During the summer of 2010, former Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James became a free agent. After being courted by many teams (including both the Knicks and Heat), he announced his decision to join the Miami Heat on national television on July 8, 2010. Much to the frustration of Knicks fans, and the Knicks had spent the last two seasons re-engineering their roster to accommodate James' potential contract. Earlier that week, former Phoenix Suns forward Amar'e Stoudemire announced his intention to sign with the New York Knicks. A new era of the rivalry was born.