Stoudemire noncommittal on extension

[F-Dog]

With the current CBA, a trained monkey could negotiate Amare's next contract with the Suns. The only reason Amare needs an agent is if he's looking to leave.

Also, I really don't think that endorsements are going to make up for losing a big chunk of salary. For one thing, NBA big men aren't as popular as the little guys.


Unless there are big changes in the next collective bargaining agreement, I expect the Suns will have a prohibitive advantage in negotiating Amare's next contract. I just wish they could lock him up for six years instead of four...

 

[mkapp]

Maybe Amare needs to start being more of a presence in the media...so as to attract more attention to himself for recognition and endorsements.

 

[jbeecham]

It's really unlikely the new CBA will be able to reduce player contracts to 4 years instead of 6. 4 years is what the NBA & Owners want, but the players want it to remain at 6 years. More than likely they'll either compromise and make it 5 year maximums or the issue could be dropped so that the players make a concession somewhere else (ie. reducing player salaries and yearly raises).

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

It's really unlikely the new CBA will be able to reduce player contracts to 4 years instead of 6. 4 years is what the NBA & Owners want, but the players want it to remain at 6 years. More than likely they'll either compromise and make it 5 year maximums or the issue could be dropped so that the players make a concession somewhere else (ie. reducing player salaries and yearly raises).

I was under the impression that the 4 year contract battle was already won. My understanding of the current negotiations is the owners will get the reduced raises and shorter contracts while the NBAPA will get the removal of both the escrow and luxary taxes.

I could be wrong though.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

With the current CBA, a trained monkey could negotiate Amare's next contract with the Suns. The only reason Amare needs an agent is if he's looking to leave.

Also, I really don't think that endorsements are going to make up for losing a big chunk of salary. For one thing, NBA big men aren't as popular as the little guys.

Amare would not loose that much salary if he left. Especially if the new CBA has the shorter years and raises, the difference will be very small comparitively.

The difference in endorsement money would likely cover that loss, if not make up for it should he be playing in a major market.


However, I don't think we have a big thing to worry about. Amare would have to risk playing for 2 seasons without a big contract if he wanted to become a UFA. Then he would have to hope that a major market team would be able to clear the cap space for him. I just don't see any reasonable person taking risks that large, especially when he is in a damn good situation right now.

 

[carrrnuttt]

Hey guys.

Been monitoring this forum since pre-season. Big car-forum guy for several years now, and decided to view/join the basketball ranks this year.

Anyhow, I jumped-in on this one, as it seems that no one has hit on the one concern I have for the future of Amare staying with the Suns.

It's no secret that Shaq and Amare are good friends, and have been, for a few years now. It's also no secret that Shaq wants to buy the Orlando Magic. If Shaq retires in the next two years, I am willing to bet a month's salary that Shaq will try to find a way to get a prime (at that point) Amare, at right around the 26/27yrs-old mark. I doubt that, as much as Amare claims to love Phoenix, he wouldn't love to be the franchise player for his hometown team, owned by his good friend.

 

[elindholm]

Welcome to the board.

I'm not the least bit concerned about the scenario you outlined. First of all, I haven't heard that O'Neal and Stoudemire are "good friends," only that they more or less get along. Big deal. Also, O'Neal is constantly making grandiose proclamations about what he's going to do after his playing career is over. Many of them contradict one another, and even when he makes good on one of his "extracurricular" pursuits, it doesn't go quite as far as he hopes. (Take his film career as a prime example.) Finally, since when do player make decisions because they want to team up with a particular owner? The only cases that come close involve Cuban, and it would be a long, long time before O'Neal had that kind of influence. Owners have to prove that they understand something about business before they get to call all the shots.

 

[carrrnuttt]

Welcome to the board.

I'm not the least bit concerned about the scenario you outlined. First of all, I haven't heard that O'Neal and Stoudemire are "good friends," only that they more or less get along. Big deal. Also, O'Neal is constantly making grandiose proclamations about what he's going to do after his playing career is over. Many of them contradict one another, and even when he makes good on one of his "extracurricular" pursuits, it doesn't go quite as far as he hopes. (Take his film career as a prime example.) Finally, since when do player make decisions because they want to team up with a particular owner? The only cases that come close involve Cuban, and it would be a long, long time before O'Neal had that kind of influence. Owners have to prove that they understand something about business before they get to call all the shots.

I wasn't making them out as best friends, but they have kept in touch since Amare was in high-school, and at least have the utmost respect for one another.

I know you're the resident pessimist here, by the way...but how do you make it, so that something I DON'T want to happen, I'm halfway thinking I want to happen, just to prove you wrong? It's the way you come off.

Calm down man. Remember, the deeper the river, the quieter it is...and I can tell from your number of posts, you have passed many sets of double-pennies around here.

Edit: Nevermind, I just saw that you are from L.A. Of course you would find a way to discredit anything Shaq says.

 

[elindholm]

Never mind, I retract my earlier statement. The one where I said "Welcome to the board."

I don't know who you are -- most likely someone already known by another name on this board -- or what your problem is, but I'm not going to get dragged into this discussion any further.

To correct two misconceptions, however:

1. No, I am not the board's "resident pessimist." Read a little more, and you'll discover that (a) there are others far more pessimistic than I, and (b) I really do say positive things pretty frequently.

2. I am not "from L.A." I live here because this is where my job is. I grew up in the Phoenix area and moved away before the Cardinals came to town. That is why I don't follow any other Arizona sports teams.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Well this is interesting. Anyways, the chance that Shaq can get Amare to the Magic is so minute it isn't worth talking about.

He made 2-3 comments about owning the magic. However, the magic aren't for sale. Shaq cannot just go and buy them. Anyways, how could he be an owner when he is so busy being a sheriff?

Add in the fact Shaq wants a 3 year extension. That means that he will be playing for another 4 years.

Then it would take at least a year to put together a group and buy the team, if it were even available.

Then he would have to somehow manuever the Magic into having enough space under the cap to offer a max contract.

Then he would have to create a time machine to travel back 2 years to when Amare was a UFA. Unless of course you are suggesting that he play out 2 years here, then takes another 2 off of basketball......

Then you have to figure out why Amare would want to play on the Magic, with Steve Francis who seems to despise him. He wouldn't get any more endorsements, and would probably sit on a .500 ball club for the rest of his career.