The Knicks Fix

During my research and interviewing process on Friday for a profile of Zach Randolph, a columnist at the Oregonian told me a few good stories. One was about how neighbors of Randolph's five-acre spread in rural Portland heard angry shouts and curses when the trade was announced on Thursday night.

It didn't come from Randolph. He wasn't there. He was said to be in his new offseason home in Indianapolis, which is near his hometown of Marion, Ind. Reports today have Randolph in LA with his agent (neither one of them called me back! I got immediate beef with them now) before he comes to New York.

Safe to say not everyone in Portland was upset with the deal. The neighbors, for one, hope it means the departure of Randolph's notorious circle of friends, known as the "Hoop Family." Yes, it wasn't too difficult to dig up a lot of dirt about Randolph and his boys. Lewd tales of sexual conduct (one police interview I obtained revealed that Randolph and his friend "share" at least one particular girlfriend) and a lot of wilding and partying. DUI. Marijuana use. Shooting guns in the air.

Sounds like NBA all-star weekend.

But in delving a little deeper, most people I spoke with say Randolph is actually a pretty easy guy to get along with. Charismatic. Friendly. Non-confrontational. One man told me about a time Randolph saw the man and his family standing together at a Blazers function. Randolph walked over to them and offered to sign autographs for his kids and engaged in a friendly conversation with the family.

The problems are mostly blamed on his friends, most of whom are dudes he grew up with that ascended on Portland from Marion.

Others also told me that Portland, the city, was over-sensitive to most of his wrongdoings. He got off on a bad foot with cops when during a traffic stop early in his career, he once tossed his keys into his car and locked it. Can't search anything locked without a warrant.

Jay-Z gave a lesson in "99 Problems"....

Glove compartment's locked, so's the trunk in the back
So you gonna need a warrant for that
(Aren't you sharp as a tack,
You some type of lawyer or something,
somebody important or something?)
I ain't passed the bar, but I know a lil bit
Enough for you to illegally search my ---

That didn't help him make any friends in the force. And when his disrespect continued, they made sure the media knew about every thing he was pulled over for or every time a complaint was put against him.

If you research most of the complaints against him, there has never been enough evidence to prosecute. The sexual assault charge? Police had evidence of several text messages the woman sent as an attempt to get money -- as much as $10,000 -- in exchange for her not pressing charges against him. Eventually, she sued him and they settled out of court.

As for being at a strip club during a so-called bereavement leave he took from the Blazers last season? One person told me that he stopped for a beer at his "regular spot" (apparently, he has his own table at a choice Portland peeler) on the way to the airport to attend the funeral in Indiana.

So I'm told much of his trouble is attributed to it taking place in a small, white-collar city that already had it fill of the Jail Blazers of Rasheed Wallace, Isaiah Rider, Ruben Patterson, etc. But there was one person who said the Portland police's gang unit noticed gang-related symbols around Randolph's house during an episode of MTV "Cribs."

Of course it was once suggested that Quentin Richardson's fists-to-head sign after hitting three-pointers was considered a "gang symbol." Q dismissed that notion, but stopped making the sign anyway. The fun was taken out of it.

What it appears to me is that Zach hasn't had much authority in his life. His basketball talent and his NBA money has made him feel above anyone's rules. Even with documented history of using marijuana, we can't know if he's ever failed an NBA drug test (players are tested four times a year) because that information is never made public. "Not even David [Stern] knows," one NBA source told me.

Hopefully, Isiah Thomas will know. And will know how to deal with it.

And, hopefully, someone keeps Nate Robinson far, far away from the "Hoop Family."

Got home from the MSG Training Facility sometime around 2:30 a.m. It's an even longer drive at night, when there's construction on the LIE and your mind keeps going over the details of a trade you think is nothing but bad news for the Knicks.

What do you guys think? It's funny, all the while I was checking in on the situations with Rashard Lewis, Kevin Garnett and Jermaine O'Neal, the name Zach Randolph kept coming back to me. But, being the enterprising, instinctive reporter that I am, I ignored it. No way the Knicks bring this guy in. Too much baggage. James Dolan doesn't go for people with baggage and a penchant for making appearances on the police blotter.

Someone told me he's a good kid. Just hangs with a bad crowd. Typical story.

I awoke this morning and saw the terrific back page by J-Dub, one of Newsday's most veteran editors. New York Zach Exchange. Great headline, J-Dub.

I'm still trying to see the positives of the deal: a 20-10 guy who is only 25, the disappearance of the Steve Francis contract without having to buy him out, you basically dealt an uninspiring Channing Frye for a dominant low-post scorer and a rebounder.

But the negatives keep creeping back: Randolph's contract (4 years left at $61 mil) is even longer, and more expensive, than Francis' deal, he doesn't play a lick of D and is not a shot-blocker, which means any penetration into the paint will mean more easy baskets for opponents...and, oh yeah, there's that thing about his character and this affinity for firearms and assaults.

