Amar'e Stoudemire is on his way to South Beach. The Miami Heat announced they signed the veteran big man on July 10. Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reported the deal is a one-year, $1.5 million contract.
Stoudemire is no longer the pick-and-roll behemoth that made him an All-Star multiple times in Phoenix, but he's carved a new niche as a solid backup big man and solid locker room presence.
“We are very fortunate that a proven All-Star like Amar’e has chosen the Miami Heat,” said HEAT President Pat Riley in the team's release. “He is going to bring gravitas, leadership and a hardworking mentality to our team as we look to win another Championship in Miami.”
Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report reported Stoudemire had a meeting Thursday with Riley. Evidently Stoudemire liked what he heard, as he inked a deal with the team the following day.
Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times reported Stoudemire met with the LA Clippers earlier in the month, and ESPN's Chris Broussard reported the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns also expressed interest in Stoudemire.
Stoudemire, 32, joined Dallas midway through last season after reaching a buyout agreement with the New York Knicks. He averaged 10.8 points and 3.7 rebounds in 16.5 minutes per game, working largely as a backup to Dirk Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler.
On a per-minute basis, Stoudemire remains nearly as effective as he was in his prime offensively, though he remains a glaring minus on the defensive end. The Mavericks allowed nearly six more points per 100 possessions with Stoudemire on the floor, per Basketball-Reference.com. The front-line pairing of Stoudemire and Nowitzki was particularly painful, as neither has the lateral quickness to adequately defend the pick-and-roll.
“I'm already paid in full,” Stoudemire told reporters at his exit interview. “Money is great to have, but it's not what I'm searching for at this point.”
Now, Stoudemire will be joining a Heat squad looking to bounce back after a disappointing season.
