Six-Time All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire announced his retirement as a player in the National Basketball Association on Tuesday, going out as a Knick after inking a final contract with New York.
 Stoudemire thanked Knicks brass for signing him so that he could officially retire as a member of the storied franchise. “I came to New York in 2010 to help revitalize this franchise and we did just that,” the 33-year-old forward said. “Although my career has taken me to other places around the country, my heart had always remained in the Big Apple. Once a Knick, always a Knick.”
 Stoudemire, a dominant forward, was introduced as a Knick on July 8, 2010 at Madison Square Garden and his arrival helped the Knicks end a post-season drought and launch a three-season playoff run.
 In his first season in New York he became the first Knick to be voted a starter in the NBA All-Star Game since Patrick Ewing in 1997.
 In 14 NBA seasons, Stoudemire averaged 18.9 points (15,994 total) and 7.8 rebounds (6,632) in 846 career games for Phoenix, New York, Dallas and Miami. In addition to six NBA All-Star berths, he was named to five All-NBA Teams and was the 2003 NBA Rookie of the Year. In international competition, Stoudemire represented the United States at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens and at the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship.
 Stoudemire played with the Knicks 2010-15, having joined from the Phoenix Suns before going on to join the Dallas Mavericks and
Miami Heat for brief spells. He returned to New York on a one-day contract to end his career.
 “For parts of six years, Amar’e Stoudemire was the face of the New York Knicks franchise because of his excellence on the court and his dedication to our community and our fans across the world,” Knicks general manager Steve Mills said. “When Amar’e asked us to retire as a Knick, we were honoured to oblige.”
 Stoudemire won an Olympic bronze medal with the United States in 2004.
 In other NBA news, the Miami Heat secured a two-year agreement with free-agent shooting guard Dion Waiters on Tuesday. Last season in 78 games, Waiters averaged only 9.8 points per game—a career low. He has a 12.8 career average in 289 games (110 starts).
 Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder are believed to have arrived at a crossroads. When Dion Waiters signed a two-year deal with the Miami Heat, the Thunder set the stage for a make-or-break contract negotiation with Westbrook. The offer from the Thunder could come soon. After watching 2014 MVP Kevin Durant leave in free agency, there is a desire to lock up Westbrook and find out where he stands this summer.
 Meanwhile, the official new contract for shooting guard Bradley Beal has been announced by the Washington Wizards. Terms of the deal were not disclosed by the team, but multiple reports earlier this month had the pact listed at five years and $128mn.
 Former University of Detroit guard Ray McCallum Jr. has signed with the Pistons. McCallum, 25, played 41 games last season with the San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies and averaged 3.3 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 11.6 minutes per game.
 In other signings, the Atlanta Hawks have signed free agent center Matt Costello, while the Charlotte Hornets added depth by signing unrestricted free-agent guard/forward Treveon Graham to a contract.