, respectively.
The latter would rather easily be the best mark in the league if maintained over the course of a full season, but the former is better than only what's been posted by the Philadelphia 76ers, who are on pace to have the worst adjusted offensive efficiency in NBA history.
Obviously, the scoring power needs to be upgraded.
Charlotte has already added some shooting to the backcourt in the form of Mo Williams and Troy Daniels, but some extra production in the frontcourt would be nice. The combination of Cody Zeller, Marvin Williams and Noah Vonleh just isn't getting the job done at power forward.
Granted, Zeller has improved during his sophomore season. His efficiency has climbed, even if his usage hasn't skyrocketed. Over his last 17 games, the big man from Indiana is averaging 7.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 43.9 percent from the field and 76.3 percent at the charity stripe.
And he's the best option Steve Clifford has at his disposal.
Is it any wonder 82games.com shows that Charlotte power forwards have a combined player efficiency rating of just 13.4—well below the league-average mark of 15?
Stoudemire may no longer be capable of playing major minutes, but he'd be a nice contributor in the Charlotte system while Zeller continues to develop. And if Clifford could turn Al Jefferson into a point-preventing asset, maybe the current New York Knick may not be too detrimental when trying to help the Hornets maintain that league-best defensive rating.
Cleveland Cavaliers
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The Cleveland Cavaliers are rolling as of late, but this still isn't a perfect roster. Far from it, as the depth is rather lacking and has forced David Blatt to use a short rotation that places a lot of responsibility on the shoulders of all the key players.
Having a player like Stoudemire may not be a necessity, but it would certainly be a nice luxury.
Cleveland's season started to turn around upon the arrival of Timofey Mozgov. Though he certainly wasn't the only factor (see: James, LeBron), it should be telling that the addition of a valuable big man had such an immense impact on these Eastern Conference contenders. Now, adding depth in the frontcourt would make them even more dangerous.
Tristan Thompson is a solid power forward off the pine, but that's primarily because he's able to crash the offensive glass as though his life depends on him successfully gaining an extra possession for his team. Though he's developed a bit offensively, he's not much of a scoring threat.
Frankly, no frontcourt player in Cleveland's second unit is capable of racking up points. Brendan Haywood is only marginally more useful than the current version of Anderson Varejao, and the floppy-haired Brazilian big man is out for the season following surgery on his left Achilles.
From there, it's not hard to connect the dots.
Dallas Mavericks
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The Dallas Mavericks don't need any upgrades in the starting five. Tyson Chandler and Dirk Nowitzki are doing a fine job of holding down the fort at their respective positions, providing the squad with nice boosts of defense and offense.
It's depth that's the concern here, especially after the Mavs gutted their bench in a successful effort to acquire Rajon Rondo from the Boston Celtics. Brandan Wright was a key contributor to this squad before he was shipped away, and there really haven't been any feasible replacements.
But Stoudemire could change that.
Even though he's 32 years old and will always have injury-related red flags attached to his lower extremities, the big man has been a valuable commodity when he's healthy. In a minor role, he's able to crash to the rim and finish shots around the basket while occasionally spacing out the court with some mid-range jumpers.
And that sounds a lot better than what the Mavericks are currently working with.
At power forward, Charlie Villaneuva and Dwight Powell are the primary backups, while Greg Smith and Bernard James are listed as the second- and third-string centers. Villanueva was once an above-average commodity, but now all four are rather nondescript players who would immediately fall behind Stoudemire in the pecking order.
As Matt Moore writes for CBS Sports, he's not the perfect fit in Dallas, but he'd still help out:
"The Mavs need a big. After the Rajon Rondo trade, their bench melted into a puddle. They need a rim protector off the bench way more, so Jermaine O'Neal (if he plays) would be a better idea. However, Stoudemire would fit well. Lineups with Stoudemire and Dirk Nowitzki would implode defensively, but pick and roll sets with Stoudemire and Devin Harris or Rondo could be effective. He's comfortable in up-tempo situations, and he brings a veteran mindset, which Dallas places a premium on. It's not a perfect fit, but he may be the best player available for what they need.
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He's certainly a better option off the bench than any of the current options. And that's good news for Dallas, as it's considered the favorites to land him if he's bought out.
"The Dallas Mavericks would be considered front-runners to sign Amar'e Stoudemire if the 13-year veteran opts to pursue a contract buyout from the New York Knicks, according to league sources," Tim MacMahon and Marc Stein recently reported for ESPN.com.
Los Angeles Clippers
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Now that Blake Griffin has gone under the knife to treat a staph infection in his right elbow, the Los Angeles Clippers have never been thinner in the frontcourt—at least not while they've had playoff aspirations.
DeAndre Jordan is having an incredible season, but beyond the rebounding and defensive stud, who do the Clippers have? Spencer Hawes may be a solid shooter and floor-spacing threat, but Doc Rivers could barely count on him before, and he's struggled mightily since joining the starting lineup. Ekpe Udoh is an end-of-bench spot-holder with the Clippers, and Glen Davis is hardly a player that a contender wants to count on.
