The Amar’e Decision

by Marcel Mutoni

Amar’e Stoudemire is having a lot of fun with the speculation around his future as an NBA player. His agent, though, is taking a more serious approach to matters. STAT’s rep wants to know whether or not the Phoenix Suns are ready to ink his client to a long-term deal.

From the Arizona Republic:

Stoudemire’s agent, Charles Grantham, said he would like to hear a commitment from one team in particular – the Suns. “Either he’s in or out,” Grantham said Sunday while in Phoenix. “You’re going to have to really make a commitment to him that he’s part of your program going forward and that you’re going to work around him. Those decisions seemingly are still up in the air. They are going to have to be made at some point. You’ll have to talk about either committing to him or trading him.”

The commitment Stoudemire is seeking from the Suns is more than just being told he won’t be traded. He wants a contract extension when he is eligible later this summer. Grantham considers Stoudemire a maximum-salary player worth an extension averaging more than $20 million per season.

After next season, in the now-infamous summer of 2010, Amar’e can become an unrestricted free agent.

Phoenix is clearly in cost-saving mode these days, so that max deal Stoudemire’s agent is demanding might be out of reach — especially when one considers STAT’s injuries, and shortcomings on defense.