<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Back in the Valley working out in preparation for the season, Amar? Stoudemire said Thursday he will sign a five-year, $72.6 million contract extension with the Phoenix Suns before the team begins training camp on Oct. 4. Stoudemire's deal will look very much like the maximum extension signed this summer by Houston center Yao Ming ? the No. 1 pick of the 2002 NBA draft. After making $2.59 million this season and completing his rookie contract, Stoudemire's contract will soar to $12 million in 2006-07, and he will earn an annual raise of $1.26 million ? the maximum allowed by the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement ? in each of the next four seasons, ending with a $17.04 million salary in 2010-11. It was not immediately known if the new deal has an ?out clause'' that would allow Stoudemire to void the deal after three seasons (following the 2008-09 season), but Suns chairman Jerry Colangelo said most maximum contract extensions do include such clauses. Stoudemire said he is pleased with the changes the Suns have made in the offseason, and that the additions would make up for the losses of major contributors like Joe Johnson, Quentin Richardson and Steven Hunter. ?I'm very impressed with guys like Kurt Thomas, Brian Grant and Raja Bell and the other additions,'' he said. ?I think we can be better. We'll be much better defensively, and we still have our offensive game. I've been working on my perimeter game, trying to become an all-around basketball player. That's my goal.''</div> Source
