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When the Miami Heat signed Amare Stoudemire this summer to the veteran’s minimum contract, most imagined the former All-Star would have a much more prominent role with the team than he currently has. Instead, Stoudemire has only played in three games thus far this season, with just 27 total minutes under his belt. The team has said his lack of playing time due to “rehabilitative recovery” is a part of the overall maintenance program, but Stoudemire has publicly said he is the healthiest he has been in quite some time, so why the lack of a role off the bench?
Well, the simplest answer is the Heat just don’t have the minutes for Stoudemire in the power rotation. Currently, the Heat have both Chris Bosh and Hassan Whiteside starting with Josh McRoberts and Udonis Haslem coming off the bench. Even the Heat’s former second-string center Chris Andersen isn’t getting any love off the bench, which further points to their overall defensive direction this season.
Stoudemire isn’t known as the best defensive player. The 13-year center has never averaged double-digit rebounds in a season and has steadily declined in this area especially over the last five seasons. In terms of blocks and steals, Stoudemire hasn’t even managed to average over one in either category over the last five seasons.
With the wealth of offensive-minded players in the Heat’s rotation on both ends, the need for Stoudemire off the bench just isn’t there. Should a major injury occur to one of the Heat’s primary power players, then Stoudemire could get a chance to fill a void off the bench, but even that role would be extremely limited. This cannot be what Stoudemire envisioned when he signed on with the Heat this summer, and Heat fans shouldn’t expect to see him in Miami beyond this season.
Jared Doyle is a Miami Heat writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @outofboundsjay, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
