"The Suns will use Amar'e Stoudemire's official departure today to make a pair of sign-and-trade deals with New York and Chicago, netting the Suns a $16.5 million trade exception from the Knicks and using part of that for Hakim Warrick's

acquisition, according to Stoudemire's agent, Happy Walters.

Walters said the trade exception the Suns are receiving in return for first signing Stoudemire to his five-year, $99.7 million contract with New York is for $16.5 million, equivalent to Stoudemire's first-year salary. That means the Suns would not be getting a player, like free agent David Lee in return.

However, if LeBron James picks New York today, the Knicks would have to renounce Lee's rights and the Suns could still have a chance at Lee. Even then, Phoenix is hesitant to give Lee a contract averaging about $13 million annually like he wants. By comparison, Steve Nash will make $10.3 million this season.

The Suns could use the trade exception over the next year to acquire a player of less than or close to the exception's value (about $13.5 million after the Warrick deal is done) without having to send any Suns players in a deal.

It was expected that New York would receive a second-round pick in such an arrangement, as well as about $800,000 in extra salary cap space this year by being able to start Stoudemire's contract at a lower first-year salary. By Phoenix signing Stoudemire before trading him, the contract can have 10.5 percent raises to get to the same $99.7 million total as he would have by signing with New York with eight percent raises."