Conference call is at 10 a.m. So much still to digest.

I'll check back in later. Sorry, I just don't have the juice going yet this morning.

Oh, and Taurean Green didn't get picked until the second round.

I still say the kid's gonna turn out to be a steal.

It's draft morning. Wilson Chandler still hasn't worked out for the Knicks. But everyone seems convinced he'll be the pick the Knicks make at No. 23. That rumor is hotter than the iPhone.

Yet the more I talk to people, the more I wonder: will that be the only thing the Knicks do today?

Sorry, I had to go with this picture. Hilariously creative, though he got the names over the wrong picture.

Moving on...

I've been through a lot of crazy drafts before. Remember, I used to cover Mike Milbury and the Islanders. (Mike always made it interesting and fun. And, well, busy. There were good years and bad ones. But they were always busy.)

So maybe it's just a reflex that gives me this gut feeling this morning that Isiah has something more going on than any of us know. I've heard he's looked into moving up to secure another pick. (Thanks for that internet rumor, David...but I checked with someone close to Chris Mullin who offered no indication that it was legit, though it was also not denied.)

Still, going against the grain, I made no secret in today's Newsday (check it out here. ) that my choice for the Knicks would be to take Taurean Green from Florida. I just think if you're going to stay the course and develop this franchise, you need to have a potential franchise-point guard waiting in the wings when Stephon Marbury's contract expires.

No offense to Mardy Collins, whom I really like as a person and a player. Some of you may think Nate Robinson is the point guard of the future, but if you ask Nate, even he doesn't consider himself a point guard.

I love Taurean's intangibles, not to mention the fact that he was the floor general for back-to-back NCAA championship teams. A few people I've spoken with about Taurean -- and I don't mean his dad, Sidney, who might be a bit biased, you know -- said he was the cog for that Gator team. Yes, they were loaded with talented players such as Corey Brewer, Joakim Noah and Al Horford, who will go in the top 10. But those close to the Florida program told me that Green was the main cog. When they struggled during the regular season, it was attributed to Green. When they were very successful, again, it was because Green was at the top of his game.

He's still young and physically needs to adjust to the pro game. The scouting report against Green in college was to be physical with him. Take him out of his game and you take Florida out of its game. That says a lot.

But I'll get off his jock now because I'm sure now that I went big and bold about him in the paper, there's no way the Knicks will take him now!!!

Egg, meet face.

It's not the first time. Won't be the last, either. Comes with the job. Like carpal-tunnel syndrome and airport delays. And an expense account.

Regardless, I've been told it's going to be a wild draft day. Kevin Garnett, Shawn Marion, Jermaine O'Neal, etc. all could be part of the news. It might even overshadow the hype surrounding Greg Oden and Kevin Durant.

I encourage you to make regular visits to Ken Berger's NBA blog as day goes into night. Ken plans on updating his blog throughout the draft and he'll talk about the latest rumors. Anything involving the Knicks I'll toss his way, but be sure to check in here, as well, in case something juicy comes to fruition.

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- Have to laugh when I hear commentators on various sports talk shows discussing the NBA draft and BC's Sean Williams. One guy actually said this of Williams (I'm paraphrasing): "Sure, he has been caught with large amounts of marijuana, but this guy has the skills of a top-10 pick!" It's the Pac-Man Jones caveat: Sure, he's a thug who surrounds himself with gun-toting gangstas, but the guy is a really good lock-down corner!

OK, not a fair comparison. But still: Pass.

- Just to share, in one of my innumerable conversations with people throughout the NBA one person who has talked with Isiah told me he believes the Knicks will either be involved in "something big or nothing at all." He said Thomas has his eyes on landing one of the big name players out there and "He'll take crap to get what he wants," meaning, he'll take on a bad contract as part of a deal.

The problem, the person told me, is that "No one wants to help the Knicks." On top of that, of the players out there who are suddenly demanding trades, there's reluctance to send them to New York because, as this person said, "sending someone to New York is a reward."

Don't put too much into it, it was just a casual conversation. But I thought I'd share.

- As I wrote yesterday, I'm told Eddy Curry will be in Las Vegas with several other Knicks to work out while the rookies and young players participate in the summer league. We'll see what type of shape he's in then.

- I don't know about you guys, but I can't wait for this day to be over! Too much information, speculation, rumor and conjecture to digest in a short amount of time. My brain feels like my stomach after a long night at the Churrascaria. And my card always stays on green, baby.

My man Fooch from MSG Network last weekend asked David Lee the only questions people wanted answered . . .

Lee revealed that over the past week he has started to increase the intensity level of his workouts and, so far, his "sore right leg" injury, which hampered him over the last two months of the season, is responding well.

