Amar'e Stoudemire to Heat: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction

Veteran forward Amar'e Stoudemire is headed to the Miami Heat, the team announced Friday.

Heat president Pat Riley spoke of the traits Stoudemire will bring to Miami, per the team's website:

"

We are very fortunate that a proven All-Star like Amar’e has chosen the Miami Heat. He is going to bring gravitas, leadership and a hardworking mentality to our team as we look to win another Championship in Miami.

"

Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reported the deal is for one year, $1.5 million.

Surya Fernandez of HotHotHoops.com and Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post provided Stoudemire's reasoning behind choosing the Heat.

"

There was a lot of calls but I thought it was a great fit with me and my family back in my home state.

...

I believe the team we're establishing can be a contender in the East, for sure.

"

Stoudemire last played with the Dallas Mavericks after the New York Knicks waived him in February. He played solid in a reserve role over 23 games with the Mavs, averaging 10.8 points and 3.7 rebounds in 16.5 minutes per contest.

The 32-year-old forward has watched his playing time dip considerably in recent years. Injury woes have prevented him from taking on the heavy workload he did during his prime. And as a result, it's hard to imagine him becoming more than a complementary piece moving forward.

"I bring instant scoring, I've been doing that my entire career without a problem. Also, my leadership qualities," Stoudemire said, via Fernandez.

That said, he's still productive on a per-minute basis. He can be a key member of the Heat rotation when he finds the right niche.

David Dow/Getty Images

Earl K. Sneed of the Mavericks' official site passed along comments from Stoudemire after the Houston Rockets knocked Dallas out of the playoffs. He talked about enjoying his time with the Mavericks but felt like the best move was exploring what the market had to offer.

"There was a lot at stake this season. I'm sure there's going to be another round of free agency happening again, as it was in 2010," Stoudemire said. "I'll make my rounds and see what teams are saying, but I think Dallas is a place where I feel comfortable here. I have a chance to have great success here with this franchise. We'll see."

Ultimately, Stoudemire decided it was time to move on. He didn't play a prominent role during the Mavs' first-round playoff series against Houston, so he's probably hoping a change of scenery will increase his involvement in key situations, even off the bench.

The most important thing for him is staying healthy. Every once in a while when he's on the floor, there's a glimpse at the player who used to dominate in the post offensively.

"Two straight years of feeling strong, I feel like that's an important thing to me," Stoudemire said about his health, via Joseph Goodman of the Palm Beach Post.

It's certainly a signing with some upside for Miami. His player efficiency rating with the Mavericks was 22.3, which is right in line with his career average, per Basketball-Reference.com. It's just a matter of finding the right balance between limiting his minutes to keep him healthy while still giving him a chance to make an impact.

Given the Heat's need for post depth, it's worth taking the chance and hoping he can avoid the injury bug.