Thursday, May 10th, 2012 at 9:00 am  |  82 responses

Amar’e Stoudemire Wants to Play With Steve Nash in New York


by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

The Miami Heat had barely finished putting the New York Knicks out of their mysery for the season, and Amar’e Stoudemire was already beginning his recruitement of prized free agents.

Most Knicks fans made themselves feel better last night by dreaming of a full season with a healthy Jeremy Lin next year, but Stoudemire had other, grander ideas.

STAT told the media that he’d like to team up with Steve Nash again.

Reports the NY Daily News:

Amar’e Stoudemire issued a public plea to Steve Nash, his former Phoenix Suns teammate who will be a free agent on July 1, to join him in New York. “Everyone knows that Steve loves New York and that New York loves Steve,” Stoudemire said. “I love Steve. It would be great to have him here next year.” Ideally, the Knicks would have Nash as their starting point guard next season with Jeremy Lin serving as the understudy.

Nash, who spends part of his summer in Manhattan, has always been enamored with the idea of playing at Madison Square Garden. However, close friends say that if Nash were to sign for the veteran minimum, he will go only to a contending team, which is why Miami is suddenly emerging as a strong candidate. “Why would he want to do that,” Stoudemire said, laughing. “This is a terrible, terrible situation here, right?” In other words, Stoudemire understands that LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Pat Riley and South Beach are very attractive to Nash.

Steve Nash will be one of the biggest names on the free agent market this summer, and the prevailing belief around the League is that his days in Phoenix are likely over.

And even though his former coach Mike D’Antoni is no longer employed by the Knicks, it would be fascinating to watch Nash play on Broadway.

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  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Ldub
    We saw Nash in a post-centric offense slower-paced where the ball is regularly taken out of his hands. It was called the Terry Porter era. He hated it and advocated for Porter to be fired.
    The triangle means a reduction in dribbling, and a reduction in pace. Neither of those things sounds like something that would lead to Nash averaging 17 and 10.
    I’m not saying Nash CAN’T play in the triangle. I’m saying that I doubt he wants to since he had the opportunity to change his game already, and I doubt that he would put up some of the best numbers of his career in that offense. 17 and 10 represents a slight drop off from the best year of Nash’s career.
    That’s ridiculous to expect.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    So no one is going to address just how in the hell Melo and Nash work on the same team? Is Melo all of a sudden going to turn into a spot up shooter?

  • @boweezy24

    Nash and Melo Pick-n-Roll? lol

  • http://nba.com GP23

    Nobody thought Iverson and Melo would work in Denver, but in some respects, they worked well to a degree. It’s the defense issue with Nash, although Shumpert and Chandler could provide that. I don’t know..

  • T-Money

    until proven otherwise, i have no reason to assume nash won’t go to the highest bidder – be it phoenix, new york, toronto or some other team.

  • Ldub

    AllenP…..good, valid points. Kudos. My points, in regards to what “Yann” was spewing…is it is possible for Nash to play in a triangle system. Sure he prefers the uptempo style, but how many teams play that way other than OKC and Miami (contenders)? (in which OKC has the pg spot filled), and Miami might not be able to afford him. He would have to adjust his game some how no? With NY (Phil isnt coming back, but just in theory) would def use the triangle. And with stat, melo, TC, perhaps jr smith filling the court along side him…I can see him getting to 17 and 10. or even 14-15 and 9 or 10. And that is based on his IQ and ability to shoot. If stat is tryna get Nash there…I believe he will be “looking” to give him the ball more than he would a BD, Lin or Douglas. IMO, its not too far fetched to think a player of Nash’s talents and abilities could get 17 and 10 in any system…even tho he prefer run n gun.

  • @boweezy24

    If Woodson Is Gna Coach, I Think He’ll Let Nash Run A Bit Of Run-n-Gun. Why Not?

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    AI and Melo had a totally different dynamic than the one Nash and Melo will have. The Melo/AI dynamic is similar to the current LeBron/Wade dynamic where one guy had his turn handling the rock while the other stood around watching, Nash doesn’t like sharing ballhandling duties.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    LDub
    The reason why I keep telling you it’s far fetched is because he’s only done it three times in his career. Three times since 1996. that’s how many times he’s averaged 17 and 10.
    It’s not like Knicks roster is going to be better than the roster he had when he won MVP the first time. And it’s not like he’s still even close to his physical prime.
    It’s fine if you think Nash would shine in New York and put up those numbers, but that’s not really based on anything tangible. That’s what I’m point out. Just go back and examine dude’s career.

  • Ldub

    ALLENP
    Im not saying he would shine. “I” just feel its a possiblty. Regardless if hes only done it 3 times before or not. The talent around him could make it a reality. Granted Melo could stop the ball movement. But if you get open shots…(and youre not necessarily a stand still shooter)…you could lowkey develop into one. Or at least take them. If Nash plays say 7 min per qtr…thats 28 min a game right? Again this is just my opinion…but with the team NY has right now…I think he can get those #s. Maybe I just have more faith in his game than others. REGARDLESS of his past. And even if its not 17 and 10…15 and 10 is just as good.

