Amare Out Four Months

[Chaplin]

Or, this could ruin his career, he'll never be the same again, and the Suns will be stuck with a dead weight contract for the next six years.

No one is ever 100% after microfracture surgery. That's just a fact.

The question is how much Stoudemire will lose and how well he'll be able to compensate for it with different skills, the way Webber and Hill have done. (I know those aren't microfracture cases, but same difference.) I think it's possible that he'll still have a solid career and maybe even be a perennial All-Star. But the Stoudemire who struck fear in the hearts of every opponent, and who seemed to hold the promise for this franchise's greatest successes, is gone.

Now THAT is overreacting to an alarming degree.

 

[Suns_fan69]

Just echoing the sentiments that this blows hard.

The worst part about it for me is it really narrows the window for a championship as Nash is not getting any younger.

 

[Chaplin]

Also keep in mind that there is a 95% chance that Stoudemire comes back sooner than 4 months.

 

[elindholm]

Now THAT is overreacting to an alarming degree.

Unfortunately it's not. It will be nothing short of a miracle if, come playoff time, Stoudemire is bouncing around like this never happened. If he had a broken collarbone that would be one thing. Knees are the most fragile part of an NBA player's body.

 

[Chaplin]

Now THAT is overreacting to an alarming degree.

Unfortunately it's not. It will be nothing short of a miracle if, come playoff time, Stoudemire is bouncing around like this never happened. If he had a broken collarbone that would be one thing. Knees are the most fragile part of an NBA player's body.

Traditional microfracture surgery is to repair bone-on-bone (like Penny)--that is not the case in this instance, as Stoudemire still has cartiladge there. Penny was already on the downside of his career also and playing on much older knees than Amare.

But to say the "Amare we know is gone" is definitely overreacting, especially if you aren't a doctor and certainly only 20 minutes after finding out he'll be out.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Yep. Once I realized that Amare needed a 3rd opinion, I knew it was bad. I guessed All Star time or later, and thats what it appears to be at this time. At this point, I'd say let him sit for the rest of the year.

Coming back to early in this type of surgery is the WORST POSSIBLE THING that you can do. We have seen what it has done when you come back too early.

 

[B-Dogg]

Just a quick article on microfracture and why it may be best to let him sit out the rest of the year...

Jason Kidd might be one of the NBA's premier players, but it's unlikely the Blazers, Mavs or any other team is going to trade for him right now. It's just too risky. Kidd underwent microfracture surgery on his left knee July 1, and it's unclear whether the 31-year-old point guard will be ready to play by his projected December return or whether he will ever be the same. Unlike other forms of arthroscopic surgery, microfracture surgery is considered much more complex. Among the NBA stars who have had it are Penny Hardaway, Kerry Kittles, Jamal Mashburn, Allan Houston and Chris Webber. Of this group, only Kittles has been able to return to his pre-surgery form -- and he took a full year off to rehab.

"You have to be really careful with this type of surgery," said Hardaway, who has never had the same explosiveness since undergoing the surgery in May 2000. "You really have to give the procedure a chance to work and for the knee to heal. If you don't, you're asking for trouble."

Microfracture surgery generally requires a four-to-six month rehabilitation period for athletes, so Kidd theoretically could be back running the floor in December, as planned. History, though, says that would be a best-case scenario. Hardaway, for example, played only four games the season following his procedure. More recently, the cases of Houston and Webber have raised red flags. Each had microfracture surgery on the same day in June 2003, and neither was able to come back strong last season. Houston played 50 games but was sub-par and had to shut it down early. Webber came back in March, after a nine-month rehab, but clearly didn't look the same.

For these reasons, NBA teams are likely going to want to wait and see how Kidd performs before agreeing to trade for him. That's why he probably won't be moved until closer to the February trade deadline. As one GM who wished to remain anonymous said: "It's hard to trade a guy with microfracture surgery and $90 million left on his contract."

 

[Mike Olbinski]

I don't understand why players do this type of surgery with all the bad results from it...

Is there really no other option?

Mike

 

[Arizona's Finest]

I am so drained right now....i too am a cardinals fan and suns fan and I can't imagine things being any worse. Ironically my three favorite players on the teams are Amare, Rolle, and Q. All three have had to have microfracture surgery.

