The $100 million man is willing to become a sixth man if necessary.
Amar’e Stoudemire, with $65 million and three years left on his $100 million contract, said yesterday he will do “whatever it takes,” including accepting a role off the Knicks’ bench, to win and avoid disrupting team chemistry once he returns following left knee surgery.
The date of that return remains undetermined. No one ruled out or designated any specific time frame, but Stoudemire sounded doubtful about playing this weekend. What he sounded absolutely certain about after working out with the Knicks’ D-League affiliate, the Erie BayHawks, his first scrimmage in nearly two months, was his resolve to be part of the big picture, whether as a starter or reserve.
“Whatever it takes to win,” Stoudemire said, a refrain he used more than once. “You guys [media] know me. Ever since I’ve been here, I’ve been all about winning and been a total team player. So whatever it takes to win, that’s the goal.”
Even if it takes coming off the bench.
“I’m totally open to it,” he said. “I’ve been here for three years now. You should know how much of a team player I am. In Phoenix … it was a team-oriented game and the same applies here in New York.”
To get Stoudemire some work, the Knicks assigned him, Chris Copeland and James White to the Erie team for yesterday’s practice at the team’s facility in Greenburgh. Copeland and White will be recalled in time for tonight’s game against the Nets at the Garden.
“My conditioning is good, my timing is almost there,” said Stoudemire, noting his belief that “without a doubt” he can co-exist with Carmelo Anthony. “I’m still a little bit sore within the knee. I still want to improve and get 100 percent. I’m not totally there yet. … I just wanted to get out there and compete.”
Anthony said, “I told him, ‘Don’t try and get it all back in one day.’ ”
Coach Mike Woodson, agreeing Stoudemire “moved around pretty well,” said the next step is getting the power forward to practice with the Knicks tomorrow. He did not rule out Stoudemire returning this weekend — the Knicks host the Bulls on Friday and Timberwolves on Sunday — though the player virtually did.
Woodson said roles will work themselves out. The Knicks are 18-6, so there is no pressing need to juggle the current equation.
“I’m not going to address [roles] until he tells me he’s ready to play and then we’ll make a decision based on where we are with our team,” Woodson said.
“Things are going very well for our ballclub, and until Amar’e is in position to play again, we’ll make decisions then.”
The possible chemistry imbalance seems to be of more concern to the media, radio-show callers and disinterested bystanders than to Woodson. With Anthony and Stoudemire on the floor together, the Knicks are 30-33 in the regular season, including 8-2 under Woodson.
“Our team was pretty good last season and we’ve been pretty good this season, so I don’t see Amar’e being a problem and disrupting what we do,” Woodson said. “It just makes us a deeper team.”
When will that depth be realized? If Thursday’s and subsequent practices go well, maybe Sunday. A Christmas Day matinee against the Lakers in Los Angeles also is a possibility.
“We’ll see … I’m not where I want to be,” Stoudemire said. “I don’t have a date in my mind when I’m going to return.
“I don’t know where everyone got that assumption that I’d be back Christmas Day. I never made that statement at all. I’m not totally sure if I’ll be back by then or not.”
fred.kerber@nypost.com