“My health is doing a lot better," Lee told Fooch. "This week I’m starting to go hard, do some full-court running and stuff like that. Very positive results. I’m a little sore because I haven’t used it in a while, but as far as the injury itself, it’s feeling really good.”

Lee said he is not concerned about re-aggravating the injury -- which the Knicks medical staff first called a high-ankle sprain, but then eventually labeled it as a "sore right leg."

“It’s not one of those injuries where it’s going to be chronic," he said. "It’s just something I need to let heal and I’ve done that. I’ve tried to be easy on it a little bit to start the summer . . . As I start to get back into things, running full court and jumping, it’s starting to feel really, really good.”

Among the other Knick injuries, Quentin Richardson, who had back surgery on March 28, is running on the underwater treadmill and participating in shooting drills. Jamal Crawford's ankle fracture is healing nicely and he's pretty much back into regular workouts.

Expect to see Lee along with several other Knicks veterans at the Las Vegas Summer League. They won't be playing, but they will be working out together. Quentin Richardson and Eddy Curry had also planned to get most of the group together in Chicago during the summer.

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Did you happen to see the report in the Daily News regarding Allan Houston's comeback? There have been rumblings of this over the past season, especially each time he showed up at Knicks practicing looking as if he could take the court. It does give the Knicks an interesting option - shooters are always welcome - but it would create even more of a logjam in the backcourt.

- What would you do with Crawford?

- Steve Francis would be buried even deeper down the bench

Perhaps Isiah has a plan to open up some roster spots by dealing players for a pick (He doesn't own a second-round choice). I still don't know if the Knicks buy out Francis. All of the indications I got from people who know what Isiah is thinking say Isiah has no plans to buy out the contract.

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Sorry this is a brief blog everyone, but I'm swamped with NBA draft prep and making calls and writing for the print edition. Just thought you'd be interested in some updates about the current Knicks while we speculate about the future Knicks.

The well-worn story about the Yankees rebirth as a dynasty in the late 1990s is that it was the result of George Steinbrenner's banishment from baseball by then-commissioner Fay Vincent. This all had to do with Steinbrenner hiring Howie Spira to dig up some dirt to smear Dave Winfield.

And you think your boss is a jerk.

Steinbrenner was reinstated in 1993, but those two-plus years he was away allowed the Yankees, led by Gene Michael, to gather and develop a portfolio of blue chippers such as Bernie Williams without the meddling of The Boss. The Yankees got richer investing in their own instead of in overpriced free agents. Suddenly there was stability and there was direction.

And by 1996, there was a championship. Steinbrenner couldn't argue with the stay-the-course success, so he stayed hands off. At least as long as he could. It was enough to rebuild an empire.

Now consider the Knicks.

I remember rewinding my digital recorder (no one uses tape anymore, yo) to make sure I heard Isiah Thomas correctly a few weeks ago in Orlando, when he said the Knicks are "the heathiest we’ve been in a long time."

Healthy? With 33 wins and no lottery pick to show for it? With a huge hole at power forward? With a questionable backcourt? With a luxury tax-laden $87 million payroll that Thomas has the green light to expand if he so wishes?

Hold up. Wait a minute.

Here's where Thomas knows he has to be careful. If he did absolutely nothing but add a player with the No. 23 pick, he'd have a full roster of 15 players. He'd have last season's team back, healthy, and at best they're an 8th seed playoff team. You'd also have to deal with the Steve Francis situation once again (expect more "rehabilitation" trips to Houston) and Jerome James' conditioning questions.

But ride out the year continuing to develop players. In the summer of 2008, you face one major hurdle: Eddy Curry's player opt-out after the 2008-09 season. If he's worth his weight (ha..no pun intended), he's made himself into an all-star and your horse. Perhaps he'd led you to the playoffs. So you work on his deal. Give him the max and eliminate one headache.

Quentin Richardson and Jamal Crawford also have opt-outs after 08-09. Ride them out. You'll need the cap space.

And so you go into the 2008-09 season once again with the same roster plus another draft pick (don't trade this one, unless you can move up to get Roy Hibbert!) and two contract-motivated players in Crawford and Richardson. You also have some huge assets before the trading deadline: the expiring contracts of Francis, Stephon Marbury and Malik Rose.

The Knicks payroll - as it is constructed today - drops to $41 million for the 2009-10 season. But if you reworked Curry's deal, it'll be a little higher - but still workable.

A smattering of names that could be available via free agency in the Summer of '09:

- Our good friend Kobe Bryant has that widely-reported opt-out for 2009-10, just in case things don't work out with Kevin Garnett.

- Seattle's Ray Allen's contract expires after 2009-10, so the Sonics might consider moving him

- Golden State's Baron Davis will be a free agent

- Utah's Deron Williams will be a restricted free agent, unless the Jazz rework his deal. They have a team option for next season.

