Stoudemire's days as a dominating power forward are not done, however, and he will bounce back with a strong 2012-'13 campaign.

There are two main reasons for this premonition.

First of all, Amar'e is only 29-years-old, so any talk of his talents deteriorating should be more focused on his current health as opposed to his age.

This past season was not Stoudemire's best, but there were certainly some circumstances which put him into a tough situation to succeed.

Amar'e admitted that he entered the season overweight. While an athlete should always be in top playing condition, the NBA lockout did affect many players in terms of their offseason workout regimens.

When he was able to shed the unwanted weight, his performance certainly benefited.

Just as he began playing more consistently, he missed 13 games with a bulging disc in his back, which hindered the Knicks' offense once again and affected his performance.

Stoudemire finished the season averaging 17.5 points per game to go along with 7.8 rebounds on 48.3 percent shooting.

It was a decline from his first season in New York, but they were respectable numbers considering the Knicks do have other scoring options.

Stoudemire should be able to enter next season in peak shape and ready to contribute at a high level for New York.

On top of the injuries, Amar'e was also forced to cope with the unexpected death of his brother early in the season. Nobody will question the difficulty of performing in the spotlight while experiencing the psychological trauma of dealing with a personal matter of that magnitude.

The second reason for Stoudemire's comeback will be the Knicks' roster.

Last season, the Knicks featured a bevy of different lineups throughout the year. Injuries decimated them during the season and made it extremely difficult for the team to play with any continuity.

While the Knicks were playing inspired basketball during the Jeremy Lin period, Amar'e appeared to turn a corner in his season.

He definitely was aided by the presence of a point guard with the passing prowess and pick-and-roll ability of Lin.

There is no debate Stoudemire has performed his best with a solid point guard running the offense.

In Phoenix, Steve Nash and Stoudemire combined to form a potent duo for eight seasons. They complemented each others abilities and the 6'11" power forward really thrived in the fast-paced offense.

Even last season Stoudemire was a dynamic player thanks to the terrific play of Raymond Felton, who was dealt to Denver in February as part of the blockbuster Carmelo Anthony deal.

Stoudemire shot 50 percent from the field last season which was a critical component of the Knicks' offense. They were able to trust him with his potent mid-range jumper, which made it extremely difficult for the opposition to defend.

Next season, at the very least, the Knicks should have improved overall health of the team. It would also seem logical that the front office will shore up the point guard situation.

Head Coach Mike Woodson claimed that Jeremy Lin will "absolutely" return next season.

It is purely speculation at this point, but if they could acquire free-agent Steve Nash, the offense could experience a tremendous boost with the two-time league MVP reuniting with Amar'e in New York.

Nash could potentially enhance the performance of Stoudemire and allow the Knicks' front office to reap the benefits of signing him to the massive deal worth nearly $100 million.

So, just by a number of factors returning to normal next season, Stoudemire will be more affective by default. The Knicks' offense will benefit greatly because of his resurgence and perhaps they can become the Eastern Conference powerhouse they were expected to be this season.

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The key to everything coming together next season? 

Point guard Jeremy Lin. 

Yes, "Linsanity" was fun while it lasted, but no, I'm not a delusional fan who sees the Harvard graduate as the next Chris Paul. 

He's not the next Paul, Deron Williams or Rajon Rondo, but on a Knicks team with Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and an assortment of role players who found themselves this season like Steve Novak and Iman Shumpert, (barring his health) Lin doesn't need to be a miracle worker. 

What Spike Lee's favorite team needs is a distributing, make-everyone-better point guard, and that's the type of player Lin can and needs to become. 

During his famous 2011 season at Madison Square Garden, Lin averaged 14.6 points, 6.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals with 3.6 turnovers per game. 

Many of the turnovers stemmed from the athletically limited Lin trying to do much when Anthony was sidelined and a clear forcing of the issue when Anthony returned. 

Though he does have a natural scoring affinity when he's on the court, his real forte is attacking the basket and creating opportunities for his teammates.

Lin wouldn't feel as much pressure if he wasn't relied upon to score as frequently.  

I understand that 'Melo can get his shot whenever he wants and has done the overwhelming majority of his damage with the ball in his hands. 

However, he's also a pure shooter and could benefit from a point guard looking to find him in easing scoring positions. 

The Knicks can't bank on Anthony taking the ball, going one-on-one and scoring 40 points every time out. We've seen that doesn't yield desired results.

Every club needs an orchestrator to run the offense, and in his second year in New York, Jeremy Lin can be that guy. 

He's vital to the Knicks celebrating more than just one playoff win next season. 

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Lin certainly has to be the Knicks biggest priority for next season considering that Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler are all under contract for the foreseeable future. However, there are a few other players who will hit free agency this offseason as well.

Here are the odds of each Knicks free agent as to whether or not each player will remain in New York next season.

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According to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.com, there are already many teams interested in Lin.

The Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks, Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets are among the teams eyeing Lin as free agency approaches, according to sources close to the situation.

