"Uh-oh, I know what you want to ask about," Stoudemire said.

But the kids at Premier Courts in Gilbert got to him first.

"What team do you want to go to?" one asked.

"Right now, it’s the Phoenix Suns," he said.

"Are you ever going to leave the Suns?" another asked.

"Not sure yet," he said.

But Stoudemire later ruled out one of his three contract options, saying that he would not pick up his $17.7 million player option to finish his current contract with the Suns next season.

"There’s no chance of that at all," he said.

That means the forward would either sign a contract extension with the Suns or become an unrestricted free agent July 1.

He clarified that he believes he deserves a maximum-level extension, a five-year deal that would add on to his remaining contract year and pay him about $134 million over the next six seasons. The Suns have been more hesitant about contract length due to his knee surgeries.

"The most-important factor of playing for an organization is to be able to be totally comfortable and give them 100 percent, and that’s what I’ve done my whole career, so it’s only right to look for a maximum contract," Stoudemire said. "From the time I’ve been here, we’ve done great in the community, (made) three Western Conference finals, been in the playoffs and won 60 games or so in several years.

"We got the fans excited about basketball again, so what I don’t want is for me to have to leave and the fans are now not quite as excited about the game here. I want to keep the hype. I want to keep the fans involved. I want to keep everybody ecstatic about the Phoenix Suns."

If offered the maximum amount of money and years, Stoudemire said "there’s a very good chance" he would stay with Phoenix.

Stoudemire’s agent, Happy Walters, said he expects to resume negotiations soon with Suns General Manager Steve Kerr, whose contract expires June 30. Walters said he and Kerr have not talked since the regular season.

"I’m just waiting on them (the Suns)," Stoudemire said. "We’re just being patient."

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2010/06/08/20100608amare-stoudemire-no-chance-picking-up-option-suns.html

But for Stoudemire, as we’ve heard incessantly for the past two seasons,
there is much more to his reality.

Amar’e has a player option for the final year of his contract. If he chooses to take it, he’ll earn roughly $17 million next season, and can become an unrestricted free agent in the far-less-crowded summer of 2011. But many believe Stoudemire won’t wait that long, and will instead explore his options this summer — either through an extension with his current team, or by signing a new deal somewhere else. And maybe that’s true, which might have been the reason that Stoudemire candidly admitted afterward that he did indeed consider the fact that this game may have been his last as a member of the Phoenix Suns.

"It did, actually," Stoudemire said, when asked if that thought had crossed his mind. "It did. I didn’t know how to feel. As I was walking out, I was thinking it could be my last time walking through this tunnel with the Suns uniform on. I’ve been here my whole career, so I definitely had that feeling. But there’s a good possibility that I may be back."

There are two things that Stoudemire will weigh heavily as he ponders where to play next season, and in the seasons beyond. Despite all the talk about wanting to win a championship, first and foremost on the list is securing himself a max deal.

So far, the Suns haven’t been willing to go quite that far. And it’s unclear whether any other teams will step up and offer a guy who, despite his wealth of primarily offensive talents, clearly isn’t on the level of a Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, or Dwyane Wade, in terms of being someone who could carry a team to the promised land all by himself.

Stoudemire, though, continues to play up the championship angle. And in doing so, discussed how he plans to go about evaluating potential destinations this summer.

"It’s going to take a lot of research," Stoudemire said. "It’s going to take a lot of studying. It’s almost like fantasy basketball — trying to build a team and figure out, how can we win a championship, and with what team?"

http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/05/30/amare-stoudemire-looks-ahead-to-free-agency/

"Like I’ve told you guys all season, I’ll play this season out and see
how it goes and then try to make a decision this summer," the Suns
forward said. "It’s still 50-50, and it’s always going to be that way
until a decision is made."

The report, written by Chad Ford, includes an unnamed source saying Stoudemire feels the Suns disrespected him and that he is reluctant "to commit to Phoenix long-term."

"I don’t know where this guy (Chad) Ford is getting his information from, but it’s not from my agent, my manager or from myself," Stoudemire said.

slideshow Profile: Amar’e Stoudemire

At season’s end, Stoudemire, who has spent all eight of his NBA seasons with the Suns, can opt out of his contract for free agency. It’s a story line that has followed the Suns for most of this season, picking up steam as Stoudemire excelled over the season’s second half.