Another thing to keep in mind is that these players will be a year away from an opt-out:

- LeBron James

- Dwyane Wade

- Chris Bosh

These are all things for Isiah Thomas to consider as he checks the market this summer. As fans, you have to consider it, as well. Most of you on this blog are smart and read the situation well. But there are a lot of fans who get juiced up every time a trade is discussed.

"How can we get into the KG sweepstakes?"

"What will it take to get Kobe?"

"Can we make a deal for Shawn Marion?"

But my boys here on this blog are right. Let's take a lesson from the Yankees. Show some patience and let it ride. The bigger prizes are worth waiting for.

Many of you have expressed an interest ways the Knicks can hold on to Jamal Crawford and still make a good trade for a player such as Rashard Lewis. The natural instinct is to think the Sonics would love to have Mally 'mal because he's from Seattle.

I like Jamal as a person and a player; he gives you all he's got in both areas. But let's be honest, Seattle ain't selling out tickets because Jamal Crawford is in the building.

With a new GM (Sam Presti) and a new coach (eventually...as of now we know that PJ Carlisemo, Scott Brooks and Dwayne Casey each have had interviews with Presti) and the No. 2 pick in the draft (most likely Kevin Durant), the Sonics will be shopping for need. What they need is a point guard and backcourt help. Luke Ridnour and Earl Watson are hardly starting PG material.

Naturally, Crawford certainly fits as backcourt help, though not as a PG. But with Ray Allen entrenched in the shooting-guard spot, why would you want Crawford? If I'm Seattle, I ask for David Lee and Channing Frye for starters. The Sonics are letting Danny Fortson go and with Lewis gone as well, rebounding will be an area of need. Durant can score from the low blocks, but having Frye, an inside-outside guy, would fill a necessity, as well. As for the money-match, I'll leave it to the armchair GMs to dream up how the teams can work something out.

Bottom line, if the Knicks are getting Lewis, they only get him in a sign-and-trade that has Lewis coming with a max contract in his pocket as part of the deal. In other words, big bucks on the payroll.

The other scenario involves the wildly speculative Kobe Bryant move to New York. Would you still not want to trade Jamal if you could get Kobe?

Dream sequence over. Back to reality.

I don't see the Knicks wanting to move Crawford for no reason other than to upgrade. Otherwise, Crawford, who, to me, is still a developing player with a tremendous upside (needs to get better defensively, but who doesn't on this team?) will remain a Knick. I wouldn't put a lot of emphasis on trade scenarios that are tossed around in the general media. Remember, a lot of the speculated names come out based on money-matching.

I also feel moving Jamal without getting a starting-caliber SG back is somewhat detrimental. Some of you may feel Quentin Richardson can slide up into the SG spot, but Isiah Thomas might have him in the right place at this point in his career. Richardson isn't guard-quick, so his defensive ability wouldn't be as effective than when he plays the small forward spot. Another thought is you could start Mardy Collins, who is 6-6 and can defend and pass, in the backcourt with Stephon Marbury. Collins could be the PG on offense and let Marbury be a scorer and on the defensive end Collins could guard the taller SGs. But that's putting a lot of faith in Collins, who played well down the stretch but hasn't shown enough to be relied upon as an everyday starter. At least not yet.

Of course, there's always the re-visit of the "dynamic duo" backcourt of Marbury and Steve Francis.

Uh, no.

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- With NBA/Knicks coverage revving up this week with Thursday's draft, I'll be putting fewer "nuggets" into the blogs to save them for my daily stories for the print edition. I encourage you all to read both and keep up with the great comments, criticisms and insights. I love the enthusiasm some of you have expressed about what we're doing here and I plan to do my best to live up to the recent positive feedback.

- Just made my plans for the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Don't be jealous, considering the time of year (and the anticipated triple-digit temps) I've heard people just burst into flames there.

- You read a few David Lee stories over the weekend (we, once again, were somehow shunned from access...I'm investigating). What got buried is that David admits he's still not 100 percent recovered from the mysterious dead-leg injury that hampered him at the end of the season.

- What will be more interesting come Thursday night, when the Knicks pick at No. 23: The surprise pick that Thomas makes or Greg Anthony's reaction to it on ESPN?

So we're told Wilson Chandler does not expect to work out for the Knicks before next week's NBA draft. The Knicks invited the DePaul sophomore to come in during the past few weeks, but Chandler declined because of the ankle injury we told you about previously.

However, Chandler has re-scheduled workouts with a few other teams. Just not the Knicks. And Chandler doesn't plan to.

"I don't foresee us working out for the Knicks," Chandler's agent, Chris Luchey told Newsday's Ken Berger on Thursday.

