NEW YORK — Amare Stoudemire is headed to the New York Knicks, and both sides are hoping he’s not coming alone.

The Knicks said Monday they intend to sign Stoudemire to a contract later this week when the free agent moratorium period ends. Stoudemire’s agent, Happy Walters, said the deal is for the maximum allowed, which would be nearly $100 million over five years.

Wearing a blue Knicks hat, Stoudemire said he looked forward to rebuilding a franchise and bringing the Knicks back to the top — maybe with a player such as LeBron James or Dwyane Wade with him.

“I feel great about being a pioneer and showing my leadership,” he said at Madison Square Garden, where signs throughout the entrances showed the player pictured in a Knicks uniform and reading “Welcome, Amare Stoudemire.”