Amar’e Stoudemire Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Knicks Notes: Lin, Chandler, Stoudemire

May 2nd, 2012 at 7:39pm CST by Ryan Raroque

In two consecutive postseasons, the Knicks have faced the previous year's Eastern Conference champion in the first round of the playoffs. They've also lost Amare Stoudemire to injuries caused by unnecessary mishaps before the start of Game Three. ESPN's Stephen A. Smith wrote earlier that tomorrow's game will give New York a chance to re-earn the respect that was lost after two demoralizing losses to start the series, as well as provide the chance for certain players to prove their worth. For right now, here's the latest out of Manhattan:

Al Ianazzonne of Newsday says that Jeremy Lin played a game of full court three-on-three after Wednesday's practice and showed some expected rust. Coach Mike Woodson said that any potential return of Lin during the series would hinge on how he feels after doing some running tomorrow and what the doctors say.
Ian Begley of ESPN New York reports that Tyson Chandler is "close to 100%" heading into Thursday night's game at Madison Square Garden. Chandler had been recovering from flu-like symptoms over the last five days.
In his first public appearance since leaving the American Airlines Arena on Monday night, Amare Stoudemire told reporters that there's a "great chance" he'll return for Game 4 on Sunday, immediately adding that he's "not totally sure yet" (according to Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.com).
Chandler is the first player in Knicks history to win the Defensive Player of the Year award. Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York writes about how former Knick Charles Oakley played an instrumental role in shaping Chandler's mindset defensively. The two had been teammates on the Bulls, when Chandler was still a young prospect and Oakley was nearing retirement.

Knicks Notes: Stoudemire, Carmelo, Billups

May 2nd, 2012 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

We'll have to wait one more day to continue the Heat/Knicks series, which resumes at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night. In the meantime, Amare Stoudemire's ill-advised punch to a fire extinguisher continues to be the talk of New York, with his status for the rest of the series up in the air. Here's the latest on Stoudemire and the Knicks:

A source tells Chris Broussard of ESPN.com that "half of [Stoudemire's] hand was just hanging off" in the immediate aftermath of the incident. Paramedics were called in because there was a belief that Stoudemire may have punctured an artery.
Stoudemire underwent surgery that will likely keep him out of action for the series, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. Stoudemire be reassessed after Game Four, assuming the Heat don't sweep, but returning to face Miami is a long shot for the veteran forward.
ESPN.com's Israel Gutierrez argues that the Stoudemire-Carmelo Anthony pairing isn't working, and says the Knicks should have used their amnesty clause to release Amare rather than Chauncey Billups. Stoudemire's contract is "the most undesirable in the NBA," in Gutierrez's opinion.
The Knicks' decision to waive Bill Walker in favor of Dan Gadzuric seems to have backfired, writes Berman.

Knicks Notes: Stoudemire, Playoffs, Carmelo

May 1st, 2012 at 9:03am CST by Luke Adams

The biggest story to come out of last night's Knicks/Heat contest didn't materialize on the court, where Miami took a 2-0 lead in the series. It happened on the way to the locker room after the game, when Amare Stoudemire took out his frustrations on a fire extinguisher, resulting in a lot of blood, a few stitches, and derisive pun-heavy headlines from the New York papers. Our Tuesday morning Knicks updates revolve around Stoudemire's lapse in judgment, so let's round them up in one place:

Stoudemire is "almost certain" to miss Game Three in New York, and could be out for the entire series with a hand laceration, a source tells Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
The injury is the latest low point in an agonizing, up-and-down Knicks season, writes Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
Carmelo Anthony tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports that he still believes he and Stoudemire can thrive alongside one another when both are healthy. The Knicks are just a .500 team since pairing the two stars, who are slated to earn a combined $40MM+ in each of the next three seasons.

Odds & Ends: Skiles, Griffin, Colangelo, Pierce

April 27th, 2012 at 10:20pm CST by Daniel Seco

With great anticipation of the weekend ahead full of playoff basketball, let's take a look around the league to see what's happening from coast to coast.

Count Brandon Jennings and Mike Dunleavy Jr. among Bucks players hoping head coach Scott Skiles is retained by Milwaukee after just missing out on making the playoffs, writes Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com says Blake Griffin expects the playoffs to be more physical as the Clippers head into their first-round series against the Grizzlies.
Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo is excited to continue the process of rebuilding the franchise after carefully adhering to his long-term plan, reports Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun.
Paul Pierce tells ESPNBoston.com's Jackie McMullan that the thought of retirement has crossed his mind after playing 14 seasons for the Celtics.
ESPNLosAngeles.com's Dave McMenamin says Lakers executive vice president of player personnel Jim Buss is over the heartbreak of losing out on Chris Paul to the Clippers this past offseason.
Newsday's Al Iannazzone reports Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire are working to improve how they co-exist on the court after incessant chatter from the media and fans finally drew their attention.