Luchey did go as far as telling Berger that he re-scheduled with teams that have late-first, early-second round picks. Chandler's schedule is apparently full from now until draft day. Perhaps the Knicks could squeeze him in the morning of the draft.

If the Knicks were as high on this kid as previously reported, do they not need to see anything more from him? Do they not want to look too interested in bringing him in, thus avoiding tipping their hand to anyone selection ahead of them in the first round?

Or are they just not interested? Maybe they already know who they want and Chandler isn't it.

Or perhaps, as one person suggested to me recently, the Knicks already know they won't be using the pick. Perhaps they'll be picking for someone else in what will be a post-draft trade.

So much for the report in the Chicago Daily Herald, which quoted a source that said the Knicks had already promised Chandler they'd take him at No. 23. But Luchey, of course, has no idea where that report came from.

"I would assume that something like that would have to come from Isiah Thomas," Luchey said. "I haven't spoken with Isiah Thomas. I don't know where that story came from."

No one ever does. But if it helped get a few teams picking higher than the Knicks to put more emphasis on Chandler, then Luchey's work -- I mean, whomever's work -- was perfectly executed.

And, of course, if Chandler does happen to be there . . .

"You can print this," Luchey then said, "We wouldn't be mad at the Knicks taking him at 23."

Ugh, agents.

Click.

UPDATE from this morning: Seems another blog, read by a notably different crowd (judging by the superior intelligence, not to mention poignancy, of the comments we get here as compared to theirs...and 50 comments by the same five guys doesn't mean it gets more traffic, by the way) got the callback on the Sean Williams thing before we did. The Knicks attended. We got scooped.

Like Denis Lemieux, the goalie in Slapshot, I feel shame.

And just like that, I'm over it.

* * *

Jon, you're right, Al Jefferson had a great second half this past season. By the end of the year, he was just as dominant in the paint as Eddy Curry. In fact, I recall the game in Boston late in the season where Jefferson had a terrific game. The No. 5 pick also has great value for a team that obviously is preparing for a major rebuild (and already has their own lottery pick at No. 7). I guess my question wasn't posed as if I thought the Knicks could offer more, it was more in disbelief that the Knicks couldn't come up with better.

I know KG, Jermaine O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Gilbert Arenas are sexier names, but 've maintained that the Rashard Lewis situation will be the one to monitor. Just don't expect it to happen at the draft, where there will be some movement. Lewis will go on the open market on July 1 and there will be some teams that can afford to try to sign him as a free agent. But no one will be able to give him the max other than the Sonics, who then could flip him to a team that can afford to add that kind of hefty scratch to their payroll.

And thanks Jason, for your input on Sean Williams and how to keep Jamal Crawford (and thanks for shamelessly promoting your columns on realgm.com..as if you guys needed any more pub from Newsday). I don't think the Knicks would have to give up Jamal in the Lewis deal because the Sonics already have Ray Allen and I'm not sure Crawford fits. The Sonics desperately need a point guard (no, they won't take Steve Francis), but I doubt Sam Presti would be high on Nate Robinson, despite his Seattle roots. I think the Sonics would want Channing Frye and/or David Lee in anything they do. I would watch for a third team in this process.

Have a great first weekend of summer.

Greg Oden and Kevin Durant will go No. 1 and No. 2 one way or the other. After that, it's anyone's guess. And that carries right up to where the Knicks select at No. 23.

From now until next Thursday, when the NBA draft takes place, you'll read countless mock drafts and analysis pieces that suggest what teams, including the Knicks, have planned. All of this is based on nothing more than speculation and input from agents hoping their players get drafted higher than initially projected.

In other words, as Flavor Flav so eloquently said, don't buh-lee da hype.

Here's a short list of the most interesting names the Knicks have had in for workouts. Keep in mind the Nets, who pick at No. 17, were also part of these workouts.

MY BEST BET - Taurean Green, PG Florida: A proven winner with a coachable personality and attitude. His presence gives you options in the near future (read: Nate Robinson is expendable and Stephon Marbury will be an expiring contract after next season). Isiah Thomas could make him his personal protege and take his time in developing his game at the NBA level.

TYPICAL ISIAH SCENARIO - Wilson Chandler, SF/PF, DePaul: Sleeper pick who has remained mostly mysterious because an ankle injury has caused him to cancel workouts with some teams, including the Knicks. Yet reports claim Isiah Thomas is very high on this physically-gifted swingman who has as much upside (hops, scoring ability) as he does question marks (intensity, consistency).

TYPICAL KNICKS SCENARIO - Sean Williams, PF, Boston College: So many warning signs suggest to stay far away from this kid, who was kicked off his team during the season (he was a sophomore) and then he canceled all workouts with teams and instead, with John Lucas, invited teams in to watch him work out in his own, controlled, environment. So, naturally, you can see Isiah having a jones for this potential disaster, who also is an intriguing raw talent with dynamic athletic ability.

