"Amar'e Stoudemire has a body that would blow away the competition at Muscle Beach, but one that could easily be compromised by the NBA's grueling 66-game season over four months.

Stoudemire even admitted on Wednesday that he could envision a scenario in which he sits out certain games for the Knicks at various points of the season to preserve his troublesome knees for the playoffs.

"Yeah, you never know depending on how these games go," Stoudemire said following Wednesday's practice in Greenburgh. "It may be smart to take a recovery day depending on who we're playing. But we have to wait and see."

The decision by the league to play a lockout-shortened 66-game slate from Dec. 25 to April 26 could be detrimental to many veteran players, including Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant and Stoudemire, who have all had knee issues in recent years. Stoudemire was deemed such a medical risk that his contract with the Knicks is not insured."