Amar’e Stoudemire was the biggest name thrown about during the NBA’s All-Star Weekend and the ensuing week after, in terms of stars that could be switching teams. Amar’e was thought by many to be the most movable piece on the Phoenix Suns. There were rumors of him heading to Toronto, Chicago and Cleveland, to name a few.

So the news that he is out for the season probably comes as a bit of “Oh my God, that could have been me!” news to his potential suitors.

Oddly enough, too, it’s the same eye he hurt in the preseason. Which certainly makes, if for only paranoia’s sake, it interesting that the Suns were so willing to shop him at a reduced rate. (Obviously they backed down after tipping their hand and seeing what little they could actually get for him, but I’m a conspiracy junkie — let me have it.)

Although it’s not necessarily that Amar’e is by any means “damaged goods” — the guy did score 42 points and grab 11 boards … with a detached retina (which is just straight up meast-like).

It’s obviously a disaster for the Suns, who currently sits one game behind Utah for the last spot in the Western Conference, and now find themselves in the unenviable position of probably landing a shoddy lottery pick, the rights to whom Bob Sarver will probably trade elsewhere in exchange for whatever money he needs to cover his luxury cap expenses. And for a team like the Bulls, who nearly traded for Amar’e to shake things up (despite sitting just a game and a half behind the Bucks in the East) the whole “What If…” process is pretty terrifying as well.