THE WILD CARD, Part I - Stephane Lasme, SF/PF, UMass: Whilwind kind of player, like Renaldo Balkman, but more of a frontcourt player. Long and thin, Lasme has terrific defensive instincts for the ball. He led the nation with 5.1 blocks per game. He and Balkman coming off the bench together would be a chaotic duo, at least for short bursts.

THE WILD CARD, Part II - Daequan Cook, Guard, Ohio State: Solid defender, good shooter and has a history with Isiah Thomas that goes back to when he was AAU teammates with Isiah's son. The Knicks don't really have a good stopper in the backcourt - Mardy Collins might be the only one consistent defender they have - so it wouldn't hurt to add someone. Which is why another Ohio State guard, Ron Lewis, could be a possibility. Lewis likens himself to Bruce Bowen and Raja Bell.

THE WILD CARD, Part III - Glen "Big Baby" Davis, PF, LSU: A physical monstrosity who has uncanny quickness and agility for his huge frame. Yet he seems undersized for a big man role at 6-8 and while he is a good jumper, he isn't a quick leaper. But with Eddy Curry, the Knicks would carry some serious weight in the paint and wear down opponents.

WORTH A SECOND THOUGHT - Marco Belinelli, SG, Italy: The Knicks haven't done much in the European market (can you blame them after the Frederic Weiss debacle?), but if Isiah is looking for a shooter, Bellinelli might be the one. He has the size (though he does need to bulk up) and the athleticism and right now has drawn comparisons to Jason Kapono and Kyle Korver.

DOUBT IT - Aaron Gray, C, Pittsburgh: Isiah told Gray he reminded him of his former teammate, BIll Laimbeer. Not sure that's the best endorsement.

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- Reports out of Minneapolis say Kevin McHale claims he's not "shopping" Kevin Garnett. But clearly he's listening to offers. The Boston Herald says the Celtics are moving closer to making something happen, which would consist of Al Jefferson and the No. 5 pick. The Knicks can't do better than that?

- Looks like the Trail Blazers want one last look. Oden worked out in Portland on Wednesday. Durant is due in Friday. I guess Sam Presti's first job as Sonics GM is easy. Whomever the Blazers do not take, he takes at No. 2. If, somehow, the Blazers take Durant and the Sonics take Oden, Rashard Lewis's future suddenly remains in Seattle.

- Wondering who gets the $5 million ring this time when Kobe realizes he's not getting traded and has to show up for Lakers' training camp in October? Mitch Kupchak or Andrew Bynum?

Remember the name: Wilson Chandler.

He's nowhere to be found on most mock drafts of the first round because there's little known about the 6-8 sophomore from DePaul other than he has an agent who knows how to work the media.

You've read elsewhere about him already. The Chicago Daily Herald even went as far as saying, according to a source, that Chandler canceled his workout with the Bulls because of an ankle injury and also because the Knicks have assured him they plan to take him at No. 23. One report said that Chandler has worked out for every team picking from 15 to 35.

Curiously, the Knicks never had him in for a workout. At least not that we've been told.

Could this so-called Knicks interest just be a ploy to scare the teams picking ahead of the Knicks to take him in the first round because he might not be there in the second round?

That's not to say Chandler isn't the latest of Isiah's surprise late first-round picks. And you can't overlook the DePaul connection with Isiah's buddy, Mark Aguirre, who happens to be one of the most famous DePaul alumns this side of George Mikan.

The knock on Chandler is his character, not that he's known as a bad kid. It's his consistency and drive that is questioned by scouts. Be sure that Aguirre has the 411 on this stuff, his coachability and, of course, his ridiculous hops and ability to rebound and help defend as well as actually shoot the basketball. You have to believe - or, at least, hope - Aguirre used his DePaul connections to get the scoop on this kid.

Most scouting reports on Chandler (there aren't many because it was a surprise that the sophomore declared for the draft) aren't complete, but just about all point to weaknesses such as free throw and long-range shooting. So he'd fit the mold of a late-first round pick by Thomas: long, athletic tweeners who aren't gifted offensively. Renaldo Balkman is the same. Trevor Ariza, as well.

Thomas wants to take a guy he can work with. Who won't be ready for immediate minutes. It took Balkman about a half a season to figure out how he could best contribute. If the Knicks can reach Chandler's work ethic, he, too, could develop into someone who contributes later in the year.

For Thomas, it's a calculated risk. Of course that depends on who is still on the board when the No. 23 pick comes up.

Then again, it didn't seem to matter when Marcus Williams was there last year.

