Amar’e Stoudemire to hit free agency
Amar’e Stoudemire will opt out of his Phoenix Suns contract if he and the Suns fail to come to an agreement on a contract extension before the end of the month.
Stoudemire has the option of opting out of his contract this year and believes he is worth a maximum contract. The power forward, who was drafted by the Suns in 2002, said there is “no chance” he will exercise the final year of his contract, which would pay him roughly $17million.
Stoudemire has however expressed his preference to stay in Phoenix -the team that has helped him establish himself as an all-star.
"We've 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, want to keep the fans involved, want to keep everybody ecstatic about the Phoenix Suns."
The 27-year-old can become a free agent on July 1st but has indicated he wants his future solved before that. The Suns can offer Stoudemire a six-year deal worth around $127million and when asked if he would stay if the Suns maxed him out, Stoudemire was positive.
"There's a very great chance of that."
"My agent is doing a good job of keeping the line of communication open with Steve Kerr and Robert Sarver," Stoudemire said.
"Those guys became great friends, so I'll just sit back and let them handle it. Once it comes down to a bottom line, that's when I step in."
If the Suns choose not to extended his contract, Stoudemire will have no shortage of options this summer. New York, New Jersey and Miami will all have the cap space to max him out and if those teams fail to lure LeBron, Stoudemire will be high on their list.
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