Moment of Strange

The Knicks are back," Amar'e Stoudemire said when he agreed to sign a five-year, $100 million contract.

But Amar'e is wrong. The Knicks are not back; they are just a bit more respectable.

Lebron James Knicks. Amar'e can't can't carry a team by himself. He needs certain pieces around him like he had in Phoenix, such as a point guard who has great vision, can run and gun, and run the pick and roll with him, or else he won't be as effective. He had that point guard in Steve Nash and was surrounded with great shooters, which is why the Suns played such good basketball for so long and Amar'e looked like one of the best power forwards in the league.

But Amare is not necessarily ineffective without a great point guard, because he is still one of the best power forwards in the league and a nightmare for defenses. When he gets that player that can set him up, then he is one of the most dangerous players in the league.

The Knicks would have gotten that player in LeBron James, but now it is looking unlikely and one Eastern Conference official is saying James will stay in Cleveland or go to Miami. Tony Parker was rumored to go the Knicks, but that is looking like it won't happen. Raymond Felton is a target for the Knicks, but he is just not a top-tier point guard. Monta Ellis, however, could work as well.