"I was a little surprised by that," Stoudemire says of those who rated Bosh as the better power forward. "I've been in a winning situation my whole career and it's been somewhat opposite for Chris."
The debate in the Knicks' war room last June was the same one taking place in bars, on radio and apparently in the mind of one LeBron James as well.
Who would you rather have, Amar'e Stoudemire or Chris Bosh?
"We did have a list of priorities," Mike D'Antoni said. "Right or wrong."
Each player had strengths that Knicks officials and coaches admired and weaknesses that gave them great pause. And as the franchise prepared for the most important free agency period in its history, the room was split.
"I was a little surprised by that," Stoudemire says of those who rated Bosh as the better power forward. "I've been in a winning situation my whole career and it's been somewhat opposite for Chris."
Once the Knicks got the sense that Bosh and Dwyane Wade were a package deal and likely to end up in Miami, they turned their attention to Stoudemire, which still put them in line for LeBron.
However, the choice for LeBron was clear. With a chance to join forces with Stoudemire last February, LeBron, according to sources, lobbied Cavs management to trade for Antawn Jamison. Five months later, LeBron passed again.
"To be honest with you, LeBron's situation doesn't really concern me," Stoudemire added. "I don't think about his situation at all."
Maybe if LeBron had a chance for a do-over he would announce he's taking his talents to 33rd St. For three hours tonight, he will be reminded by a sold-out Madison Square Garden crowd that he rejected the Knicks.
James will hear the obligatory boos and insults when the Miami Heat makes its first visit to New York since last summer's free-agent bonanza. It has been 13 months since LeBron last played at the Garden, and that night was essentially a love-fest.
Fans showed up wearing Knicks uniform tops with James' name on the back. They held signs proclaiming their love for the self-proclaimed King. The mood tonight will be more hostile, but while James' controversial decision is an ongoing theme, Knicks fans feel less like a jilted lover because of Stoudemire.
"It's New York," D'Antoni said. "We'll have our fans and it will be a big game for us. Hopefully, that's the way it's always going to be now. Whoever comes in is going to be the guys that we hate.
"You're talking about one of the best players in the world and he always rises up to an occasion. Whether we're nice to him or not is not going to matter. Playing in New York is special and he, Wade, Bosh will all be ready."
Wednesday's emotionally charged last-second loss to the Boston Celtics ended an eight-game winning streak for the Knicks (16-10). But the game showed that when Stoudemire and Raymond Felton, the team's other significant free-agent signing, are playing at a high level the Knicks can play with anyone. Meanwhile, the Heat is riding a 10-game surge.
"We're still improving," Stoudemire said. "We're not quite where we want to be yet, but we are somewhat ahead of schedule and we're still trying to get better."
James met with Knicks officials in Cleveland on July 1, and from most accounts, he dismissed them as a candidate almost immediately. The Knicks also pursued Wade and Bosh, but most league executives believed that the pair would land in Miami. James followed, and it was obvious that the three had been scheming for more than a year to become teammates.
Meanwhile, the Knicks gave Stoudemire 100 million reasons to take a chance on returning the franchise to prominence.
"You want to be in a situation where they're willing to build a team to win a championship," he said. "I felt here in New York was a perfect opportunity for that. I felt like they're on the (verge) of rebuilding and looking to bring in players to help win a championship. So I thought that was the best situation for me."
Of all the free agents, Stoudemire has had the greatest impact. He is also making the Knicks more attractive to other stars. The Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony, who could be traded soon, has made it clear that New York is his preferred destination. LeBron could have owned the town. Now, it belongs to Stoudemire, and the fans are not about to let James forget that.
"As long as we keep winning and keep having success that's what the fans want to see," Stoudemire said. "That's important here in New York. LeBron is in Miami, we're in New York."
Read more: HERE
Who would you rather have, Amar'e Stoudemire or Chris Bosh?
"We did have a list of priorities," Mike D'Antoni said. "Right or wrong."
Each player had strengths that Knicks officials and coaches admired and weaknesses that gave them great pause. And as the franchise prepared for the most important free agency period in its history, the room was split.
"I was a little surprised by that," Stoudemire says of those who rated Bosh as the better power forward. "I've been in a winning situation my whole career and it's been somewhat opposite for Chris."
Once the Knicks got the sense that Bosh and Dwyane Wade were a package deal and likely to end up in Miami, they turned their attention to Stoudemire, which still put them in line for LeBron.
However, the choice for LeBron was clear. With a chance to join forces with Stoudemire last February, LeBron, according to sources, lobbied Cavs management to trade for Antawn Jamison. Five months later, LeBron passed again.
"To be honest with you, LeBron's situation doesn't really concern me," Stoudemire added. "I don't think about his situation at all."
Maybe if LeBron had a chance for a do-over he would announce he's taking his talents to 33rd St. For three hours tonight, he will be reminded by a sold-out Madison Square Garden crowd that he rejected the Knicks.
James will hear the obligatory boos and insults when the Miami Heat makes its first visit to New York since last summer's free-agent bonanza. It has been 13 months since LeBron last played at the Garden, and that night was essentially a love-fest.
Fans showed up wearing Knicks uniform tops with James' name on the back. They held signs proclaiming their love for the self-proclaimed King. The mood tonight will be more hostile, but while James' controversial decision is an ongoing theme, Knicks fans feel less like a jilted lover because of Stoudemire.
"It's New York," D'Antoni said. "We'll have our fans and it will be a big game for us. Hopefully, that's the way it's always going to be now. Whoever comes in is going to be the guys that we hate.
"You're talking about one of the best players in the world and he always rises up to an occasion. Whether we're nice to him or not is not going to matter. Playing in New York is special and he, Wade, Bosh will all be ready."
Wednesday's emotionally charged last-second loss to the Boston Celtics ended an eight-game winning streak for the Knicks (16-10). But the game showed that when Stoudemire and Raymond Felton, the team's other significant free-agent signing, are playing at a high level the Knicks can play with anyone. Meanwhile, the Heat is riding a 10-game surge.
"We're still improving," Stoudemire said. "We're not quite where we want to be yet, but we are somewhat ahead of schedule and we're still trying to get better."
James met with Knicks officials in Cleveland on July 1, and from most accounts, he dismissed them as a candidate almost immediately. The Knicks also pursued Wade and Bosh, but most league executives believed that the pair would land in Miami. James followed, and it was obvious that the three had been scheming for more than a year to become teammates.
Meanwhile, the Knicks gave Stoudemire 100 million reasons to take a chance on returning the franchise to prominence.
"You want to be in a situation where they're willing to build a team to win a championship," he said. "I felt here in New York was a perfect opportunity for that. I felt like they're on the (verge) of rebuilding and looking to bring in players to help win a championship. So I thought that was the best situation for me."
Of all the free agents, Stoudemire has had the greatest impact. He is also making the Knicks more attractive to other stars. The Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony, who could be traded soon, has made it clear that New York is his preferred destination. LeBron could have owned the town. Now, it belongs to Stoudemire, and the fans are not about to let James forget that.
"As long as we keep winning and keep having success that's what the fans want to see," Stoudemire said. "That's important here in New York. LeBron is in Miami, we're in New York."
Read more: HERE
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