The "Official" Overreaction Amare thread...

[Arizona's Finest]

Taken from the "cheap seats".....

When hearing how much Amaré Stoudemire loves hanging out in Los Angeles, I get really worried about that slam-dunk contract extension.

Enough is enough......Would Amare really defer to Kobe? Will Phil even be there? Why is this the only team that gets mentioned, doesn't anyone else have cap space? Can't Amare just take Sarver's private jet and take the 45 minute flight to LA? Isn't 72.6 million enought to win? Why is it our hated rivals are so linked to the best young player we have ever had? Can anyone imagine a bigger doomsday scenario?

I'm with those of you who are taking the "wait and see approach....."

 

[Bada0Bing]

It’s just his agent doing his job. He’ll be here.

 

[SunsTzu]

If Amare leaves it won't be until after his first extention and it won't be to the Lakers.

 

[George O'Brien]

Amare will get everything he wants from the Suns. Amare is not Shaq who wanted to get into the movies and he certainly is not going to get MORE endorsement opportunities playing with Kobe.

I would expect that Amare will join LeBron as the top young player when it comes to endorsements. He won't game anything financially going to LA.

The nature of TNT and the national broadcasts of NBA games is a huge difference from what KG faced early in his career in Minnesota. KG never really cashed in the way Amare has been able to do, although some of that is that the Suns have a much stronger supporting cast. But more than that, the Suns are explicitly Amare's supporting cast with everyone comfortable in that role.

This is NOT a Joe Johnson situation. JJ was perceived by the Suns to be the team's fourth best player and they wanted to pay him accordingly. Amare is viewed as their most important player and will pay him accordingly.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

It’s just his agent doing his job. He’ll be here.

Amare doesn't have an agent. He fired Duffy in the beginning of last season and has not hired a new one.

 

[Silverbullet]

I dont think Amare will be going anywhere other than Phx. He has a great relationship with Sarver and can have anything he wants right here. We will give him every penny possible under the current rules. Amare has a lot of pull in this organization and this team and future teams will be built around him. He is the face of the franchise and will go down as the best ever. why would you want to go some where else like LA and follow in the foot steps of so many others. He can become what Hakeem was to Houston the greatest in team history with multiple rings. If he does insist on a 3rd year opt out with his new exstention I think we have to do it. We atleast will have him locked in for the next 4 years and hopefully have some thing to show for it (a ring or two). His relationship with Phx is part of the reason he has no agent and is comfortable enough to negotiate with us directly. I can see Phx point of view is to lock him up as long as possible. In 4 years cross my fingers and max him out again, and rebuild around him with all the vets retireing. I think most poeple are over reacting to Amares extention. Amare said on multiple occasions he will take his time let the team take care of there buisness and hopefully rapped up before the season. Every one needs to relax Amare is a bright young man and I feel confident he will make the right decision and stay right here where he belongs. We are the team that drafted him while others did not want to take the chance on the high schooler and he is well aware of that. I think there is a sense of loyalty between the too and I foresee a long future together.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

I would expect that Amare will join LeBron as the top young player when it comes to endorsements. He won't game anything financially going to LA.

That is simply being naive. Being in a bigger market will always get you more money in endorsements.

For example, if Lebron were to ever play in Chicago, LA or NY his Nike contract would nearly double in value (According to Chad Ford).

Any big name star will have things in their endorsements that depend on where you play. While big name stars have fans in every city, their own city goes crazy for them. That is why companies want them in the largest cities.....

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

The most logical thing for Amare to do is sign a max extension with the Suns that includes an opt out after 3 years.

He won't wait for a 1 year tender (which lines up with LA having max space) because the financial risk is too great. If he gets hurt then he could lose over 70 million dollars (more likely 40-50 but you get my point).

By signing a max deal with an opt out he has a guaranteed 70+ waiting for him. He also will have the option to opt out and get a new contract at 30% of the cap instead of 25%. Not to mention the chance to see if the Suns are willing to compete.


I am totally fine with that situation, in fact I almost prefer it than a normal 5 year deal. For those people worried about Sarver's willingness to spend money for a real contender, look at it this way:

He will be under the gun and risk losing Amare if he doesnt. If there is one thing that everyone should be confident about it is that Sarver would do anything to keep Amare here. So in a way, the stress of losing a top player could wind up helping the team in the long run.

 

[Joe Mama]

That is simply being naive. Being in a bigger market will always get you more money in endorsements.

