Carmelo Anthony said that Amar'e Stoudemire was one of the reasons that he came to New York and said it is "sad" to see him struggle to get healthy.
Stoudemire only played 29 games last season due to two different knee injuries, Sports Illustrated reports. His knees have been a problem for most of his time in the NBA, and he will sit out the first three Knicks preseason games because of more knee problems.
“As a friend, it’s hard for me to sit back and act like it doesn’t bother me because I know how hard of a worker he is [and] I know the time that he puts in the gym to train and rehab,” Anthony said. “To see him go forward and then take some steps back every time, it’s just sad.”
According to ESPN, Stoudemire had his third knee procedure in 12 months done over the summer, and will be trying to work his way back onto the court.
Melo wishes he could have the opportunity to play with Stat at full health:
"Yeah, I think about it. I think about [it] sometimes," he said Tuesday. "He was one of the reasons why I wanted to come to New York. So for me not to have that chance, the opportunity to get a full season in and get a rhythm going with him -- it's not something I thought would happen."
Some do not believe that the two can coexist. The Knicks have a record of 45-44 with both players on the floor. They are also only 2-11 in the playoffs with both players, though Stoudemire played limited minutes in last year's postseason.
Anthony is rooting for Stoudemire to come back at full health this season so that they can show their true potential.