After Sunday's season-ending loss to Toronto, in which Amare Stoudemire did not play, the veteran center was asked if the game proved that size still matters in the NBA.

"Dr. (James) Naismith created the game to be an inside-out game," Stoudemire said. "It's going to always matter. It's how the game has always been played."

Stoudemire did say it was "pretty good year."

"For me personally, I showed great health, showed resilience and consistency of playing," Stoudemire said. "Would love to have played more but, for the most part, it was a successful year from a health standpoint. Great chemistry. I enjoyed the guys. I had the best time of my life with my teammates this season."

Does he want to come back?

"Well see," Stoudemire said.

Was it part of the deal, when he signed a minimum contract, that his playing time would be limited?

"That was not a part of the deal," Stoudemire said.

Stoudemire played in 52 regular season games, starting 36 -- most after the All-Star break as Hassan Whiteside settled into a dominant bench role. But Erik Spoelstra put Whiteside back in the lineup right before the season ended, and Stoudemire's playing time was sporadic thereafter.

He played in just nine of the 14 playoff games, and as many as 11 minutes in only four of them.

Teammates enjoyed his presence, and he enjoyed living in Miami -- he plans to stay in town for most of the summer after traveling to Europe for much of last summer.

But he may seek a little steadier role somewhere else.