When the Miami Heat signed Amare Stoudemire this past offseason, many people saw that as a great move for them because they felt he would be able to bring a lot to the table off the bench. Amare was not in the rotation early in the season, though, and that got many people to wondering whether he was closing in on retirement. Stoudemire doesn't think he is close to retiring, according to Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post, and his recent play suggests that he shouldn't be.
Stoudemire signed with Miami on a one-year minimum deal this season because he wanted a chance to win. His teammates all credited him for how good he looked in training camp, yet when the season started, he did not appear in 25 of the team's first 28 games. Despite the lack of playing time, Stoudemire remained committed to the Heat, as he knew his time would come, and it has recently.
Stoudemire recently started getting regular minutes after Christmas, as the Heat have had a lot of injuries in the frontcourt, to Hassan Whiteside and Josh McRoberts specifically, and he has played particularly well lately. In his last four games, Stoudemire is averaging 7.8 points and 6.3 rebounds in 21.7 minutes and is giving the team very valuable minutes.
The 33-year-old forward has known all along that he could still play. He was just waiting for his opportunity to show everyone, and he certainly has.
"A lot of players kinda forgot that I can still play. This is a great chance for me to remind them that I've still got it. I feel healthy, my passion is there. If that continues, I'm just gonna feel better and better and I'm gonna play better and better. There's a lot more left in me. No question," Stoudemire said.
Stoudemire has dealt with a lot of injuries over the years and is nowhere near the player he once was, but he can still provide scoring and rebounding off the bench. The six-time All-Star reportedly hopes to play about two or three more years in the NBA, and if his recent play is any indication, it looks like he will get that chance. In the future, and even now, there are times when Stoudemire will have to sit out games due to soreness, but that is to be expected, as he is in his 14th season in the league and has logged major minutes. The fact of the matter is that if Stoudemire would have said this a few months ago, nobody would have thought it was possible, but now it seems like he may stick around in the league for a few more years while also helping a team with his play.
