What Happens When It All Comes Crashing Down?

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He's an all-world talent. There was some serious lobbying for Amare to be on Team USA this summer, despite his rumored indifference to the program. He hasn't even entered his prime yet, and he still inspires fear in the hearts of men, titans, demi-gods, etc. But why does Amare's career fall like a house of cards in a room full of flu-ridden rhinos?

Or, if you'll pardon the game table analogies, the whole Amare thing is more like Jenga. Major injury? Take a block. Trading away Marion, an asset on offense and his fail-safe on defense? Another one. Ship out D'Antoni, whose offense gave Stoudemire wings? Slip another brick out. Shaq's eventual breakdown? Push that middle one thr-NONONONONO NOTTHATONE! Look, right there. RIGHT THERE. I'm pointing at it. I don't know what else I ca-OK, you got it. Then the big one: Steve Nash finally breaks down, moves on, or retires? That's gotta be two blocks, at the least. Who knows if that will be enough to make the tower, Standing Tall And...Tall, wobble a bit too far.

The question is, how soon could the ground become annoyingly littered with wooden bricks? Nash is 34, a 12-year veteran, and run to death. Shaq is 36 with a weight ten times that, a 16-year veteran, and already semi-washed up. And who can say with any certainty how the '08-'09 Suns offense is going to function.

Or, tell me if you've heard this one before: 2010. Amare will be in the last year of his contract if he chooses not to opt-out (he'll be paid over $17 million that season, so odds are he'll still be soaking up the sun). And before everyone down in the PHX insists that Nash'll be a Sun fo life, realize that many of the Mavericks faithful thought the same thing. Nash has said he doesn't need a title to validate his career, but considering Phoenix isn't likely to be contending by 2010, who could blame him for going to a team that could make his job easier?

Then again, there's the chance that Amare's game just gives the illusion of fragility. He seems like a product of the system, and while I know for a fact his life is going to get more difficult post-Nash, he's talented enough to rise above. He's shown improvement in his mid-range game to his credit, but at this point I don't see a reason to include him in the "If you could build around any player..." upper-echelon with the likes of LeBron, Wade, Paul, Howard, and Williams. Or even the less established Oden or Durant. Because of the nature of his game and his numbers, Amare could be an all-star until his knees explode, but in terms of playing a branch of superstar basketball that helps teams win while being "the man," I'm more than skeptical.

2010, Phoenix fans. Mark your calendars.