KNICKS SIGN-&-TRADE FOR AMAR'E
The New York Knicks acquired power forward/center Amar'e Stoudemire from the Phoenix Suns for a trade exception and a conditional future second-round draft pick.
What does it give the New York Knicks
The Knicks signed Stoudemire to a free agent deal, a five-year pact worth $99.7 Million. Getting Phoenix to sign him first (then move him via trade) helps New York pay Stoudemire much more than he would get by just signing directly with the Knicks (since the Suns can pay him more than the Knicks, as per NBA rules). Stoudemire is clearly the Knicks' new go-to guy in the post, and lets them get bigger all-round, moving young Danilo Gallinari to small forward full-time (with Wilson Chandler likely playing shooting guard).
What does it give the Phoenix Suns
In return for helping the Knicks pay free agent Stoudemire more, the Suns get back a $16.5 Million trade exception. They have already sent $4 Million of that $16.5 Million exception to Chicago in return for Hakim Warrick (with the Bulls getting to clear $4 Million off the books, and sending Phoenix back a 2011 2nd-round pick). That leaves the Suns able to trade over the next year for players with salaries up to $12.5 Million (with their trading partners motivated by the fact they can get the exception in return, letting them dump salaries without taking on matching replacement contracts). The conditional second-rounder is obviously a throw-in.
Fantasy impact
Player focus
Phoenix Suns
trade exception
a second-round draft pick in 2012