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Any concerns about Rashard Lewis' availability come July 1 - it never really was in doubt, but another publication tried to suggest it before having to retract it - have proven to be unfounded. Lewis' agent, Tony Dutt, did follow the proper procedure to trigger the opt-out of Lewis' contract with the Seattle Sonics. The team, the NBA players union and Dutt issued statements on Tuesday confirming Lewis' status as a free agent.

A story from the Tacoma News Tribune's Frank Hughes about the situation can be read here

Lewis is still very much at the top of the list of potential off-season moves by the Knicks, who could only get him in a sign-and-trade deal. Lewis will get some offers from teams who can sign him as a free agent, but he knows he can get more money in a sign-and-trade. It's up to the Knicks to agree to a number, then the Sonics have to agree to a trade.

Expect the Lakers, Heat and Cavaliers, among others, to also show an interest.

Kobe's web geeks sure know how to generate fresh hits to his website....and then reveal it was all a ruse. A reprint of an earlier blog. A tease to keep us guessing and wondering and, most of all, talking.

And now there's this mysterious and potentially damaging video....

Add it to all the media hype....

His flip-flopping messages and heart-felt appeals to the [Laker] masses....

Obama ought to hire him before Hillary does.

Just add them to the list of wanna-bes. Like the Knicks.

It's so tantalizing for Isiah Thomas. Just the possibility of being in the running for one of the league's best players. Mr. No. 1 selling jersey.

Read the most recent situation of this epic in Ken Berger's NBA column here

- pause for thought -

What would he wear with the Knicks? As my man Berger asked me this morning, would they rip Bill Bradley's No. 24 right off the Garden ceiling? Would he go back to No. 8, a digit less heralded, but still worn by the capable likes of Latrell Sprewell, Walt Bellamy and Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton?

- end of thought -

Until the Lakers officially begin taking offers for Jellybean Junior, speculation and conjecture will dominate the airwaves and the blogsphere and the newsprint. In the meantime, what do we have here? The Boston Herald confirming that the Celtics have had preliminary talks -- former Celtic teammates Danny Ainge and Kevin McHale, mind you -- with the Timberwolves regarding Kevin Garnett.

Somebody poke Isiah. Can't be daydreaming about Kobe when reality has Garnett as officially up for sale and potentially headed to a team in your division.

If you're a Knicks fan, the Kobe stuff is exciting. But it also has to make you wonder: Would Isiah opt to not get involved in KG talks or even Rashard Lewis talks if he thinks he has a shot at Kobe Bryant?

Would he step out of other potential deals to keep himself in the game for Kobe?

I've spoken with enough people to know the Knicks will very much focus on the Kobe situation all summer. No matter what you hear about the Knicks not being among Kobe's Fav-Five (he should do a commercial for T-Mobile with Isiah and other GMs...very slick marketing idea), Kobe would come to New York. But he'd also go to a few other places that might have better deals to offer.

So what do you do if you're Isiah? Go for a potentially sure thing - such as Lewis or Rasheed Wallace or possibly KG - and give up assets you might have used to get Kobe? Or do you hang onto what you have and wait out the Kobe situation, with the risk you might come away with nothing?

Me? I'd wait it out.

But I wouldn't let him wear Bradley's number.

Let's thank the San Antonio Spurs for not allowing the NBA Finals to drag on any longer than most of us outside of Cleveland wanted it to go. I picked the Spurs in 3-and-a-half games and I was almost right.

So is this Finals appearance by the Cavs the start of some changing of the power structure in the East? I don't believe so, but they will be a team to battle in the playoff standings. The Cavs have a lot of adjustments to make - possibly including head coach - before they can be considered a legitimate championship contender.

The Knicks can only hope the Cavs braintrust think this run suggests they have the makings of a great team. LeBron's support system starts with Boobie Gibson and then comes to a screeching halt.

As far as the East goes, when the Miami Heat are healthy, they are the best team. The Chicago Bulls, in my opinion, are the next legit challenger. The Pistons might be slipping a little, as are the Nets, but they're still formidable.

You also have to consider the Washington Wizards, when they are healthy, and the Toronto Raptors.

This improbable, unexpected run to the Finals for Cleveland had some of the Knicks grumbling about their late-season tailspin, which had something to do with critical injuries to Jamal Crawford, Quentin Richardson and David Lee. I won't dare suggest the Knicks could have done the same thing if they were at full health, but they definitely believe they had something going before Jamal, Q and David were lost.

Instead, it all stopped on that scorer's table in Washington, where Steve Francis stood after hitting the game-winning three. That was March 10. The Knicks were 29-34. They won only 4 games the rest of the way.

Not exactly the springboard to a championship run.

But after seeing the Cavs reach the Finals, one prominent Knick recently said that it gave them greater motivation this offseason because the Knicks "know we can beat Cleveland."

Beating Cleveland wasn't their problem this season. It was beating Portland, Seattle, Milwaukee, Boston and Philadelphia down the stretch. That's what cost them a playoff berth.

