AT TWIT’S END
Amar’e’s act could be getting old at MSG
Amar’e Stoudemire has been on such a bad run lately that pretty soon no one in or outside the Knicks’ organization will want to take credit for recruiting him to New York.
In fact, one more Amar’e screw-up and the Knicks may just f ire Donnie Walsh retroactively.
At the very least , Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan must be wondering today if using the one-time amnesty clause last December on Chauncey Billups was worth it. That transaction freed up salary cap space for the club to sign Tyson Chandler but it also eliminated the Knicks’ best chance of parting ways with Stoudemire.
A nd if you don’t think Dolan is fed up with Stoudemire, well, just remember that once Mr. Dolan lost patience with Latrell Sprewell, Stephon Marbury and Eddy Curry they were all banished one way or another.
Stoudemire has certainly done enough to get on Dolan’s bad side, mos t ly recent ly u s - ing his Twitter account to send a gay slur to a follower. In March, the NBA fined J.R. Smith for tweeting a photo of a semi-naked woman, so it is only a matter of time before the league office punishes Stoudemire.
Smith was a first-time offender in the eyes of the Knicks. Stoudemire has a growing rap sheet of foolish behavior that has hurt him and the team. Prior to Game 2 of last year’s firstround series with the Boston Celtics, Stoudemire injured his back while attempting a trick dunk. He needed almost six months to recover.
This season, following a Game 2 loss to Miami, Stoudemire punched a glass casing, sliced his left hand and needed surgery to repair the damage. His reputation among fans, however, may take longer to fix.
Stoudemire was hailed as a conquering hero when he first arrived in New York for the 2010-11 season. He played well and the fans inside the Garden were chanting “M-V-P” 20 games into the year.
But once Carmelo A nthony arrived in a blockbuster trade with Denver, Amar’e became an afterthought in every way imaginable. Whether it was Walsh, Mike D’antoni or Isiah Thomas who convinced Stoudemire to join the Knicks no longer mattered.
Anthony was now Dolan’s guy a nd t he K nick s, as D’antoni soon learned, became Melo’s team.
From a basketball standpoint the idea of pairing Stoudemire and Anthony always sounded f lawed and, sure enough, the Knicks have a losing record when their two franchise forwards play together. Until further notice, the pairing won’t work.
Stoudemire seems to know this. He hasn’t been the same since Anthony came to town. Stoudemire also feels somewhat abandoned, having helped resurrect the franchise only to play second fiddle to Anthony.
He often acts like he is starved for attention: his public engagement to his long-time girlfriend, announcing that he is taking college courses, wearing a hoodie before games but only after the Heat was photographed in hoodies to honor Trayvon Martin.
My personal favorite is Stoudemire passing himself off as the NBA’s Dolce and Gabbanna. Some players think of themselves as budding golfers, rappers and actors. Amar’e, though, is a fashionista.
It doesn’t make him a bad guy. In fact, Stoudemire is a decent guy with a good heart. But he’s changed. Since taking New York by storm, he has been downgraded to a Category 1 power forward. His body continues to break down, his production has fallen off and it’s hard to believe he’ll regain his All Star form.
No doubt , Dola n is thinking the same. He also must be thinking of a way to get rid of a player with a big, uninsured contract who is injuryprone and doesn’t complement his guy, Anthony.
And who can blame him?