Knicks Notes: Stoudemire, Practice

April 24th, 2012 at 9:01pm CST by Ryan Raroque

This season marks the first time since 2000-01 that the Knicks have been able to clinch a playoff spot in consecutive years. Who they will face in the first round is yet to be determined, as the Bulls, Heat, and Pacers remain possibilities. In order to obtain a matchup with Indiana, New York has to win its next two games in addition to the Magic losing its final two games. For the team to fall no lower than seventh (if Orlando keeps sixth), the Knicks would have to at least finish with the same record as Philadelphia. Otherwise, they fall to eighth and give way for a continuation of New York and Chicago's recent competitive battles. You can read more about tonight's Knicks news here:

Amare Stoudemire appears ready to another post-season opportunity with the Knicks, saying that last year's sweep at the hands of Boston left a "sour taste in our mouth." Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York takes a closer look at how Amare's pairing with Carmelo Anthony can work based on what he saw from New York's win in Atlanta.
Al Iannazzone of Newsday writes that while some players expected a light day on the eve of a back-to-back to finish the season, coach Mike Woodson upped the intensity of practice in preparation of their playoff opener this weekend.
Stoudemire plans to play the next two games as long as the Knicks have a chance to move up in the Eastern Conference standings, according to Ian Begley of ESPN New York. Begley also wrote that Amare could sit the last game of the season against the Bobcats if the Knicks can no longer improve their playoff seeding at that point.
Mike Kurylo of the New York Times' Off the Dribble blog examines the possibility that the Knicks could currently be a stronger team than their overall stats this year would indicate, crediting the manner in which the team has been performing since All-Star break.

Knicks Notes: Playoff Race, Chandler, Stoudemire

April 22nd, 2012 at 11:00am CST by Daniel Seco

The Knicks look to rebound from a disappointing eight-point road loss to the Cavs on Friday as they take on the Hawks Sunday afternoon in Atlanta. The Hawks are looking to secure home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs by finishing the season with a better record than the Celtics. Here's the latest from Mike Woodson's squad as the team heads into the final week of the regular season.

Entering Sunday's matchup against the Hawks, the Knicks are tied record-wise with the Sixers but currently hold the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race thanks to a head-to-head tiebreaker against Philadelphia, writes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. A loss to the Hawks would drop the Knicks to the eighth seed and allow for the Sixers to move up a spot before taking on the Nets in Newark on Monday night. Based on current standings, the eighth seed would face the Bulls in the first round while the seventh seed would head to Miami to play the Heat.
Marc Berman of the New York Post reports Tyson Chandler may be in need of some much deserved rest but could potentially find himself on the court this week to keep the Knicks starters in sync for the playoffs. Chandler, 29, has missed only two games all season as he's built a strong case for Defensive Player of the Year thanks to his intimidating presence in the paint. Unfortunately for Chandler, Woodson said on Friday that he wants to have all of his starters continue to play so that the team can build momentum heading into the playoffs.
The Knicks need to find a way for Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire to effectively coexist on the court if they hope to make a run in the playoffs, contends Berman. With $65MM remaining on the oft-injured Stoudemire's contract, the Knicks have little recourse but to make the tandem work with three games remaining in the regular season. However, Woodson would consider removing Stoudemire from the starting lineup if Knicks co-captains Anthony and Stoudemire agree sending the former Suns star to the bench serves for the greater good of the team.

Knicks Notes: Chandler, Stoudemire, Carmelo

April 15th, 2012 at 7:11pm CST by Ryan Raroque

The Knicks' home winning streak under Mike Woodson was snapped at nine games at the hands of the Heat this afternoon. New York still holds the eighth and final playoff spot but are just two games ahead of the Bucks with six games left to play. You can find today's Knicks-related stories here:

Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com says that center Tyson Chandler doesn't expect to miss any time after getting hurt during today's game. Chandler banged knees with Joel Anthony during the third quarter. In another article, Josh Newman (also of ZagsBlog) writes about how today's meeting could be a preview of a Knicks-Heat first round matchup.
Newsday's Al Iannazzone noted Dwyane Wade's comments about how the return of Amare will create an adjustment period for the Knicks. ESPN New York's Christopher Hunt took a different focus with Wade's other postgame input, saying that they're tougher and better with Stoudemire in the lineup.
Ian Begley of ESPN New York writes that the Knicks will need more than just Carmelo Anthony's scoring if they want to be competitive against any of the top seeds in the East during the playoffs.
Moke Hamilton of SheridanHoops.com reacts to the Knicks loss, discussing the Heat's halfcourt struggles, the need for help for Carmelo, how the Knicks will fare with the return of Amare Stoudemire, and the team's identity defensively.
Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York discusses pace as it relates to New York's lack of production in the fourth quarter.

Injury Updates: Stoudemire, Hamilton, Gordon

March 28th, 2012 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

With the season winding down, health and injury issues loom larger than ever. Teams with injured players may look to find reinforcements via 10-day contracts or rest-of-season deals, while free-agents-to-be with injury woes could see their stocks affected by their health problems. Here are a few Wednesday morning updates on a few such situations:

The Knicks announced today that Amare Stoudemire will undergo non-surgical treatment on a bulging disk, and will miss two-to-four weeks (Twitter link). With Carmelo Anthony and Jeremy Lin also battling nagging injuries, New York could look to the D-League or free agency to add depth.
Richard Hamilton is "very close" to returning for the Bulls and there's a chance he plays tonight, reports K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. I'd imagine Mike James' contract status relies on Hamilton's health to some extent, though the Bulls have the roster space to bring James back for the rest of the season either way.
The Hornets could have Eric Gordon back in their lineup in "a matter of days," writes Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. A centerpiece in the Chris Paul trade and a restricted free agent at season's end, Gordon has played just two games for New Orleans. A healthy final few weeks for him could make a significant impact on the contract he signs this summer.

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Uzoh, Raptors, Stoudemire

March 27th, 2012 at 10:01am CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we heard that the Nets may target Kevin Garnett and Ersan Ilyasova in free agency this summer. Here are a few more of the morning's updates out of the Atlantic Division….

Having signed Ryan Hollins, the Celtics may be done adding players, though that's not a certainty, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com. "We may add another guy just to get through the year," said coach Doc Rivers. "But we'll see; there's no one out there…. Honestly, I'd be surprised if we brought a big in."
The Raptors are expected to sign Ben Uzoh, says Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. Uzoh, who signed a 10-day contract with the Cavaliers last month, has spent most of the season with the D-League's Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
Amare Stoudemire is out indefinitely due to a bulging disk in his back, and according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, word on whether the forward requires season-ending surgery could come as soon as today. Berger says Stoudemire's absence could benefit Carmelo Anthony, though not necessarily the Knicks, while George Willis of the New York Post says the injury shouldn't doom the team's season.

D’Antoni Fallout: Carmelo, Lin, Amare, Phil Jackson

March 15th, 2012 at 8:07am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks and Mike D'Antoni parted ways yesterday due to "conflicting visions" about the team's future. Part of that conflict may have stemmed from D'Antoni's desire to trade Carmelo Anthony to the Nets in exchange for Deron Williams, an idea James Dolan adamantly opposed. Needless to say, players, coaches, and reporters around the league are talking about D'Antoni's exit from New York, so let's round up a few links on the subject:

Despite reports earlier this week suggesting Anthony was at odds with the Knicks coach, Carmelo says he and D'Antoni "never had any issues." Added Carmelo: "Any disagreements that he had with us as a team we talked it out and we went from there" (via ESPNNewYork.com).
Jeremy Lin on D'Antoni: "What he did for my career, I’m not going to forget what he did for me personally. It’s very emotional. I’m sad to see him go and I owe a lot to him" (via New York Daily News).
According to Amare Stoudemire, not everyone was buying into D'Antoni's system, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. "It made it look bad," Stoudemire said. "I guess stepping down was the best way for him."
Phil Jackson will be a prime candidate to take over the full-time Knicks job, as Marc Berman writes.
The Knicks shouldn't expect Jackson to come out of retirement to save them, says Ian O'Connor of ESPNNewYork.com.
Knicks GM Glen Grunwald called D'Antoni's decision to step down a "selfless move," says Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
Nets coach Avery Johnson was surprised by the announcement, as he tells Colin Stephenson of the Star-Ledger. When Pistons coach Lawrence Frank was told of the news, he called it "ridiculous" and "a damn shame," writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.