http://www.nba.com/suns/news/tribune_050923.html For all of those who though Amare would leave................ Stoudemire Expected to Sign Extension By Jerry Brown East Valley Tribune Sept. 23, 2005 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. ?The Suns deal should be done here pretty soon,'' Stoudemire said. ?We're just going over the paperwork and we should finish it here shortly.'' 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.'' BONUS SHOTS The New Orleans Hornets will play 35 of 41 home games in Oklahoma City during the regular season, but the Suns may not see the Sooner State at all. The Dec. 16 Suns-Hornets matchup will be the first played in Baton Rouge at the 13,000-seat Pete Maravich Assembly Center on the campus of Louisiana State University. It will be the first of six Hornets game played at ?The P-MAC,'' which was used as a triage center for Hurricane Katrina victims. The Hornets are hoping to be back in New Orleans when they host the Suns on March 6, which may be one of the first sporting events held in the city. If New Orleans Arena is still not up and running, that game will likely be in Oklahoma City.. . . Ex-Sun Stephon Marbury was among those scrimmaging at America West Arena Thursday, along with Stoudemire, Kurt Thomas and James Jones, rookies Dijon Thompson and Lucas Tischer and former Sun Jake Tsakalidis.