That's it. Those are literally all of the options, unless Rivers wants to try playing Matt Barnes at the 4 or relying on a washed-up version of Hedo Turkoglu suiting up away from his primary position.
It doesn't matter how much or how little Stoudemire brings to the table in this location.
He's a capable player when he's healthy, and his size alone makes him useful to the thinned-out Clippers—especially before Griffin returns to the lineup. Given the perils of the Western Conference, gaining every possible advantage is a good idea. And much as is the case for other teams, the other benefit of acquiring Stoudemire is ensuring that no one else in the thick of the West can shore up a weakness with a useful player.
The Clippers may not be the front-runners in the race for this power forward's services. But no other team could use them more.
Oklahoma City Thunder
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The Oklahoma City Thunder's situation isn't as dire as the one the Clippers are experiencing, but Steven Adams' hand injury does thin out their frontcourt as well.
Without the big New Zealander holding down the fort, OKC is forced to rely on Kendrick Perkins and Mitch McGary. Though the rookie from Michigan has performed impressively in spot opportunities, he's not exactly the type of experienced big Scott Brooks would like to rely on in a tight race for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.
At power forward, the Thunder have Nick Collison continuing to serve as the primary backup for Serge Ibaka, and that's not exactly a good thing either. It's worth noting I say that as one of the chairmen of the Collison fan club. He's always been a favorite due to his penchant for maximizing his talent and displaying a willingness to sacrifice his body for the good of the team.
Since there are veterans in place, it may not seem as urgent for the Thunder to replace Adams with a quality stopgap like Stoudemire. But again, let's think about the tightness of that postseason battle.
OKC cannot afford to go through even one prolonged slump. Chances are, it won't, as Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are absolutely rolling right now and have proved capable of carrying the team.
But shouldn't the Thunder do everything possible to avoid overworking the stars? If that means biting the bullet and paying to bring in Stoudemire for a reserve role, it's worth doing.
Phoenix Suns
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The Phoenix Suns do have some talented frontcourt players.
The Morris twins—Markieff, in particular—are nice floor-spacing talents who can rain in mid-range jumpers to spread out the defense and make it easier for them to attack off the bounce. Brandan Wright is an efficient finisher around the basket, and Alex Len is developing into a quality center.
However, the desert is still devoid of a back-to-the-basket contributor who can get the job done in the post. And that's where Stoudemire would help out.
According to NBA.com's statistical databases, 46.4 percent of the New York big man's possessions this season have been classified as post-up opportunities. He's scoring 0.96 points per possession on them while shooting at a 50.7 percent clip, and that rate puts him in the 78th percentile throughout the league.
Now, how does that compare to the other frontcourt contributors who wear Phoenix threads?
| Amar'e Stoudemire | 46.7 | 0.96 | 50.7 | 78.0 |
| Miles Plumlee | 18.5 | 0.67 | 38.5 | 20.1 |
| Alex Len | 7.6 | 0.67 | 41.2 | 20.1 |
| Markieff Morris | 26.1 | 0.9 | 48.7 | 65.1 |
Wright hasn't even taken enough attempts to qualify.
The Suns simply don't have a low-post presence. Morris is the best option on the squad, followed by P.J. Tucker. And given the guard-heavy orientation of the team, it wouldn't hurt to vary things up a bit more.
Plus, for some strange reason, it feels as though he might seem at home in Phoenix. Maybe he was in a jazz band that used to play gigs on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon?
Something like that, I'm sure.
Portland Trail Blazers
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The Portland Trail Blazers' need for depth isn't quite as dire anymore. Chris Kaman has performed admirably off the bench while Thomas Robinson has been solid on a per-minute level. But Rip City has still experienced a never-ending stream of injuries, and it can't be considered a negative to add another insurance policy.
Is Stoudemire a great fit for Portland? That's debatable, especially because Terry Stotts' defense relies on bigs holding their own in the paint while the rest of the team swarms the perimeter threats.
But this isn't about playing styles meshing.
It's about getting a big body onto the depth chart in case LaMarcus Aldridge's balky thumb forces him out of the lineup for a game or two. It's about making Robinson more expendable, as the Blazers clearly haven't committed to giving him hefty minutes. It's about keeping the starters increasingly fresh for the most crucial part of the season, as they quite clearly wore down at the end of the 2013-14 campaign.
According to HoopsStats.com, Portland has handed more minutes to the bench than only the Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers, though that rank is admittedly skewed by backups having to step in for injured starters in Rip City. Even more problematic is the fact that the Blazers bench ranks No. 24 in offensive efficiency and No. 1 in defensive efficiency.
Most worrisome is that those marks are distinct improvements upon last year's putrid efforts, when the team finished No. 30 and No. 27, respectively, in those two efficiency stats while handing the bench fewer minutes than any other organization.
Stoudemire won't help defensively. But he'd bring more of an offensive punch than any of the current options, all while making the team a bit deeper.
Note: All stats, unless otherwise indicated, come from Basketball-Reference.com and are current heading into Feb. 12's games.
