Amar'e Stoudemire has a history of injuries, is soft on the boards, and is a poor defender. How much is he worth and how much do you think he gets? David Lee, for example, is a big man who has outplayed him this season.
It's probably the reason he's thinking about not opting out and taking his chances in 2011. Leaving $17M on the table would be a dumb move financially for him. If he decides not to opt out the Suns will trade him.