multiple back, knee, ankle, and hand injuries from 2012-2015

Due to the injuries, the Knicks coaching staff had to limit the amount of minutes Stoudemire played. Starting in the 2012-13 season, Amar’e began to come off the bench primarily, starting only 35 of the 130 games he has played. In those games, he only saw 23.4 minutes of floor time per game but the veteran also managed to score 12.4 points and grab 5.5 rebounds per game. He shot 56 percent from the field and held an Offensive Rating of 113 during those 130 games.

Even in his limited time on the court this season, Stoudemire has still proven to be an offensive boost for New York. The Knicks had an Offensive Efficiency Rating of 103.3 while Stoudemire was on the floor and only a 96.8 rating when he was on the bench. In the 22 games that Stoudemire has come off the bench for the Knicks this year, his Offensive Rating is 113.2, nearly 8 points more than in the 14 games in which he started. So it would seem, in the twilight of his career, Stoudemire has transformed himself from an MVP-caliber player into a reliable big-off-the-bench guy. Which is perfect for Dallas because...

Dallas’ Area of Need

Dallas’ title chances rely heavily on the health of their veteran frontcourt duo, center understatement, Stoudemire is more than holding his own this season. When defending shots from 10 feet and closer, Stoudemire is holding opponents to 45.6 percent shooting, or 9.5 percentage points lower than expected. He is also averaging 1.4 blocks every 36 minutes and is having the second best season in his career with a 22.4 percent defensive rebound rate. Defending against the second unit, as he will in Dallas, Stoudemire will provide more than enough defensive ability not to torpedo an already soft Dallas bench.

Besides being the primary fill-in for Chandler at center, Stoudemire will also get some run at the four spot to help rest Nowitzki during games. Dirk Nowitzki's Offensive Rating is 119.7 in the 25 games this season in which he has played fewer than 30 minutes. In the 26 games he goes over that total, his rating drops more than 10 points to 109.2. At 36 years old, Nowitzki will need plenty of rest during the final 27 games if he is to be at full strength for a hopefully deep playoff run. So Stoudemire will also provide Dallas with a worthwhile option to start at power forward when they decide to rest Dirk Nowitzki on the second half of a back-to-back, as they have four times this season.

A Good Fit for Both

Stoudemire and the Mavericks could not have found a more perfect scenario for each other.

Stoudemire wanted to play for a contender, and Dallas was in dire need of front court depth. As long as Stoudemire can stay healthy, he can thrive in a sixth-man role, as Dallas plans to use him. He will solidify the Mavs’ bench and give valuable minutes of rest to Tyson Chandler and Dirk Nowitzki.

While his impact may not be seen in the regular season standings, it will definitely be seen in the Mavericks’ run for a title. The Mavericks currently hold a 6.6% chance to win it all, per our metrics, the fifth-best odds in the NBA.