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Time for Plan C, Mitch.
Stoudemire Signs Extension
By Josh Greene, Suns.com
Posted: Oct. 3, 2005
The Suns have said all along that Amaré Stoudemire’s contract extension would be a done deal by the start of Training Camp. Consider the matter closed.
The team’s brightest talent from a season ago will be back in a Suns uniform now and for the foreseeable future after signing his much anticipated extension Monday afternoon.
“It means I can go ahead and buy a crib and get set up for the next six years,” Stoudemire joked. “No, it’s been a long summer in terms of getting deals done. We took our time with this one and it just required a lot of focus so we’re just finishing it up today. It’s always been good to be a part of the Suns. It’s a great organization, a great team and I’m going to try and make them stay happy.”
After his coming-out party known as the 2004-05 season, the center-forward vows to better his “all-around game” at both ends of the court this season. While that’s no simple task, remember this is the same guy who earned Second Team All-NBA honors in just his third season in the league, garnered his first All-Star selection and finished fifth in the league in scoring with 26 ppg a year ago.
While no one was questioning his professional resume as he signed on the dotted line, Stoudemire did have a ready-made response when topics turned to bringing Phoenix its first-ever NBA championship.
Flashing that trademark smile, the budding superstar replied, “No doubt.”
Check back later tonight on Suns.com for more on Amaré's contract extension.
http://www.nba.com/suns/news/stat_extension.html
Time for Plan C, Mitch.
Stoudemire signs five-year, $73 million extension
By BOB BAUM, AP Sports Writer
October 3, 2005
PHOENIX (AP) -- Amare Stoudemire, who jumped from high school to s om in the NBA, signed a five-year contract extension Monday with the Phoenix Suns worth about $73 million.
The extension kicks in after this season and has an opt-out clause after the 2009-10 season.
He signed the contract a month shy of his 23rd birthday as the Suns gathered for media day preceding the start of their training camp in Tucson on Tuesday.
The 6-foot-10, 245-pound power forward played out of position at center and dominated opponents last season for the high-scoring Suns.
Known for his breathtaking slam dunks and uncanny quickness, Stoudemire averaged 26 points per game, fifth-best in the league, as a key member of a Phoenix team that won an NBA-best 62 games.
``It's huge for the franchise,'' said teammate and last season's MVP Steve Nash. ``He's the cornerstone of this franchise.''
Stoudemire, the No. 9 pick in the 2002 draft, won the rookie of the year award over Yao Ming in 2002-03 and has improved each season. He averaged just under 30 points a game in last year's playoffs -- 37 against Tim Duncan in the Western Conference finals.
The signing follows a lucrative deal with Nike last month.
``I've just been working on my game the whole summer to try to take us to the top,'' Stoudemire said. ``This has been a $100 million summer for me, so I'm very proud of that. I'm just looking forward to bringing the championship home right here in Phoenix.''
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