Trade deadline passes; Suns still have Amaré
Jonathon Smith
The trade deadline has come and gone, and Amare Stoudemire is still a Phoenix Sun. For better or worse, the Suns could not work out an offer with another organization.
Cleveland, previously a leading candidate in the hunt for Stoudemire, apparently thought the prospect of Antawn Jamison along side LeBron James was more enticing.
It seems the Suns wanted too much in return for Stat.
At first, it seems stupid not to hammer out a deal for the all-star that is most likely going to opt out at the end of the season anyway.
That is until you realize that he is one of the most overpaid players in the NBA, and most teams realize it. Securing a deal for players that match his salary would simply put other overpaid players on the team, or, at best, a list of risky prospects and aging veterans.
Honestly, Stoudemire is one of the laziest men in the NBA.
Don’t get me wrong, when he wants to take over a game, he is only behind LeBron and Kobe as the most dominant player in the game. It just seems like he never wants to. Half the time he walks up the floor, gives up on rebounds, and is a pathetic excuse for a defender.
The game that comes to mind is the one against Dallas on Jan. 28. Stoudemire had one rebound the entire game. He didn’t get his usual minutes, only 27, but he was still able to put up 22 points in that span.
How can a man, as freakishly athletic and tall as him, only gather in one rebound? The smallest player on the court, Steve Nash, had 11 rebounds that game.
Stoudemire needs to check his ego, or he will never reach his potential. He needs to step out of his “Black Jesus” persona, and realize that he needs to work harder. His ego is out of control, and it’s making him lazy and content.
Maybe it’s because of a change in the culture of basketball. Offense is glorified on television, and in the park.
Visit a court on the streets in Chicago or Rucker Park, and the game will likely resemble that of the Harlem Globetrotters. Everyone loves the flashy offense, and no one really cares much about defense.
Of course, a big block is sure to make noise in the crowd, but what happened to the day when a player would block the ball carefully into a teammate’s hands to start the fast break?
Showmanship has taken over, and Stoudemire has let this culture affect his attitude and desire. He cares too much about his offensive numbers and relaxes on defense as a result.
The Suns are approaching the end of an era, with Nash likely retiring soon and Stoudemire on the way out after this year. That is why it was a blessing in disguise that he was not traded.
The cap space that he will free up at the end of the year will be more valuable than anything Phoenix could trade him for.
The Suns have a solid core of young players, and could be a very good team in a few years with additions that can be made with the extra cap space.
