New York Knicks: So Far, It Hasn't Worked Out for Amar'e Stoudemire, Team

For the next five years, the Knicks are paying Amar'e Stoudemire $20 million per year. They received nothing out of him in this young season.

This is not what both envisioned. When the Knicks and Stoudemire reached a deal in the summer, they expected results quickly. The Knicks thought he could lead them to victories, and he shared the same process.

Maybe it will take time for the Knicks star to figure it out, but there are already red flags on him after watching him these last few weeks. He can't defend, and he can't score in crunch time.

Last night raised many questions about Stoudemire's ability to perform and lead. Down the stretch, he failed to score points in the fourth quarter when the Knicks needed him the most. He missed couple of free throws to boot. This is not what the team is paying him to do,.

Right now, the best player on the team is Landry Fields. Landry who? Yep, no one knows who he is, but he is the only guy that plays defense and score from the paint. For the record, he is a rookie.

With due respect to the rookie, he shouldn't be the go-to-guy in the fourth quarter. That's not his job. That's the job of Stoudemire, or is supposed to be.

It's funny Stoudemire is calling out his teammates. He did that after Sunday's loss to the undermanned Rockets. He wondered how much his teammates care about losing.

It's good that he is calling them out, but it's hard to take him seriously when he can't lead either. He has not willed the Knicks to a victory this year. In all the Knicks' wins so far, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Galinari and Fields led the way not Stoudemire.

This shouldn't be surprising the newcomer struggled. He has never been known to be the guy. He's a complementary player at best. There's a good reason why he was begging for Chris Paul or Carmelo Anthony to join him. They would make his job easy when it comes to scoring. That was the case in Phoenix when Steve Nash handed the ball to him in the paint.

Raymond Felton and Stoudemire have not worked well together. It seems Felton has a hard time handing the ball to him. Either Felton wants to shoot or he trusts someone else.

It's been obvious Stoudemire has not been happy with Felton. That's why he vented to the Knicks beat writers after the game Sunday night.

It's not just his lack of offense that is a problem. Stoudemire can't defend at all. His idea of defense is blocking shots, and that's it. He never gets the rebounds, and he is not physical enough.

There was a good reason why the Suns never bothered to resign him. They were not going to pay him that type of money, especially with his knees being a problem after that microfacture surgery which makes his contract uninsurable.

So what's next with Stoudemire? That's a tough question. Unless the Knicks give him another superstar, it could be a long five years. It won't be easy getting a superstar.

There has been talk about getting Carmelo Anthony. The Knicks have the cap space to sign him, but there's no guarantee. The Knicks know that well after LeBron James decided to play in Miami than play in New York.

Anthony wants to play for a championship-caliber team.. He can go to Orlando or Chicago. He could be the missing piece for either team vying for the Larry O'Brien trophy. Odds are Anthony will be playing in Chicago next year.

Chris Paul is another free agent. Odds are he will play in Orlando to team up with Dwight Howard.

If those scenarios actually happen, who knows what frame of mind Stoudemire will have in the next few years. The last thing the Knicks need is him checking out.

Now, this is early, but with the Knicks, early could be late. This franchise has been used to losing for most of last decade.

Walsh incorporated new guys to change the culture, but it's been the same old thing. It won't be long until new guys accept losing. Stoudemire is trying to change that, but he is not an elite player where he can make a difference to the team. Only great players like Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd, James and Nash can.

Stoudemire will likely grow frustrated and then be tuned out. When have we not heard this before by any Knick who would be a savior?

He was better off staying in Phoenix or going to a contender where he can put his numbers without all the pressure. He would have better off in Orlando or somewhere he can be a complementary palyer. That wasn't what was on his mind back then.

He still feels he is an elite player. He wanted to get that last payday. He knew no team was going to pay him that much money, so he took what was available. He picked a team that was desperate to have him.

He also liked the idea of being a savior in New York. He knows New York is a place where fans will love him if he does his job.

Of course, he is realizing playing in New York is not what it's hyped to be. It's never fun to be booed or ripped in the media after a loss.

Someone should have told him this before he made his decision. It was clear he made an emotional decision before he thought it through.

Now, he's stuck here and somehow, he has to figure it out.