The Knicks’ only choice was to sign Amar’e Stoudemire, says former Suns GM Steve Kerr.
Kerr was part of the management team in Phoenix that had decided not to give Stoudemire the max contract he got with the Knicks this offseason.
“The Knicks, I think, had to sign him,” said Kerr, who left the Suns to return as an analyst with TNT this season.
“They couldn’t go back to their fans and say, ‘Hey we re-signed David Lee.’ Lee’s a good player, very underrated player. And arguably, for the five years, you’d rather have him over Amar’e based on his health. But if you’re the Knicks, your fans have suffered for two years, you need to sell season tickets, sponsorships, you have to hang your hat on somebody and Amar’e was the best available guy for them.”
The microfracture knee surgery Stoudemire underwent in October 2005 is the reason the Suns didn’t want to bring the power forward back for max money.
“There is a shelf-life with microfracture surgery,” Kerr said. “Amar’e is now five years removed and there’s a lot of wear-and-tear — he’s played big minutes. We looked at the league the last six, seven years and we were very afraid of a Jermaine O’Neal situation, where the Pacers just got hamstrung by a long contract. … In our situation in Phoenix it didn’t make sense to extend out for five years, but the Knicks situation I understand the gamble and the risk and I think they made a good move.”
The Knicks know all about bad contracts. The ones they gave out like candy during the Scott Layden and Isiah Thomas eras set the franchise back years. Donnie Walsh was brought in two years ago and cleared out enough salary-cap space to sign two max-contract players. They settled on brining in only Stoudemire when LeBron James and Dwyane Wade decided to hook up together in Miami along with Chris Bosh.
“From Amare’s standpoint it was very important for him to get that guaranteed money because he’s more aware of his health than anybody,” Kerr said.
The signing of Stoudemire has brought immediate notoriety to the Knicks with rumors swirling that Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul would be interested in coming to New York to form a big three of their own to rival the Heat’s.
“If they are able to attract Carmelo, Chris Paul because of Amar’e’s presence, and if he stays healthy, and if they put the right people around him and then it could work,” Kerr said. “You have to go for it. There’s definitely risks. There’s very few sure things in the NBA. Amar’e isn’t going to do it by himself.”
Though Stoudemire’s knees concern Kerr, the former sharpshooter has no doubts the athletic power forward can handle the pressure that comes with playing in New York.
“He’s very well-suited to it because he embraces that he’s the guy and he loves the limelight,” Kerr said. “He’s coming into the city and you can see the way he’s handled it already. He’s embraced the role and I think he will do well. The big question about Amar’e — and with our situation Phoenix last year — was will the knee holdup. Short term, at least, he’s an All-Star.”
