Amar’e Stoudemire has not played in a game yet this season for the New York Knicks, but the team has been more than fine without him. A 10-4 start with Amar’e nursing a knee injury has many wondering what Mike Woodson will do with his power forward when he returns. Should the Knicks trade him? Should they insert him back into the starting lineup?
According to a report from ESPNNewYork.com, Stoudemire is open to the idea of coming off the bench when he makes his expected return in December.
“All he cares about right now is helping the team and winning,” a source close to Stoudemire said. “He’d be fine with coming off the bench if that’s what they want.”
For whatever reason, Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony have not seemed to mesh well since New York paired them together. The Knicks played some of their best ball of the season last year with Anthony injured and have played very well through 14 games this season without Amar’e. Another source reportedly told ESPNNewYork.com that Stoudemire is well aware of how the team has been playing in his absence and does not want to negatively affect the chemistry they have created when he returns.
Coming off the bench may be exactly what Amar’e needs to do, as trading him would not be an easy task. He has been prone to injuries over the past couple seasons (even incredibly bizarre ones like this) and isn’t exactly playing under a team-friendly contract. Any trade would have to involve a player with a contract almost equal to that of Stoudemire’s, and that is unlikely to happen.
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