NEW ORLEANS — Amar’e Stoudemire, who likely will be the focus of trade talk at next year’s deadline, if not this summer when he officially has a monstrous expiring contract, said he doesn’t expect any trades.
“I would be surprised,’’ Stoudemire said. “I’m looking forward for nothing to happen. [Team owner James] Dolan mentioned that earlier in the year. This is what we’re going to go with. I believe in him.’’
Dolan’s assurance that nothing would change with the team came the day after Christmas, but things have grown worse since with the Knicks 3 ½ games out of the playoffs.
Stoudemire decided to sit out Wednesday’s game to rest his knees as the club is playing a stretch of four games in five nights. Stoudemire said he was a little sore, but he also could have been sending a message.
Woodson played him just 21 minutes, and he wasn’t on the court down the stretch as the Knicks lost 98-93 to the Grizzlies on Tuesday.
“It can be fixed,’’ Stoudemire said. “I can’t worry about what I can’t control. If I’m out there, I can control the game. If not, there’s not much I can do. We put ourselves in this predicament. We got to find a way to climb out of it.’’
Woodson on the trade deadline: “I like our team. If I didn’t like the makeup of our team, I’d have said that a long time ago. But we came into the season with high hopes and high aspirations. We have fallen short of those things. I’m not knocking anyone in the locker room. All of us have played a part of this.’’
Woodson made it sound as if something well could happen at 3 p.m Thursday, indicating the team has fallen short of expectations.
“It’s tough for young guys but if you’re a veteran guy you’ve been around a long enough you can be traded,’’ Woodson said. “but if you’re not focusing on tonight, you’re cheating yourself and our ballclub. It’s part of the business.
“I like our team. If I didn’t like the makeup of our team, I’d have said that a long time ago. But we came into the season with high hopes and high aspirations. We have fallen short of those things. I’m not knocking anyone in the locker room. All of us have played a part of this.’’
Woodson was asked if rookie Tim Hardaway Jr. could eventually start this season at shooting guard.
“There might come a time when that could possibly happen,’’ Woodson said.
Pelicans coach Monty Williams said the Knicks’ two keys aren’t Tyson Chandler and Carmelo Anthony.
“[Pablo] Prigioni and Hardaway are X-factors even with Carmelo and Tyson,’’ Williams said.