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Report: Knicks eyeing Sixers as possible landing spot for Amar'e Stoudemire

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith reported that the 76ers might try to relieve the New York Knicks of Amar'e Stoudemire's ridiculous contract.

Take this for what it's worth. And I mean that sincerely, because it might well be worth nothing. But it's out there, so...

Noted ESPN talking head Stephen A. Smith thundered down a pronouncement from his soapbox on Monday's edition of First Take that got our attention.

As is the case with most of the known universe, First Take isn't usually on our office televisions. But we tuned in when Smith reported that the 76ers might try to relieve the New York Knicks of Amar'e Stoudemire's ridiculous contract.

The 76ers could in fact do this if they wanted to, since they have $30 million of salary cap space to play with. So they could afford the $23 million Stoudemire is due next year.

I promise I typed that with a straight face.

Here's the transcript of what Stephen A. said. The remarks came during a riff about where Carmelo Anthony might end up once he has fulfilled his free agency wanderlust.

So when you look at the kind of moves that Phil Jackson has made, and you combine it with the fact that they've talked about moving Amar'e - possibly to Philly, who's the clearinghouse for everybody right now because they've got $30 million in cap space, [and] they would want Iman Shumpert, by the way, to take Amar'e Stoudemire's contract off of the Knicks' books - in the end, understand, you're the New York Knicks, you're saying we're a better option than L.A.

Here's the visual proof that Stephen A. actually said those words:

There was no indication of which player or players the 76ers might give up, or whether the Knicks would actually part with Shumpert. Nor was there an indication of why the 76ers, even though they're going to be awful again next season, would be so kind as to help the long-term financial health of a division rival.

But if you got sick of the 76ers' lack of a big name last season, bringing Stoudemire to town would at least solve that problem.

Or something like that.