You know I'm anti-Amare too.

The stars of Boston, Orlando, and Miami play defense for the most part. The stars of New York don't. So perhaps it is personnel. But does he have zero say in the type of personnel he should pursue?

If Amare is your #1, you're not gonna win a title. So maybe if D'Antoni had a different cast without Amare, I'd feel differently.

And I know they got really close in the past... but do you think Amare would've helped stop Dirk in 2006, which was the big issue there? Even though Amare was suspended that one game in 2005, Duncan still dropped 30 on them multiple times, if I recall.

Plus, that roster was easily the best D'Antoni ever had-- Nash in his prime (older than most players' prime, but prime nonetheless), young Amare, Marion in his prime, young Joe Johnson, and Quentin Richardson actually shooting the ball well. That's a sick lineup. Unless they land a super-stud in free agency, how will D'Antoni top having that? And even if they DO, how are you going to beat Miami/Orlando/Boston/Chicago without playing defense?