For example, if Lebron were to ever play in Chicago, LA or NY his Nike contract would nearly double in value (According to Chad Ford).

Any big name star will have things in their endorsements that depend on where you play. While big name stars have fans in every city, their own city goes crazy for them. That is why companies want them in the largest cities.....

I don't know about Amare's shoe endorsements, but recently Lebron James' agent said that there were no kickers in his deal for moving to a bigger market. Still, I agree that it's naïve to believe the money is the same in Phoenix as it would be in LA. Amare would probably get more national endorsement deals simply because he would be on national TV every weekend.

Joe Mama

 

[Treesquid PhD]

The most logical thing for Amare to do is sign a max extension with the Suns that includes an opt out after 3 years.

He won't wait for a 1 year tender (which lines up with LA having max space) because the financial risk is too great. If he gets hurt then he could lose over 70 million dollars (more likely 40-50 but you get my point).

By signing a max deal with an opt out he has a guaranteed 70+ waiting for him. He also will have the option to opt out and get a new contract at 30% of the cap instead of 25%. Not to mention the chance to see if the Suns are willing to compete.


I am totally fine with that situation, in fact I almost prefer it than a normal 5 year deal. For those people worried about Sarver's willingness to spend money for a real contender, look at it this way:

He will be under the gun and risk losing Amare if he doesnt. If there is one thing that everyone should be confident about it is that Sarver would do anything to keep Amare here. So in a way, the stress of losing a top player could wind up helping the team in the long run.

I am sure foamy wants to keep Amare and likely will, but until he signs him I will be leery of the possibility he screws this up too.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

I agree with all the "common sense " aspects that you are all stating as reasoning why Amare will stay...(except for the contention that he wants to lead a franchise that has had less success. Players, when they are kids, dream of playing for the Lakers and Yankees and have no problem carrying on the tradition. No one shys from taking NY's money and remember Shaq could have been the Orlando franchise, and he opted to be the next great center on the Lakers...I dont think that point stands up) but im not sure its quite the slam dunk.

I just worry that Amare will look to recoup the money he loses in contract with endorsements and go for the quality of life. LA is more diverse, metropoliton, and has anything a young athlete wants in term of luxury. I just hope the draw of the beach, the bright lights,and all the outrageous clubs (which you all know he already frequents, right?) dont cause him to leave. I'm not going to worry as all signs point to him re-upping with Phx. but we are being naive if we dont consider the draw that a salary cap friendly Lakers team offers.....

 

[George O'Brien]

That is simply being naive. Being in a bigger market will always get you more money in endorsements.

For example, if Lebron were to ever play in Chicago, LA or NY his Nike contract would nearly double in value (According to Chad Ford).

Any big name star will have things in their endorsements that depend on where you play. While big name stars have fans in every city, their own city goes crazy for them. That is why companies want them in the largest cities.....

This is what I argued when people were saying that Kobe would want to come to Phoenix. Certainly there is an advantage being in a big city, but there is a much bigger advantage being on a great team. LeBron's buzz is likely to fade if the Cavs don't get good and that is a far bigger problem than the size of the LA market.

 

[cly2tw]

Amare wants to be the best NBA player alltime! He is not gonna do that sharing the limelight with Kobe.

 

[F-Dog]

If the Suns may not keep Amare, but it won't be because they didn't try hard enough.


Anyway, there more plausible explanations for the delay IMO--it could just be a matter of wading through the paperwork (Amare doesn't have an agent, remember), or they could be wrangling over a Tim Duncan out clause. It's still too early to go into full panic mode without solid evidence that Amare is unhappy.

 

[Yuma]

Can't say I am NOT at least minorly worried by this. However, the Suns have a two word answer as to why they won't let Amare get away: Antonio McDyess!

No way they go through THAT fiasco again!

 

[F-Dog]

No way they go through THAT fiasco again!

Except for Joe Johnson, right?

 

[sunsfn]

Can't say I am NOT at least minorly worried by this. However, the Suns have a two word answer as to why they won't let Amare get away: Antonio McDyess!

No way they go through THAT fiasco again!

Ahhh.......something about someone named JJ?

 

[George O'Brien]

Except for Joe Johnson, right?

The Dice situation was unique due to the strike and the conflict of interest by Dice's agent. Who would think any player would take a $20 million cut to play for a lousy team?

 

[Yuma]

Except for Joe Johnson, right?

Didn't know JJ was a big man the Suns were going to build the team around?