On Saturday, a reporter asked Stoudemire if trade rumors over the past two seasons would factor into his decision.

"Absolutely," he said. "It’s never easy going through trade rumors. It makes you feel somewhat unwanted. But that changed over the past four months or so. It definitely changed. I feel as if things may work out. We’ll just have to wait this summer and see if it works."

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2010/05/22/20100522phoenix-suns-amare-stoudemire-report.html#ixzz0ooaJ9xiQ

Suns forward Amar’e Stoudemire, a possible prime target of the Knicks
and Nets this summer, has been offered a contract extension, according
to Fanhouse.com, which quoted a source as saying that the two sides are
"getting closer (financially) to where they should be."

Stoudemire is owed $17.6 million next season but can opt out of his contract on June 30, which seemed like a foregone conclusion earlier in the season. But the Web site reported on Friday that the Suns are now "determined" to keep Stoudemire and offered him an extension last week. If Stoudemire does re-sign with Phoenix, the Nets would likely make a strong push to sign the Knicks’ Lee, which could lead to a bidding war between the two local teams.

Though the Knicks still have their sights set on LeBron James, they have already lost out on the chance to sign one of the other players they were eyeing – Marcus Camby, who re-signed with Portland last week. Potential free agent Manu Ginobili also re-signed with the Spurs earlier this season, and the Knicks and Nets had better hope the trend doesn’t continue as both clubs plan to rebuild through free agency.

Stoudemire has been complimentary toward the Nets, saying in January that he saw a lot of "potential" in them just before they fell to 3-38 with a loss in Phoenix. Asked if he would ever consider playing for the Nets, Stoudemire said, "There are some teams you may say no way (to), but I don’t think the Nets are one of them."

Stoudemire then made similar comments when the Suns visited the Meadowlands in March, leading some to believe that the Nets would have a good chance to sign him if he decided to leave Phoenix. But that same night, Suns general manager Steve Kerr told the Daily News that Stoudemire is "somebody I want to keep. … We’re going to try to do our best to do so."

The Nets are desperate to upgrade at power forward, where Yi Jianlian has been a disappointment. But with Yi supporter Kiki Vandeweghe, the Nets’ GM, no longer coaching the team, they are more likely to phase Yi out of the starting lineup or trade him.

On a Twitter post this past week, oustspoken small forward Chris Douglas-Roberts, whose future with the team is in doubt, wrote: "I’m sorry but if I’m still a Net next year, our first option should be Amare Stoudamire. Let’s be real here. He’s the most REALISTIC option."

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2010/04/25/2010-04-25_amare_may_be_out_of_netsknicks_mix.html

Encouraged by several weeks at the top of his game and emotionally
rejuvenated by finally feeling 100 percent again after a serious eye
injury, Amar’e Stoudemire strongly indicated Monday he will opt out of
the final season of his Suns contract and become a free agent.

Stoudemire cautioned that no final decision has been made. But, speaking before the Suns played the Warriors at Oracle Arena, he told NBA.com that "It’s definitely a great time. The timing is perfect as far as being a free agent. But it doesn’t determine whether I stay or not."

Told that it seemed as though he was leaning hard toward joining the summer market that may already include LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Joe Johnson, Stoudemire smiled. Then he repeated the statement.

"It’s a great time to be a free agent."

Timing wise, it’s actually perfect. Stoudemire went into Monday averaging 30.2 points and 10.2 rebounds the previous 10 games, pushing an All-Star campaign to new heights. He had at least 30 points in six of the 10 and Friday against the Jazz, a good defensive team, needed only 16 shots to score 40, the fewest attempts anyone in the league has needed to break 40 in 2009-10.

His second-half play has been a major factor in the Suns, given an outside chance at the start of the season to make the playoffs, remaining in contention for a top-four finish in the Western Conference and home-court advantage at least in the first round of the playoffs. Not only had they won four in a row and seven of nine before facing the Warriors, but the victory list included beating Denver by 16 on the second night of a back-to-back, beating Utah by 10 and beating Portland by six.

This is obviously great news for the Suns. What it is not, he insists, is a sign of relief over not being traded, even if the timing is impossible to overlook. Stoudemire was having a good season, played well through the constant stream of rumors as the Feb. 18 deadline approached while earning praise from team officials for maintaining his focus in a swirling time, he remained in Phoenix after all, and then he began having an extremely good season.