Of those teams mentioned above, here are the best possible fits for the Harvard grad.

New York Knicks

Well, this one is a no-brainer for both sides.

New York is the best place for athletes to play if they have financial aspirations outside of their NBA paycheck. For Lin, a player with such an international appeal, that fact is no different. There is no better stage than New York and Madison Square Garden for him to build his global brand.

On the flip side, the Knicks would love to bring Lin back considering how hot his jersey sold this season and the incredible attention he brings along with him worldwide.

Even if the Knicks were able to somehow land Steve Nash, Lin would have an top-notch mentor to help him develop into the great point guard he hopes to be one day, and that's the worst-case scenario.

Still, I doubt that will happen, and I'm fully confident that come next season, Lin will once again be running New York's offense.

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavs have a ton of cap space to work with this offseason, and that could benefit Lin.

Because of the Gilbert Arenas provision in the new collective bargaining agreement, Lin's salary cannot exceed around $5 million for the first year of any deal.

However, according to Kennedy's article, there is a way around that if a team like the Mavericks wants to snag the point guard.

Lin’s options are somewhat limited due to a restriction called the “Gilbert Arenas Provision” that was added to the new collective bargaining agreement. This rule states that Lin’s salary in the first two years of his next contract cannot exceed $5,000,000 and $5,225,000.

However, there is a loophole. A team with salary cap space could make things interesting by increasing Lin’s salary in years three and four of his contract and paying him the average salary of the four-year deal. However, if the Knicks match a back-loaded offer, they’ll have to pay the actual salary that he’s due for each season.

Dallas has more than enough cap space to make such a deal if the plan to sign Deron Williams falls through.

Lin would be paired with Dirk Nowitzki, who already has a championship ring. Playing with a guy like Dirk will instantly make Lin's job easier. The Mavs will have the money to surround Lin with the players he needs, and he would get plenty of playing time during the season.

Brooklyn Nets

With the Nets moving into a new arena next season, it would seem that losing Deron Williams would be the end-all, be-all of this organization and would totally erase any excitement for the newest team in Brooklyn.

But if Lin were to open the Barclay's Center, that would instantly change.

Granted, Lin isn't better than Williams at this point in his career, but he could garner just as much, if not more attention than the all-world point guard.

Brooklyn would be a great place for Lin to continue building what is an already impressive global brand. He would instantly be the face of the franchise with plenty of playing time to follow.

And, of course, the Nets have the cap space to backload a deal to bring Lin to Brooklyn. That would really give the Knicks headaches courtesy of their crosstown rivals.

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Though his resume speaks for itself—he has in his possession more championship hardware than LeBron James would care to acknowledge—at this point in time, he's simply not what the Knicks need.

And as painstaking as it may be to admit, James Dolan made a wise decision to forgo the pursuit of the universally respected head coach.

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While a number of fans will be excited to hear that Woodson could realistically be running the show in the Big Apple for the next few years, the Knicks' intentions in signing Woodson are somewhat worrisome.

With other coaches like Phil Jackson reportedly interested in making a return to the world of coaching, the Knicks' reported decision to stick with Woodson so quickly is surprising.

Ahead is a list of 10 reasons why the Knicks will regret bringing back Woodson, if that is the direction they choose to go in.

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For the season, Lin’s stats are quite impressive—35 GP, 14.6 PPG, 6.2 APG, 3.0 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 44.6% FG, 32.0% 3PT.

However, are those numbers and the phenomenon (which might just be a fad) known as Linsanity worth risking the future of a franchise for?

Absolutely not.

That is why the New York Knicks cannot match any back-loaded deals that come Lin’s way in restricted free agency this summer.

Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld is reporting that the Dallas Mavericks, Toronto Raptors, Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets are all interested in acquiring the 23-year-old point guard’s services.

According to Kennedy, they may pay quite a premium after the first two years of the contract and make it tough for the Knickerbockers to match.

Due to a loophole in the CBA’s “Gilbert Arenas Provision,” Lin’s initial two-year deal cannot exceed more than $5.225 million per season.

After that it gets tricky:

If Brooklyn offers Lin $12,628,613 and $13,146,387 in the final two years of his deal, they’ll have to pay him $9,000,000 per season. However, if New York matches, they’ll owe Lin $5,000,000 next season, $5,225,000 in year two and then $12,628,613 in 2013-14

With Amar’e Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler and Carmelo Anthony under contract for over $60 million combined that year, Lin would be a luxury they cannot afford.

New York has already expressed interest in bringing in Steve Nash and other point guards, meaning the Taiwanese-American superstar might not even see much floor time if he is outplayed.

There is too much uncertainty surrounding Lin and his 35-game resume for the Knicks to risk their future with another potentially awful contract. They spent years cleaning up the books and getting useless players like Eddy Curry and Jerome James off the cap.

There is no point in them going down that road again so soon—not when they are actual contenders with superstar players already on the roster. 

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