Amar’e Stoudemire missed the Heat’s season opener at home last Wednesday night due to the Heat’s maintenance program they are using with him that they used with Dwyane Wade back in the Big 3 era.

Stoudemire has dealt with knee problems over the course of the last few years due to wear and tear on his knees, something Stoudemire recently spoke on, saying it’s a blessing for him to still be in the NBA.

“For me to still be playing in the league at this point is a blessing,” Stoudemire said when discussing Miami’s maintenance program. “There’s no telling how much time I’ve got left. Father Time is ticking. My body has been through a lot in my career. This year could be– You just never know what the future holds as far as my career is concerned.”

“All that wear and tear and playing and athleticism and being explosive to the basket, it adds up,” he said while describing his issue as a variety of ailments rather than simply knee trouble. “We’ll see what the math ends up being toward the end of the year.”

Stoudemire is making a cheap $947,276 this year, meaning that he’s not really costing the Heat so badly by not playing in “non important” games. Tonight’s Heat-Cavaliers game is the first big one of the season, and Stoudemire is available to play.

Stoudemire averaged 11.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and .6 blocks per game last season split between New York and Dallas.