This is simply Stoudemire feeling good, physically and emotionally, for the first time since season-ending surgery to repair a serious eye injury in February 2009. Doctors prohibited him from physical activity for months. He had to use the start of the regular season to play himself into proper basketball shape.

"A lot of people think that’s the reason for it," Stoudemire said of his surge coming in the wake of the trade deadline. "It really wasn’t. During the trade rumors, the first three games or so were a little difficult for me because I didn’t understand why the talk was happening. But after those three games, that’s when it started. It’s been going for a while, even before the actual deadline. The trade deadline didn’t really play a factor.

"Being off that long, it’s definitely tough to get back in rhythm. Physically, it also plays a factor. I definitely finally came back in top shape, and also the IQ of the game is definitely coming around. Really, putting both of those aspects and also studying the game together equals success."

Stoudemire would be leaving $17.7 million on the table if he opted out. His options are to get a new deal in the summer or stay in the contract, play the final season and then get another contract. And if he does declare himself a free agent, he was quick to point out Monday, it wouldn’t necessarily be to leave. He likes Phoenix and at various times of an uncertain future in the Valley of the Sun made it clear his preference was to stay, a feeling supported by some close to him. He could become a free agent and re-sign.

http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/scott_howard_cooper/03/23/amare.freeagency/

Relationships aren’t always easy. Familiarity spawns contempt. Lusty courtship can fade into disenchantment, disappointment.

But here on the slow road to goodbye, a strange thing is happening in Arizona.

Amar’e Stoudemire is winning hearts all over again.

"I see him as improving," Suns point guard Steve Nash said.

Enough to award him a maximum contract, which would start at $17.1 million and increase by 10½ percent annually?

"He’s the type of guy who puts up those numbers, but I don’t know," Nash said. "If I’m a Mark Cuban-type, maybe."

Once, Nash felt betrayed by Cuban. Lately, it’s clear that Nash occasionally misses the freewheeling, free-spending Mavericks owner. But that’s a different relationship, a story for another day.

For now, cynics are on red alert. Like many others of his generation, Stoudemire must be chasing a dollar sign, trying to snag the biggest number possible. This summer, he can opt out of the final year on his contract with the Suns and sell himself to the highest bidder. His current level of play and his season-long temperament (mature, unaffected by trade rumors, the anti-Shawn Marion) guarantees no shortage of potential suitors.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2010/03/10/20100310bickley-suns-stoudemire-rebirth.html

The Cavs’ pursuit of an All-Star caliber acquisition to pair with James for the stretch run — and, they hope, beyond — circled back to where it started a few weeks ago, when James told the front office he wanted to play with Jamison. The Wizards, at the time, were too much in flux to nail down the particulars, and then Cleveland became embroiled in two-front discussions that also saw them deeply involved with Phoenix for Stoudemire.

The Stoudemire situation, in which the Suns were trying to squeeze the best offer out of Cleveland or Miami, would’ve required the Cavs sending talented young big man J.J. Hickson in addition to Ilgauksas and their No. 1 pick. Due to Jamison’s age (33) and contract ($28.4 million remaining over the next two seasons), Cleveland wasn’t required to part with Hickson in the deal.

In any event, some elements of the Cavs’ hierarchy believed Jamison was a better fit for their team anyway. Stoudemire’s lack of defensive impact, combined with the fact that he didn’t pair well with Shaquille O’Neal, tipped to scames in Jamison’s favor. So did the fact that rival executives believe the Phoenix was more interested in Miami’s offer for Stoudemire, which would include a higher first-round pick — potentially in the lottery, depending on how the Heat finish the season.

http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/11838893/20112263

Amar’e Stoudemire and the Phoenix Suns are no longer discussing a
contract extension, and the All-Star forward was privately telling
friends that he believes he’s playing his last game in a Suns uniform
on Wednesday night in Dallas, sources said.

As Yahoo! Sports reported, agent Happy Walters and Suns general manager Steve Kerr exchanged contract offers over the weekend but were far apart in talks, sources said. Those privy to the conversations among Suns ownership, management and Walters say they no longer include scenarios where Stoudemire isn’t traded prior to Thursday’s deadline.

