NBA writer Sam Amick tweets what many are already afraid of: that Steve Kerr’s departure as GM of the Phoenix Suns may deter Amar’e Stoudemire from re-signing with the Suns.
Stoudemire was apparently beginning to feel comfortable with the direction the team was going in under Kerr and coach Alvin Gentry’s stewardship, and this throws a huge question mark right in the middle of all that.
Will Stoudemire be further encouraged to test free agency? It’s tough to tell at this point. The clear line of ascension points to assistant GM David Griffin taking over Kerr’s role. Stoudemire may feel at ease with Griffin in place, given his history with the team. But as The Arizona Republic’s Paul Coro points out in his blog, there’s a lot of tension beneath the surface regarding new contracts, including Griffin’s.
Overall, this is terrible timing for the team. The last thing the Suns need during negotiations of perhaps the most important contract of the team’s history is the deterioration of the front office personnel leading those negotiations.
If Stoudemire leaves, particularly if his departure has anything to do with Kerr’s, where does that leave Sarver’s legacy in Phoenix? Is he now a complete pariah?