When Stoudemire was signed a couple seasons ago to try an
entice the best player in the modern game to come to New York I am sure like me,
most Knicks fans were happy with that move even though it cost us one hundred
million dollars.

Has he played to his 100 million dollar price tag? I don’t think
many people will argue when I say he has not returned on his investment. Excuses
can be made for his sub-par performance so far, whether it is not meshing well
with Carmelo Anthony or the injuries or even the fact the now J.R Smith is
eating into his shots as well.

Last season in 47 games for New York in a shortened season
Stoudemire had 45 blocks that is 0.95 blocks a night for one of the more
athletic big guys in the game. In his first season with Knicks in 2010-2011 in
78 games he had 150 blocks that is 1.92 blocks a game good for a top ten spot
in last season’s rankings. In 2007-2008 he had 163 blocks in 79 games pushing
his average per game to 2.06 good for 4^th in last year’s ranking.

In four seasons before coming to New York over the span of 296 games Stoudemire had 2,667 rebounds,
9.02 rebounds a game. In two seasons for New York that average has dropped for
by a full rebound to 8.0 per game and in 2012 his average was just 7.8.

Just a reminder Stoudemire is 6 foot 10 inches tall weighing
in at 245 pounds and he has registered a 40 inch vertical jump, definitely one
of the top ten athletes in the league. Ryan Anderson for Orlando average 0.1
less rebounds per game than Stoudemire last season, I think we can all agree
Anderson is not one of the most athletic big guys in the league.

The point I am trying to make is that if Stoudemire plays 32
minutes a game for 82 games and he averages 18.0 PPG, 9.0 RPG and 2.0 BPG the Knicks
will win more games. If that stat line is worth 100 million or not is irrelevant,
that stat line will help the Knicks in the ways they need help, defensively. Any
GM will tell you that money is spent for wins not for all-star game appearances
or MVP trophies and Amar’e hitting those lines will equal more wins guaranteed.

The second way Stoudemire can help the Knicks win a
championship is being traded. This concept may have been discussed by other
people but the fact is Stoudemire is still worth something if he is traded now.

Example one, Amar’e Stoudemire and Reymond Felton to Philadelphia for Jrue Holiday and Thaddeus Young. This trade would mean firstly that the Knicks pick up a very good, athletic point guard in Holiday. Holiday is a very good defender and he has the ability to penetrate with ball on offense freeing space for Melo in the mid-range game. The other advantage of this trade means Melo can spend more time at the 4 spot where he had huge success at the end of last season.

Example two, Amar’e Stoudemire to Charlotte for Kemba Walker
and Tyrus Thomas and a draft pick preferably a first round. Kemba walker gives
the Knicks two things, he is a great young scorer that can play point guard or
shooting guard and he is only 22. With Jason Kidd mentoring him and Reymond Felton
taking the pressure of starting off his shoulders Walker could develop some
great attributes in the Knicks system. Tyrus Thomas also adds some good
rebounding and defence which could help the older legs of Chandler and Camby.

The Knicks season does not rest entirely on Amar’e Stoudemire’s’
shoulders but I think it’s time he lets the excuses go out the door and puts
some work in for a franchise that has invested so much in him.

The 2012-2013 NBA season promises to be something special, some big moves have been made across the board changing the entire NBA landscape.
Many basketball fans may think the Knicks have had quiet offseason compared to most and many more Knicks may be questioning whether there was much point to adding a couple of oldies to an already aging roster. The youngest starter would be J.R. Smith at 26 and he may be shoved along by Ronnie Brewer who is a year older.
The Knicks super stars are 28 and 29 and some offseason signings in Camby and Kidd are a moment off 40. In my opinion this year must be the year it is all put together, coach Woodson needs to evolve the game plan and make it work with two of the best scorers in the NBA.
There is no hope for building for the future around a team that could only stay together for two-three years. In any sport all you have to do is get more points than the other team and you win simple, there are two aspect involved offense and defence.
The Knicks can score there is no doubt about that although there has been questions, more under D’antoni about efficiency.
Offense is not the problem, defence is where the Knicks can improve and that is where they have to improve if they want to challenge the Heat for the East. Defence is where Camby has built his career, his experience will help Stoudemire stand up next to Chandler in the paint; Kidd’s wisdom on the perimeter can help Felton step up his game at the defensive end as well. All that being said the last part to this new defensive identity is Ronnie Brewer. He is athletic and at 6’7 he can cover the three spot as well and in his twenty one minutes per game for the bulls last season he only turned the ball over 0.6 times a game, bringing patience to a sometimes trigger happy offence is considered a plus in my book.
When Shumpert is healthy and combines with brewer they should be able to shut down any perimeter combo in the league including the cross town Brooklyn back court. Ronnie brewer can also guard the more athletic point guards in the league which includes Russell Westbrook.
The Knicks did not simply sign the best possible player because they had money to spend, Camby, Kidd and Brewer are a step towards a better franchise not just for one season. They can all help develop an identity for the Knicks that other teams will fear and this will make the Garden the most feared home court in basketball.
The key to this Knicks season is Coach Mike Woodson getting all these pieces to gel, those words are even hard for me to type so implementing them will certainly lead to Woodson winning coach of the year.
As a diehard Knicks fan I hope it can be done because personally I do not want to return to a time were thirty wins was a good season. I have faith in this team hopefully others do too.