Trees, Shrubs and Conifers: which to keep?, 2 by ambersas

ambersas wrote:
We got this small tree from Arbor Day Foundation a couple of years ago. Poor thing had a really bad time in the heat plus drought we suffered here in NE TX last summer. We did water it and thus it survived - barely.

This year it leafed out but the shoots at the base seem far more 'healthy' than the top part. The question is, should we cut off the original trunk/stem and let the shoots grow? Or, should we cut off the shoots so the plants resources go to the original trunk/stem?

It is supposed to be a red maple. . .

Thanks for any advice.