BIG APPLE – The New York Knicks opened their checkbook real wide and agreed to a deal that will ink free agent Amare Stoudemire a five-year, $99.7 million contract. The deal cannot be officially signed until Thursday.

Knick coach Mike D’Antoni must be ecstatic to be reunited with a big man he is familiar with from his days in Phoenix coaching the Suns when Stoudemire averaged more than 20 points a game every season the two were together.

Speculation is rising that the Knicks wanted to land Stoudemire to bait the NBA’s biggest free agent fish, LeBron James. James pushed hard for the Cavs to pick up Stoudemire last year during the trade deadline.

“I feel great, really, about being a pioneer,” said Stoudemire. I think [LeBron] feels great about [me signing]. It’s a situation where no one wanted to make that first move, and I felt confident enough to take that first step, and hopefully now we can bring in a few guys to join us.”

“I’m not sure where [LeBron’s] leaning. If he’s leaning more toward New York, that would be a great start for us.”

James and, or, his agent have had talks with the Cavaliers, Bulls, Nets, Clippers and Heat.

Stoudemire flew into New York on Saturday, broke bread with D’Antoni and agreed on the deal on Monday.

Madison Square Garden already has billboards and signs throughout the arena picturing Stoudemire in a Knicks jersey.

This is the first big move by the Knicks who have spent the last few seasons dumping overhead and salary cap anticipating making a serious bid for James. The team however, has enough cap space to add another maximum contract player but the question remains, who will that be?

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