http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BKN_SUNS_STOUDEMIRE?SITE=TXHOU&SECTION=SPORTS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT Oct 3, 7:45 PM EDT Stoudemire signs five-year, $73M extension By BOB BAUM AP Sports Writer PHOENIX (AP) -- Amare Stoudemire, who jumped from high school to stardom 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. Advertisement 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. Interactives 2005 Finals NBA Players' Height and Weight The NBA's Phenom Basketball News Garnett ready to go for Timberwolves Simmons' start in Milwaukee hits a snag Karl has high hopes for Denver Nuggets Stoudemire signs five-year, $73M extension Brown makes peace with Arenas over remarks Bobcats won't match Heat offer for Kapono Lee Nailon signs with Sixers Knicks sign Barber, George Heat will try to put new pieces together Blatche 'fortunate' after being shot twice "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."
$100 million summer? hmm...that puts his nike contract around 30 million. That's supposedly the biggest endorsement contract a big man in the NBA has ever received. I thought Yao's contract from Reebok would be more than that.
I think Amare was just being metaphorical. IIRC, Yao's shoe deal is in the neighborhood of $55-60 million, give or take a few mill based on incentives.
So Amare's Nike contract is over $60 million? Wow, Nike must think Amare has some serious marketing power...
Thats a great contract.. probably bigger than Yao's.. remember he turned down the largest contract in history (Nike deal would have been bigger than Kobe's / Lebrons put together) to sign with Reebok because of some shady business. J
Well, I guess the only question now is whether the Lakers will sign Dirk or Peja next offseason. BWAHAHAHA. It's good to have the Lakers out of the playoffs!
We must watch out for underachieving teams who will let their star players walk before the deadline for picks though
I assume he's reffering to teams like the Clippers who either don't resign star players or trade them first because they don't want to let them walk for nothing. Or any team that knows they'll be in salary cap trouble like te Suns would have been if they thought they could keep everyone from last year.
