July 5th, 2010: Stoudemire Gets a Tour, Knicks Mull Options

5:38 PM: Hahn:

Source tells Newsday Knicks have a done deal with Amar'e Stoudemire. More to come ....

Update (4:06 PM): Adrian Wojnarowski just twat:

Amar'e Stoudemire's 5-year, $100 mil deal is negotiated and on cusp of agreement, league source tells Y! Amar'e and Dolan have 4 pm meeting.

Knicks and agent Happy Walters worked out "finer" points of deal, 4 pm meeting and presentation w/ owner and then Amar'e must give final nod

Good afternoon, varmints. I hope everybody had a pleasant 4th of July. Free agency managed to invade even the most American of holidays, with Amar'e Stoudemire stopping by James Dolan's party last night. (Side note: What is a party at James Dolan's house like?). Today, Stoudemire is taking a spin around the 'burbs. Via Alan Hahn:

Amar'e and Knicks doing "drive-by tour" of neighborhoods near Westchester training center, then a stop at facility. Talk deal? We'll see

In his latest Fix, Hahn reminds us that the courting of Stoudemire is all part of a greater, multi-layered scheme.

It is believed that in this conference, Donnie Walsh sent Senior VP Glen Grunwald and MSG Sports president Scott O'Neil back to Cleveland to meet with Leon Rose for a follow-up consultation.

Walsh says the meeting was to further explain how the Knicks could build a team around LeBron with their nearly $35M in salary cap space like no other team in the sweepstakes. Grunwald is Walsh's cap expert and his value to the staff is extremely underrated from the outside. O'Neil, the marketing and promotion expert who has dramatic plans to turn whomever signs with the Knicks into New York City icons, is a dynamic front man who can deliver a message.

And it is believed that part of the message was to say this: after meeting with both Wade and Bosh and hearing from Amar'e, you can take your pick. And here's how each player could be acquired to allow for extra money leftover to add other pieces to the roster.

Contingency is the name of the game. The vibe amongst the experts seems to suggest that Amar'e would bring the Knicks the best shot at LeBron James. One never really knows, but with that second meeting taking place and New York having a positive audience with each of the major free agents, things are looking up.

The odd man out, it seems, is our beloved David Lee, who may be the last domino to fall in all of this. Ken Berger updates us on Lee's situation:

Lee, who averaged 20.2 points and 11.7 rebounds last season, already has met face-to-face with the Bulls, Nets, Heat and Timberwolves. A league source with knowledge of the market for Lee told CBSSports.com Monday that the Knicks are engaged in discussions with Utah, Toronto, Houston, Golden State and Charlotte about a sign-and-trade arrangement involving Lee. This could be a key piece of the puzzle in the decision process for LeBron or Wade. Some of the Utah scenarios involve Carlos Boozer coming to New York, and some of the Toronto scenarios involve Bosh. Both players are high on the lists of power forwards both LeBron and Wade want to encourage to team up with them.

(Rabble rabble rabble). More as it comes.