The New York Knicks have thrown around the idea of waiving forward Amare Stoudemire - and his $23.7 million contract - to create an open roster spot for a player they want to evaluate for their rebuilding process.
Stoudemire himself is torn about his future with the Knicks, and said that he's going to use the upcoming All-Star break to decide if he wants to ask New York for a buyout or not, which would make him a free agent.
"It's not an easy decision to make," Stoudemire told Yahoo Sports. "Over time, we will see how things pan out. You give yourself a break during the All-Star break. You think about it with your family. ... That will give me a good solid week on how to weigh out the rest of the season."
Stoudemire planns to talk about the future "soon" with team president Phil Jackson and general manager Steve Mills.
"I'm sure we will have an open discussion about it," Stoudemire said. "We have a great communicative relationship with the Knicks. I am sure we will make a sound decision together."
If Stoudemire does leave the Knicks, he'll try to join a contender as a free agent. The Suns, Clippers, Mavericks, and Trail Blazers are all potential playoff teams that are looking to add a veteran big man for their postseason run.
"All possibilities at this point are still open," Stoudemire said. "The door is still open for that. But at the same time, I am with the Knicks now. I got to stay optimistic about things and what we are doing here. I can't really focus on the future because it's not here. We still have a couple weeks left before it's all said and done. It's a decision I have to make with my family to figure out the best scenario for the near future."
Stoudemire is averaging 12.2 points and 7.0 rebounds in 24.5 minutes so far this season.
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