Free agency 2010 Day 2: All about Amare now

With Channing Frye committed to staying in Phoenix, the free-agent focus on Planet Orange is now solely on Amare Stoudemire. The future looks grim as far as STAT wearing purple and orange, but there’s still an outside chance.

In the (highly likely) event that the Suns can’t retain their All-Star forward, they’ll certainly be looking to find a replacement. Could Frye be their solution? Will they pursue David Lee? Only time (and probably very little time) will tell how the Suns cope. Valley of the Suns keeps you posted on Day 2 of the 2010 free agent frenzy.

5:16 p.m. – In a clarified report, Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic has reported that the Suns won’t renounce Stoudemire’s rights until July 8, but notes that there aren’t any sign-and-trade scenarios that would benefit the Suns.

3:34 p.m. – Ken Berger of CBS Sports has cited a source “with knowledge of the negotiations with the Suns” as saying that in order to make a play for Hakim Warrick, the Suns had to renounce Stoudemire’s rights, eliminating the possibility of a sign-and-trade.

Berger also reports that Stoudemire’s concern with committing to the Knicks is the possibility of being the only All-Star on the team. The Knicks cleaned house to make way for LeBron James and another All-Star, but could end up with just one. The pressure would then be on Stoudemire alone to fill the void of a failed attempt to land LeBron/Wade/Bosh, something that can’t be attractive to him.

12:00 p.m. – For those with David Lee still in their minds: Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports reports that he may still be involved in a sign-and-trade, but so far no scenario involves the Suns.

10:20 a.m. – Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports has the latest update on Stoudemire’s destination and it looks like he’s headed for New York. Wojnarowski reports that STAT and the Knicks are close on a five-year max deal worth $100 million. The deal could be done as early as Friday.

A landing in New York would reunite Stoudemire with former Suns coach Mike D’Antoni, whose system he thrived in (not to say he didn’t thrive under Gentry).  The report says that both sides aren’t each other’s first choice, but Stoudemire has to like the five guaranteed years and the Knicks are starting to sweat, worried they might get shut out after making great efforts to clear cap space.

The first season of the contract would pay Stoudemire about $17.2 million. Well, maybe he gets to keep wearing orange after all …

8:37 a.m. – Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic is now reporting that the deal Stoudemire turned down was a five-year, $96 million offer with stipulations based on how many minutes he played. Looks like the minutes restrictions were a deal-breaker for Amare, as it was believed he would accept a five-year deal in Phoenix.

It looks like the Amare era in Phoenix is officially over. It seems completely obvious that STAT is gone. Even more convincing in this matter was the agreement with Hakim Warrick. Coro’s update reports that the sixth-year forward’s deal will be for four years and $16 million, with possible bonuses pushing the value to $18 million.

8:16 a.m. – The Phoenix Suns have agreed to a four-year, $18 million deal with free agent forward Hakim Warrick, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Marc J. Spears.

The 6-foot-9 performer spent time in both Milwaukee and Chicago last season, averaging 10.2 and 8.7 points per game, respectively, for those two squads. Warrick is known for his length and athleticism, which should bode well for him in Phoenix.

If this news doesn’t all but solidify that Amare Stoudemire will not return in Phoenix, I don’t know what will. Sprears reported that the Warrick agreement came after talks between the Suns and Stoudemire “stalled” late Thursday night. Robert Sarver reportedly offered offered a three years of $71 million guaranteed, with a fourth and fifth year partially guaranteed, depending on how many minutes STAT would play in the first three seasons.

Spears also reported that the Suns believe Amare is about to receive a five-year maximum deal from the New York Knicks, which you would have to believe Stoudemire will take.

–Mike Schmitz

12:27 a.m. – Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Houston Rockets are offering Shane Battier, Trevor Ariza and Luis Scola in deals for Amare Stoudemire or Chris Bosh.

Scola would have to first re-sign, as would Stoudemire or Bosh to the terms the Rockets agree on, before the swap could be made.

Not long ago though, The Arizona Republic‘s Paul Coro mentioned that the Rockets prefer Bosh. Houston has sort of become the wild card in the Amare sweepstakes, but that in itself isn’t shocking, as the Rockets were the team trying to snag Stoudemire in the 11th hour at the trade deadline. Stay tuned for more updates on this story.

11:01 p.m. (July 1) – ESPN’s Marc Stein solved the mystery that was Dirk Nowitzki’s Thursday travels, and apparently they included a stop in New York, where the German big man visited with his old pal Steve Nash.

According to the report, sources said it wasn’t a recruiting visit. Nowitzki is the godfather of Nash’s twin daughters and the two obviously have a non-basketball relationship as well.

The report also notes, as we all mostly knew but didn’t necessarily want to accept, that the Suns just do not have the cap space to make a legitimate bid for Nowitzki, especially after agreeing with Channing Frye on a five-year, $30 million deal Thursday. The Dirk/Nash reunion remains a pipe dream, but you have to imagine they at least broached the subject … or joked about it? Maybe?