Stoudemire can opt out of the $17.7 million on his 2010-11 contract; unless the Suns trade him, they could end up getting nothing for him.

Meanwhile, the Miami Heat are still working to put together a package for Stoudemire, although a source familiar with Pat Riley’s most recent offer says it doesn’t include Michael Beasley(notes). Miami failed in its attempt to enlist the Charlotte Bobcats as a partner to take on Udonis Haslem(notes) in a three-team trade.

The Heat could be willing to take on Jason Richardson’s contract, which has one year worth $14.4 million left after this season, for the chance to land Stoudemire to play alongside Dwyane Wade.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ys-tradebuzz021710&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

One snag in a possible pairing of Stoudemire and LeBron James in
Cleveland would be another kind of pairing that’s already been tried
and didn’t work. Shaquille O’Neal and Stoudemire could not co-exist in
Phoenix, one of many reasons Kerr was forced to undo his mistake and
send Shaq to the Cavs.

According to sources, there’s a fear among some members of the Cavs’ organization that, while Stoudemire would be a good long-term pairing with LeBron, incorporating him on the floor with Shaq might present too difficult an adjustment for the rest of the season. In Phoenix, Shaq and Stoudemire were unable to make the low-post, high-post thing work – and that was with a world-class point guard, Steve Nash. With the Cavs, Shaq and Amar’e clogging the middle might frustrate LeBron and turn him into too much of a jump shooter.

This problem would be moot after the season, when Shaq presumably will sign with another team or retire. But with an NBA-best 37-11 record at the All-Star break, shaking things up would be risky. It only underscores how critical this decision is for Cleveland. Make a bold move to placate LeBron, only to risk accelerating his departure.

The Cavs brass are said to be consulting LeBron on all matters Amar’e, and it’s possible that James will be able to sell GM Danny Ferry and coach Mike Brown that he could make it work. Having said that, sources say the Miami Heat’s interest in Stoudemire has not waned. Miami, though, has the luxury of possessing enough cap space to sign a marquee free agent to pair with Dwyane Wade this summer. The Cavs are capped out and would only be able to give LeBron another top-shelf free agent through sign-and-trades.

With that sense of urgency in mind, the Cavs have not moved off Washington’s Antawn Jamison as a solution. Jamison was James’ original target, and sources say the Wizards – despite playing hard-ball in discussions with rival GMs – are now committed to trading Jamison. Like Phoenix, the Wizards don’t merely want cap relief in exchange. They want assets and possibly a quality draft pick as well.

Here’s more of the trade chatter, culled from conversations with GMs, agents, and others in the know in Dallas and beyond:

• The Wizards-Mavericks deal has now expanded to include two more players and now looks like this: Washington gets Josh Howard, Drew Gooden, James Singleton and Quinton Ross in exchange for Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson, sources say. You may be wondering, as I am, why Washington chose this deal instead of another blockbuster that would’ve sent Jamison and Butler to Boston for a package including Ray Allen. According to sources, a handful of Eastern Conference GMs pressured Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld to shy away from the Boston deal for obvious reasons. “It would screw up the balance of power in the East for three years,” one executive said. One theory circulating in Dallas is that Grunfeld didn’t want to alienate other teams he might need to do business with as he continues dismantling the roster in the wake of the Gilbert Arenas firearms fiasco.

http://ken-berger.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/11838893/20058193?source=rss_blogs_NBA

The Cavaliers would send Zydrunas Ilgauskas and J.J. Hickson to Phoenix
in exchange for Stoudemire, one of the league’s most dominant big men.

While Cleveland remains in talks with several other teams, the club,
from management down to the players, has settled on Stoudemire as its
first choice.

The ball is in Phoenix’s court. The Suns are mulling whether the financial relief provided by Ilgauskas’ $12 million contract and the young and talented Hickson are enough for them to part with Stoudemire.

Cleveland believes the addition of Stoudemire would all but seal LeBron James’ re-signing with the team when he becomes a free agent this summer. The Cavaliers are also prepared to sign Stoudemire, who has one year and $17 million remaining on his contract, to a long-term contract extension once the season ends.

The Suns would likely waive Ilgauskas, a move that would allow him to be re-signed by Cleveland after 30 days.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4913305