Nets coach Amar’e Stoudemire blasts NBA’s suspension of Grayson Allen

The Bucks-Bulls game last Friday night benefitted the Brooklyn Nets. Because Milwaukee edged Chicago, Brooklyn moved back into first place in the East with a win over San Antonio on the same night. However, all eyes were on Fiserv Forum after Grayson Allen was issued a flagrant two foul on Alex Caruso. Social media erupted and even Nets’ assistant coach Amar’e Stoudemire offered his two cents.

On Saturday, the Bulls announced that Caruso had fractured his right wrist and would undergo surgery, meaning that he’ll be out for six-to-eight weeks. Caruso left Los Angeles in free agency to sign with Chicago, and he’s been a key part of the Bulls’ success, so losing him for an extended amount of time is a tough blow.

Surely the NBA would place an appropriate suspension on Allen for his wrongdoing, right? Nope.

On Sunday, the league announced that Allen would serve a one-game suspension without pay for “having made unnecessary and excessive contact” against Caruso. In response to that, Stoudemire made his thoughts clear in an Instagram comment.

Brooklyn Nets’ Amar’e Stoudemire disagrees with Grayson Allen’s suspension.

Stoudemire joined Brooklyn’s staff as an assistant coach in October of 2020. He and Steve Nash’s history date back to their pick-and-roll days in Phoenix.

Allen’s slap on the wrist was personal to Stoudemire because he was suspended for one game in the Suns-Spurs playoff series in 2007.

In Game 4, San Antonio’s Robert Horry body-checked Nash into the scorer’s table in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. Stoudemire and Boris Diaw left Phoenix’s bench and as a result, the duo was suspended for one game for leaving “the immediate vicinity of their bench.”

Horry was suspended for two games.

The series was tied at 2-2 entering Game 5, but without Stoudemire and Diaw, the Suns didn’t have an answer for Tim Duncan, who finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds. The Spurs won, 88-85, and traveled back to San Antonio for Game 6, where they earned the series victory with a 114-106 win.

Although Stoudemire and Diaw didn’t throw any punches, it was enough for the NBA to suspend them for leaving the bench. That was a point of emphasis at the time and Phoenix was punished for it.

Stoudemire hasn’t forgotten about what could’ve been if he and Diaw had been allowed to play in a crucial Game 5.

Andrew Bogut, the Bucks’ No. 1 pick in the 2005 draft, caught wind of Stoudemire’s comment on Allen’s suspension and chimed in.

https://twitter.com/andrewbogut/status/1485739058517385217

Bogut is referring to when he broke his arm in a game against the Suns in April of 2010. As he went up for a fast-break dunk in the second quarter, Stoudemire nudged him lightly from behind. Bogut flipped in mid-air and landed awkwardly on his right arm, which resulted in him fracturing multiple bones and missing the rest of the season. Stoudemire didn’t receive a suspension.

Milwaukee fans enjoyed Bogut’s clap back at Stoudemire but they need to carry that same energy over to Allen, who has been a notoriously dirty player dating back to his days at Duke.

Stoudemire’s suspension robbed him of an NBA title, and maybe, just maybe, the Nets will do him a huge favor in mid-June.

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