Stoudemire staying put in Phoenix

After weeks of trade discussions, the Suns decided the one player they could not do without was Amare Stoudemire.

It is a gamble. The All-Star can opt out of the final year of his contract worth $17.7 million next season, and the Suns will have nothing but a little extra money to spend next summer.

Still, general manager Steve Kerr said he considered standing pat at yesterday's NBA trade deadline was the best option for a Suns team that has a three-game lead on a Western Conference playoff spot with 27 games remaining.

"I've maintained that unless there was something out there that improved our team and put us in a lot better position moving forward, then we weren't going to do anything. And that was the case," Kerr said. " . . . Multiple teams called us. We called a couple of teams just to inquire about certain things. In the end, nothing really struck our fancy."

Cleveland was the team most often linked to the Suns, with J.J. Hickson and Zydrunas Ilgauskas mentioned as trading chips, but Kerr said any trade with the Cavaliers "never really rang a bell with us, frankly."

He added: "It had to be better. It had to be a spinoff. There had to be something else. That had a lot of different offshoots to it that were tricky, and it just didn't happen."

Stoudemire, in his seventh season, is averaging 21.4 points and 8.7 rebounds a game while playing for about $16.4 million. He has until June 30 to decide if he will opt out.

Miami and Philadelphia also were mentioned as possible trading partners, but it became clear that any deal involving the Suns and Miami would have had to include a third team. Stoudemire makes an offseason home in Florida.

"He's fine with what happened," said Stoudemire's agent, Happy Walters. "He always has been with the Suns. He likes the team. He loves the city. He'll go 110 percent the rest of the year."

Bulls' Thomas to Bobcats

The Charlotte Bobcats addressed coach Larry Brown's biggest concern, acquiring power forward Tyrus Thomas from the Chicago Bulls just before the trade deadline. Charlotte sent a future, protected first-round pick to Chicago, along with the expiring contracts of guards Flip Murray and Acie Law.

The Bobcats have lacked depth behind starting power forward Boris Diaw. They hope Thomas - who has clashed with coaches in the past - will provide needed rebounding and shot-blocking as they look to secure their first playoff berth.

"It's like getting a lottery pick in my mind," Brown said. "A young, big kid that's got a huge upside. He fills a lot of needs for us."

The 6-10 Thomas is averaging 8.8 points and 6.3 rebounds and making $4.7 million in the final year of his contract. He'll be a restricted free agent this summer.

The Bobcats made another minor trade, acquiring veteran big man Theo Ratliff from San Antonio for a 2016 second-round pick.

It was a day of two trades for four expiring contracts for the Bulls, who are expected to be $18-20 million under the salary cap and poised to be a major player in free agency this summer. Chicago also acquired forwards Hakim Warrick and Joe Alexander from Milwaukee for guard John Salmons.

Jazz trade Brewer to Grizzlies

The Utah Jazz traded shooting guard Ronnie Brewer to the Memphis Grizzlies for a future first-round draft pick. The trade should open up some room in a position where the Jazz are well-stocked and reduce the club's luxury tax burden. Brewer, the Jazz's first-round pick in the 2006 draft, has started every game this season and averaged 9.5 points.- AP