Report: Knicks want to move Stoudemire to Philly

By: Steph Rogers

New York Knicks president Phil Jackson is reportedly in talks with the Philadelphia 76ers and several other teams about moving Amar’e Stoudemire,sources told ESPNNewYork.

The Knicks want to clear cap space, and Stoudemire’s $23.4 million contract would give the team some freedom to rebuild the roster sooner than 2015. The Sixers have $30 million in cap space.

An earlier report from the New York Post suggested talks between the two teams were ongoing, but that the Knicks won’t include Iman Shumpert in a transaction. Philadelphia will likely seek an additional piece to take on a contract like Stoudemire’s.

From Marc Berman of the Post:

The idea is … to reduce payroll so the Knicks can make a sign-and-trade to obtain a free agent and be able to wield the full mid-level exception of $5 million instead of mini-mid-level $3.27 million.

Currently, the Knicks are above the luxury-tax apron and are forbidden to obtain a free agent through a sign-and-trade or use the full mid-level to try and lure free agent Pau Gasol.

NBA star Amare Stoudemire gets Israel invite

JERUSALEM (AP) — The president of Israel has invited New York Knicks star Amare Stoudemire to play for the country’s national basketball team because of his ties to Judaism.

Shimon Peres met with Stoudemire on Thursday to discuss the player’s charity efforts. Stoudemire, who says he has ”Hebrew roots,” has traveled to Israel before and Peres urged him to help the national team.

The six-time NBA All-Star already has significant ties to Israeli basketball. Last month, he joined a group looking to buy Hapoel Jerusalem, a team in Israel’s top league. Stoudemire is in Israel to coach the Canadian basketball team at the Maccabiah Games, a competition for Jewish athletes.

Stoudemire won a bronze medal with the United States at the 2004 Olympics but has not played for the national team since 2007.