NEW ORLEANS — Mike Woodson was asked the $100 million question at yesterday’s morning shootaround at New Orleans Arena. Will Amar’e Stoudemire return as starting power forward when he recovers from his left knee surgery?
The Knicks coach danced around it like he was at a Mardi Gras parade on Bourbon Street.
Before the Knicks’ 102-80 victory over the Hornets last night, Woodson said he still is committed to Anthony and Stoudemire coexisting together.
But Woodson would not give a direct answer when asked for the first time if Stoudemire will replace Anthony as the Knicks’ starting forward.
“I’m going to address that when we get to that point,” he said. “Right now, I’m just taking it a day at a time and work [with] the guys we have in uniform.’’
Not exactly an endorsement of Stoudemire as a starter, considering he was signed to a five-year, $100 million maximum deal. It has become a major issue and whichever way Woodson leans, it’s going to cause a ripple.
Stoudemire is out until at least mid-December after undergoing left-knee debridement surgery, having played just one preseason game. Stoudemire has had multiple surgeries on both knees and there’s enough evidence to question if he’s a 35-minute-a-night, full-fledged starter. Not on this team.
In his absence, Anthony has sparkled as the starting power forward, and the Knicks are off to a terrific 8-1 start. Anthony, who scored 29 points in 28 minutes, started there again, though his matchup with No. 1 overall pick, 6-foot-10 Anthony Davis, was derailed because the former Kentucky star sat out with a left ankle injury,
Woodson gave hints he still wants to get Stoudemire back as a starter when asked if Stoudemire and Anthony can still play as a tandem, despite their losing record together.
“Is it an overall losing record with me as a head coach?,’’ Woodson said. “I can’t think about what happened before I took over. As a coach, I feel good about both of them playing on the floor at the same time. That’s not going to change.’’
Stoudemire isn’t on the current three-game road trip to New Orleans, Dallas and Houston. He was on the prior one to Orlando-San Antonio-Memphis during which he turned 30 but did not want to speak to the media about his injury status.
Fans have clamored for Stoudemire to accept a bench role, and he could work well with a second unit of Pablo Prigioni, Steve Novak and J.R. Smith.
“Our doctors make that decision,’’ Woodson said on whether he travels. “He’s continuing therapy. When the time comes he’ll let us know when he’s ready.’’