You all are scaring the hell out of me with the penny, and webber comparisons. Someone please tell me this more along the lines of Rolle and Q and not those two. Seriously if Amare comes back as a shell of himself I am going to be crying my self to sleep for some time. For once I was excited that a great young player is on MY favorite team and then our worst nightmare is realized. I am VERY upset about the prospects of this season, but I am way more concerned about the kids future (and subsequently the Suns future being tied to him) Someone (chap u seem to be the optimist on this one) assure me this is just a four month thing and that we will be able to put this behind us after he comes back....

 

[se7en]

Amare didn’t have the procedure after the playoffs because he would have lost out on 100’s of millions of dollars. Nike would have never signed him to the most lucrative big man contract in their history and the Suns might not have extended him to the full 6 years max contract. It’s all about money. He wanted to get his guaranteed money and who can blame him?

 

[Arizona's Finest]

It does not ruin ANY chance of winning the division...we are a good team, and will be good without him...

Mike

Sorry I mike I hate to say this but YOU are overreacting. We have no chance at 40 wins if Amare misses the season. I cant think of one team who has a worse big man situation than us right now and big men is where your bread is buttered in the NBA.

 

[LakeShowMan]

Just saw this. Really, really sad. I love watching Amare play, and this is quite a blow to your team.

From what I have read, his surgery isn't as serious as some of the other microfracture surgeries (i.e. Webber, Penny, etc.), and it is probably a positive that they caught it so early. Hopefully the guy will come back full strength, if not this year, then at least next year.

Injuries suck, and I hate seeing something like this happen to such a great player and seemingly great guy. Keep your heads up Suns fans.

 

[fordronken]

Amare didn’t have the procedure after the playoffs because he would have lost out on 100’s of millions of dollars. Nike would have never signed him to the most lucrative big man contract in their history and the Suns might not have extended him to the full 6 years max contract. It’s all about money. He wanted to get his guaranteed money and who can blame him?

Do we even know the knee was bothering him after the playoffs? If it hurt so bad, why would he have been working out twice a day all summer with coaching staff? Please. If he really thought it wasn't just some knee soreness, it would have gotten checked out. He spent almost every day with Phil Weber. I really don't think this was some smoke screen for him to get all his money. Amare is a very confident, very passionate young man who thought he'd be fine and it wasn't a big deal. He was wrong.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Just saw this. Really, really sad. I love watching Amare play, and this is quite a blow to your team.

From what I have read, his surgery isn't as serious as some of the other microfracture surgeries (i.e. Webber, Penny, etc.), and it is probably a positive that they caught it so early. Hopefully the guy will come back full strength, if not this year, then at least next year.

Injuries suck, and I hate seeing something like this happen to such a great player and seemingly great guy. Keep your heads up Suns fans.

We are officially the pity of Laker fans who have Kwame Brown and Chris Mihm. Those two will look like all stars when they play Phoenix now......this is sooooo bad.

 

[fordronken]

Sorry I mike I hate to say this but YOU are overreacting. We have no chance at 40 wins if Amare misses the season. I cant think of one team who has a worse big man situation than us right now and big men is where your bread is buttered in the NBA.

This is better than a 40 win team without Amare. Kurt Thomas and Shawn Marion are a better starting front line than a lot of other teams. Plus, we've still got Steve Nash. This guy is going to get us scoring points.

If we can pick up another solid big man with the exception and play some tough defense, this will be a playoff team. Write it down.*





* If Steve Nash and Shawn Marion break their spines going for a loose ball, feel free to ignore what I just said.

 

[King A]

Do we even know the knee was bothering him after the playoffs? If it hurt so bad, why would he have been working out twice a day all summer with coaching staff? Please. If he really thought it wasn't just some knee soreness, it would have gotten checked out. He spent almost every day with Phil Weber. I really don't think this was some smoke screen for him to get all his money. Amare is a very confident, very passionate young man who thought he'd be fine and it wasn't a big deal. He was wrong.

Agree with you on this one here. That and maybe some money concerns...
But overall he's a good, young guy who's been through alot. so i don't blame him for anything.

 

[B-Dogg]

Two things Amare has going for him, he is young he has had no prior knee problems or procedures. here are some players that have done well and other that have not but those that have not have had prior knee problems for the most part... torn acl's mcl's etc... Amare has none of those...

Athletes in other sports that have come back successfully from microfracture surgery are Bruce Smith, Rod Woodson, Stephen Davis, Deshawn Foster, Anquan Boldin and there are others. Some on the unsuccessful column are Eric Swann, Terrell Davis, and Andre Wadsworth. The one commonality among those that have responded negatively to the treatment is having multiple injuries and surgeries. Eric Swann had 7 different operations on his knees, and Terrell Davis had surgery twice in 6 months on the same knee.

