Was Last Night Amar’e Stoudemire’s Last As A Sun?

As the Arizona Republic reports: “If Game 6 of the Western Conference finals was Amar’e Stoudemire’s final game in a Phoenix uniform, it sums up the dilemma the Suns face with their All-Star power forward. He was brilliant at times offensively, despite a collapsing Lakers defense. But he was ineffective on the boards, getting four rebounds in 43 minutes…After Bryant and the Lakers closed out a 111-103 defeat of the Suns, Stoudemire admitted that it entered his mind as he walked off the US Airways Center court that it might be the last time he does so in a Phoenix uniform. ‘It did, actually,’ he said. ‘I didn’t know how to feel as I was walking out and understanding it could be my last time walking out this tunnel with a Suns uniform on. Been here my whole career, so definitely had that feeling. But there’s a great – there’s a good – possibility that I’ll be back. We surpassed expectations this year. We had a great year, so it wasn’t a sad feeling at all. But I definitely had those thoughts.’ Stoudemire can exercise an early termination clause in his contract this summer and become an unrestricted free agent. He could choose to play the final season on his deal next year, which pays $17.68 million. He could agree to a sign-and-trade. Or he could negotiate an extension.”