Ailing Amar’e Stoudemire said he would be ready to roll if training camp began today and feels the camp’s opening is not as far off as people think.
While Stoudemire spoke to kids in Harlem as part of the Department of Youth Program, the NBA and Players Association held a six-hour meeting further downtown and will be at it again today finally with indications of progress.
Stoudemire said the lockout will end “sooner than later.” He has arranged a mid-October informal training camp for his mates in Bradenton, Fla., but now isn’t sure they’ll need it. Training camps are scheduled for Oct. 2.
“I’m hearing good things about the lockout, that we’d be starting sooner than later,” Stoudemire said. “So that [Florida camp] would be offset. I’m not sure the change [in negotiating stance], but I do feel better about the fact we may start sooner than later. That’s a positive for us.”
Stoudemire is in constant communication with Knicks guard Roger Mason Jr., who is on the negotiating committee.
Mason tweeted yesterday, “Looking like a season. How u.” The tweet got major play until Mason deleted it and claimed his Twitter account was hacked. However, speculation is he sent it as a private message and hit the wrong button.
Asked if he’s talked to Mason, Stoudemire said, “We’ve been talking all summer about when it’s a great time to start training to ramp it up, what’s the word on the street about resolving this thing, when’s the season going to start. He’s been keeping me in the loop.”
Emerging from labor talks, players’ association president Derek Fisher and commissioner David Stern said there’s time to save the full season.
“We agreed that we’re going to sit here for as many days as we can to see if we’re going to be able to make progress,” Stern said. “We have three weeks.”
Stoudemire, who pulled a back muscle during the Boston series and was rendered impotent, said his back “feels great” and would “definitely” be ready to play now. Like Carmelo Anthony (elbow), he has rested much of summer because of the back. He’s ready to step up workouts Monday
“I feel great,” Stoudemire said. “Been resting all summer. That’s been my main priority and I feel great.”
Asked if he was nervous earlier in the summer about his back, Stoudemire said, “It was definitely a time it was sore and I didn’ t know how long it would take to recover from that type of injury.”
If the lockout is ongoing in mid-October, Stoudemire expects the entire Knicks team to show up to the IMG Academy for informal training camp.
Stoudemire said last week’s addition of top assistant Mike Woodson to run the defense was a good step.
“I think it’s great,” Stoudemire said. “We talked about improving defensively. The addition of Mike will be positive for us.”