 

[LakeShowMan]

We are officially the pity of Laker fans who have Kwame Brown and Chris Mihm. Those two will look like all stars when they play Phoenix now......this is sooooo bad.

I wouldn't say pity, I just hate when teams lose players to injuries. Especially a player like Amare whom I am a big fan of.

Plus, there are a lot of people that I like from this site, as I have been known to frequent since the rival.com days. I know how long they have been waiting for the Suns to be as good as they were last year and to get a guy like Amare that they can hang their hat on as Suns fans. I don't pity anyone, but I realize the blow this can give a die-hard fan of a team (I am a Browns fan). It was more of a post of condolences.

 

[Chaplin]

We are officially the pity of Laker fans who have Kwame Brown and Chris Mihm. Those two will look like all stars when they play Phoenix now......this is sooooo bad.

Come on now, Amare wasn't even our best defender in the frontcourt. Kurt Thomas will do just fine on either one of those guys and Brian Grant will be competent as well.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Nightmare

 

[Ryanwb]

This surgery is well documented in the NFL.... the only player to ever have true success after it was Bruce Smith.

There have been countless careers lost to this surgery

 

[baltimorer]

Let's not overreact here. Microfracture surgery seems like a huge risk with low likelyhood of success, but the data we're comparing with Amare's situation is hugely different. With Penny, the surgery was necessary because he didn't have any cartiledge in his left knee. Sure, the difference between his explosiveness in the 2000 playoffs and when he came back from rehab in 2002 was huge, but the microfracture was his fifth major knee surgery. Dr.'s were telling him his career was over, and that a major microfracture was the only option, and plus he still has tendonitis in his knee that no surgery can fix. With Allan Houston, he had microfracture surgery on both knees, and he's had other surgeries as well. It's hard to tell what the situation is with Chris Webber, because to go along with his microfracture, he has chronically bad ankles. A bad knee and two bad ankles is going to limit a player's mobility, and he was never the most agile player to begin with. And finally, let's not forget that all 3 of these players had the microfracture procedure done in their 30's.

Amare Stoudemire is 22 years old with no history for knee problems. Obviously, if the result of the microfracture was always the player coming back a shell of his former self, the doctors wouldn't perform the surgery. And there's different sizes of the procedure that need to be taken into account here. They cut a huge hole in Penny's left knee and let it bleed; he was off his feet for four months! This is not nearly as serious. Although I don't honestly see Amare coming back as soon as expected, he should be the same player when he does return.

 

[cards 24-7-365]

Two things Amare has going for him, he is young he has had no prior knee problems or procedures. here are some players that have done well and other that have not but those that have not have had prior knee problems for the most part... torn acl's mcl's etc... Amare has none of those...

Athletes in other sports that have come back successfully from microfracture surgery are Bruce Smith, Rod Woodson, Stephen Davis, Deshawn Foster, Anquan Boldin and there are others. Some on the unsuccessful column are Eric Swann, Terrell Davis, and Andre Wadsworth. The one commonality among those that have responded negatively to the treatment is having multiple injuries and surgeries. Eric Swann had 7 different operations on his knees, and Terrell Davis had surgery twice in 6 months on the same knee.

All of the above is very accurate except - Boldin and Rolle have had meniscal repair surgery - which is an 8-12 week recovery. Microfracture is IMO worse than ACL's because you can not exactly predict how the body will respond to the surgery as you see in your list some guys respond well, Woodson and Bruce Smith and some guys do not - Wadsworth and Swann which is why the surgeon had to go back in and try the microfracture procedure again and again in some cases. Taking your time and letting the bone heal is crucial in this rehab.

I agree with all of you who say shut him down for the year. He is young, let him take his time with his rehab - which is not something you can rush and let him come back as close to 100% as possible next year.

This sucks as Amare is hands down the most exciting player to watch in the NBA.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Sorry I mike I hate to say this but YOU are overreacting. We have no chance at 40 wins if Amare misses the season. I cant think of one team who has a worse big man situation than us right now and big men is where your bread is buttered in the NBA.

Please...how many teams really have great BIG MEN? Our guys ran everyone out of their arena's last year, and yeah, Amare is awesome, and we need him...but we can still run and shoot...

We will win 45-50 without him...easy.

Mike

 

[Russ Smith]

My condolonsces, stunning a guy that young needs microfracture?