New York Knicks: 10-plus years in free-fall with no signs of slowing

Amar’e Stoudemire brings a glimmer of hope

Of the three stars the Knicks were chasing during free agency 2010, only one would actually join the New York Knicks. On July 8, 2010, the Knicks announced that they had signed Amar’e Stoudemire.

To say that signing Stoudemire was a risk for New York would be putting it mildly. But what choice did the Knicks have after LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh had joined forces in Miami Heat uniforms and Joe Johnson had opted to stay with the Atlanta Hawks?

But Stoudemire came to the Knicks with a considerable history of recurring issues with his eyes and knees. These issues were the reason that the Knicks were able to get Stoudemire to come over from the Phoenix Suns who weren’t willing to spend what Dolan and the Knicks were offering. They were the kind of well-known issues that meant if they caused Stoudemire to miss games during his time in New York, the Knicks would not be compensated for his salary.

Immediately after the signing though, that was the farthest thing from the minds of those involved. Stoudemire, happy to be in New York, was actively recruiting the likes of Chris Paul and Tony Parker to join him in a Knicks uniform. And of course, Carmelo Anthony who would begin his time with the Knicks later that season.

In season one, the risk seemed to have paid off. Stoudemire averaged 25 points in 78 games in the 2010- 11 season and appeared in the All-Star game. The Knicks would finish the season with a record of 42 and 40 and return to the NBA playoffs for the first time in seven seasons. It wasn’t the best regular-season record and the Knicks didn’t make it past the first round of the playoffs but at least they had made it there… I guess.