  • roybot

    @LDub Its common sense that as great PGs get older they tend to facilitate more and shoot less. 10 assists a game should be cake for Nash in the right system, but expect his scoring to hover more around 11-14 points a game with same percentages. Even this last season in PHX he took less than 10 shots a game on a team where Marcin Gortat was arguably their best offensive weapon besides himself, so what makes you think he will shoot even more on a contender loaded with more offensive weapons?

  • Trouble

    I like this, but Nash should do it to back-up Lin. Teach him the ropes. And he wouldn’t be overworked because he won’t be playing starter minutes. He can make $$ from endorsement deals that can come from playing in NY.

  • MeloMan15

    ofcourse he does… thats the only way he can be successful

  • Moj

    He just signed an agreement to be the GM of Canada’s National Basketball team so it seems like he’s already planning for retirement. Look for him to sign with the Raps and finish his career in his home country if he doesn’t find the money he’s looking for elsewhere. Raps have alot of space and money to spend. Money is a powerful thing people.

  • dan

    nash is like dantoni = great guy but doesnt fit into ny. ny is about defense and hustle. with melo and stat on the team we r allrdy over our defensive liability level. i expect lin to work on his game very hard over the summer n become a relianle starting guard. i hope the knicks can keep this team together and get (and stay) healthy. this and a complete training camp will make them become legit contenders. no matter weather its woodson or phil jackson on the sideline

  • jayrose

    Boring

  • Ldub

    In PHX he was one of the MAIN men. He would be the 3rd..perhaps even 4th focus when it comes to shooting on a Knicks team (or even on a Heat). Is the debate really over 3 points? The Knicks get alot of shots up. Majority clearly by Melo. But I think with a pg like Nash (who like Kidd has seem to have gotten better with age)…could have more opportunities to get shots up. I know that personally if I was a 2-5 player and I saw Nash on the wing or at the top of the key, I would rather pass to him than any other PG on the Knicks. Whether its 17, 15 or 11…Any of those #s are reachable. And I feel steve nash (at his age)…is still capable of doing it.

  • MikeC.

    Damn it Knicks, just pick a plan and stick to it!

  • http://SLAMONLINE.COM Gab

    Sounds good and all but Nash is just going to be another NYK that doesn’t play D.

  • BRYANT BYNUM GASOL 24 17 16

    amare is jewish so who gives a sh*t about him

  • deadbored

    i cant believe how much time you guys spent arguing about something that definitely isnt going to happen. nash isnt going to new york. new york need to get rid of TD, BD, Bibby and STAT. im a new york fan but those guys gotta go. i like someones idea of trying to get david lee though or spend a lot of time with jared jeffries in the summer and get him set in his role and then new york can be the defensive giant it used to be and melo can iso whenever he f*ckn wants.

  • deadbored

    oh and ps….a lot of people hating on melo hogging the ball but i think he is one of the best at the iso and distrubuting combo i have seen. this year included! call me crazy, i dont care.

  • http://www.nba.com VanCityBBall

    imagine if this did fall through but STAT was signed to another team right after

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    @bryant bynum gasol. Don’t forget he’s black!!

  • http://www.triplejunearthed.com/dacre Dacre

    Nash will be in PHX or Miami. They are his only two preferences. Either that or he decides to like San Antonio…. : /

  • deadbored

    @dacre…he aint going to miami unless they trade half the team because of salary cap. he is staying at the suns.

  • jedi420

    Must buy jersey, my favorite all-time player on my favorite team.. would love to see this happen!!

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    I hate Jewish black people. Worst combo ever.

  • Justin G.

    nbk I really don’t understand your stubborness when you try to assess Nash as someone who is all about the money, no matter how much others will tell you otherwise. Allen, it wasn’t just Nash that hated that Terry Porter system. Shaq would have been the only one to like it and once Porter was gone the Suns got a whole lot better. Why would you try to coach to a team’s/player’s weaknesses? Would you tell Magic Johnson that the Lakers are going to be a walk it up, half court oriented team instead of getting out on the break and running? Would you tell Allen Iverson he’s going to be a spot up shooter instead of the driving, slashing player he was? The Knicks of the 90′s to run and gun? I could go on and on. Nash is going to Miami I think and I don’t see him returning to Phoenix this time. He was very professional in the way he handled the last couple of years there but I don’t think he’ll want to go through the losing again. An interesting prospect would be for him to go to OKC and move Westbrook to the 2. I’m not sure what their salary cap availability looks like (I’m sure the numbers crunchers with an app on their phone will know) but it would surely be worth a look

  • http://slamonline.com samoaninlondon

    Sorry Amare but Nash actually wants to WIN a championship before he retires.

  • Nashty

    Amare go back to PHOENIX please!!!

  • http://www.triplejunearthed.com/dacre Dacre

    @deadbored… Nash doesn’t need to sign for big $$$ (just ask nbk, apparently Nash has enough money…) :P He can get in for veterans minimum and I’m sure the Heat aren’t worried about going in over the cap surely. The Heat wouldn’t exactly be not making money in Florida…. So yeah. I guarantee you, Nash going to Miami is a DEFINITE possibility. Now, stay in school.

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