LONDON — Amar'e Stoudemire plans to make his return Thursday in London from a swollen right knee, but admitted he's not sure how long he will last in the US with the fully rebuilding Knicks.
In his first comments since Phil Jackson gutted the roster by ridding the club of three rotation players in Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith and Samuel Dalembert, Stoudemire admitted it's "a very difficult situation'' and said he will ponder his future with the club. The Knicks are 5-35 and looking to play their young guys.
Stoudemire, listed as questionable for the game against the Bucks at O2 Arena, is in the final year of his $100 million contract and doesn't appear to have a long-term future with the franchise.
"It's very difficult situation at this point,'' Stoudemire said at the Imperial College, where the club had a practice. "It's a hard decision for me to make. My loyalty has always been with New York and the Knicks. So it will be tough right now to make a decision as far as going somewhere else at this point. It's something I have to think about. I'm sure over time I'll sit and think about the best scenario for myself.
"For now, I know I've been through injuries throughout my career. I have to make sure I'm able to be strong enough and prepared to play for team contending for a championship. New York is trying to rebuild. Hopefully that will be sooner than later.''
Knicks president Phil Jackson said Saturday nobody should be "surprised by anything we do from here on.'' Stoudemire's $22 million pact could be waived after the trading deadline – if Stoudemire wants to be a free agent. Due to salary-cap rules, Jackson probably will be hard-pressed to move the 32-year-old's hefty contract.
The 2010 free-agent signee has a great relationship with owner James Dolan, who appreciates Stoudemire's loyalty. The Knicks probably would not waive Stoudemire unless he wanted it.
Stoudemire told The Post last season he could play for his Jerusalem team he partly owns after his contract expires, but he has indicated recently he still wants to remain in the NBA if his knees let him. Stoudemire has yet to play in the calendar year of 2015.
"We don't have the best record in the league at this point,'' Stoudemire said. "I don't want to go out and hinder yourself for the future. I want to make sure I'm healthy for the rest of this season and also the future.''
Stoudemire could play a tutorial, leadership role the final 42 games – one reason Jackson would want to keep him around.
"I feel more of a veteran player than I ever have in my life,'' Stoudemire said. "These guys are extremely young, most born in the 90s. I'm not old. I'm 32 years old. I'm still young myself. I think I can teach these guys how to play the game of basketball.''
Stoudemire and Shumpert have the same agent.
"It's a tough thing because you develop a family-type atmosphere for teammates,'' Stoudemire said. "Shump was my rookie coming into this league. You develop a friendship and relationship. It's never a good feeling. But it's a business. Sometimes you got to roll with the punches.''
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