The Knicks went 2-2 against the Cavs this season, with both teams taking a game on the other's home court.

Richardson loved guarding LeBron. He loved the physical challenge of it. LB never dominated the Knicks, but he still wound up the leading scorer for the Cavs in all four games. He averaged 25.2 points per game against the Knicks. But Cleveland had no answer for Eddy Curry, who averaged 22 a game against the Cavs.

Do you really want to recall how things went for the Knicks against the Spurs? Didn't think so.

* * *

With the Finals now over, the offseason officially begins. We'll start seeing immediate movement in the Seattle situation, where Sam Presti can now get into his decision on a coach -- PJ Carlesimo will get an interview, but some feel Rick Carlisle is on the radar, too - and then figure out what he's going to do with Rashard Lewis.

The clock is officially ticking on that one as July 1 approaches. As I've said, that will likely come to a head around June 28, the date of the NBA draft, when the Sonics prepare to draft Lewis' replacement, Kevin Durant. Isiah Thomas will be working that one hard.

But wait...do you hear more ticking coming from another direction? Yes, due south on I-95, right in the Beltway. Gilbert Arenas is opting out of his contract after next season. Imagine Agent Zero in New York.

Now stop teasing yourself. You really think Ernie Grunfeld is going to work a trade with Isiah and the Knicks?

Sigh. Sing it, Tiffany...

Coulda been so beautiful...

What we know from reading the morning papers in LA is that the Lakers drive to get Jermaine O'Neal has stalled because the Pacers apparently want to send Troy Murphy with O'Neal for both Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom.

See? The Knicks do not have anything near that kind of an offer, unless they made a package of Eddy Curry and David Lee.

What does it mean, however, that the Minnesota Timberwolves moved disgruntled guard Mike James to Houston for veteran Juwan Howard? The T-Wolves weere happy to get rid of the $23.4 million contract they gave to James, for starters. Howard's career is tailing off, though he did prove this year with the Rockets that he can still contribute. Reports out of Minnesota suggest it's not the only move Kevin McHale plans to make this summer and it seems more likely that the T-Wolves are trying to make Kevin Garnett happy. KG reportedly was involved in the discussions about getting Howard.

So, for now, I'd cross KG off the list of available players. Not that the Knicks ever really had a shot.

* * *

My attempt to promote the good side of the story:

Stephon Marbury will be at Surfside Gardens Park in Coney Island on Saturday to tip-off his annual Stephon Marbury Basketball Classic. We're told he's also introducing a "Read to Succeed" initiative in the tournament. All players will be required to write an essay after reading at least three books, including one from the summer reading list of the Brooklyn Public Library.

SOME THOUGHTS

- Think Cavs fans were pleased to see ABC open the broadcast for Game 4 with the song, It Ends Tonight, by All-American Rejects? Considering the declining ratings, ABC must have been hoping to get the Finals over with so they could get back to showing Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives reruns.

- You win an NBA title and see Eva Longoria running out of the crowd to jump into your arms with a big kiss. Well done, Tony Parker. Well done. Don't ever wake up from that dream, brother.

- In an answer to one commentor, No, I can not explain what ABC was doing with the choir making sounds along with video clips of past NBA moments. It was quite goofy.

- I hope Nate Robinson was watching Daniel Gibson enough to see exactly how he can make himself an effective NBA player. Robinson is just as good of a shooter and his athleticism should make him a better defender. But Gibson clearly wanted the challenge of guarding Parker in Games 3 and 4. N8 the Gr8 needs to get serious about his game or he's soon to disappear faster than Larry Hughes.

- Have a great weekend and Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there.

This originally was a note I posted at the bottom of the previous blog, but enough people told me it touched a nerve that I figured to make it a stand alone blog. I updated some of the info and, yes, you can call me lazy for taking the easy way out on coming up with a new blog. But it's something that's been on my mind all season. Read on and let's hear your thoughts on the matter.

After watching Game 3 of the NBA Finals, I'm wondering what you all think about arena noise at NBA games. I'm all for the pregame videos and the music. Even the pyrotechnics are cool. But at the 'Q' (Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland), they have this guy, Ahmaad Crump is his name, who screams at the top of his lungs into a microphone and stomps around the court demanding that you get up and cheer. It's not the PA guy, who sits courtside. He does a good job. It's the dude on the court, Ahmaad, the in-game host, who goes out during stoppages when T-shirts are being shot at you and screams at you.

Literally screams. Bellows. Growls. He doesn't encourage you to stand up, he demands it.

Then he does the cliche "Make some nooy-oyyz!" call you used to hear in every dance club in the 1990s.

Yeah, I hate that, too.

Look, I know a lot of Cavs fans love Ahmaad for his efforts. And I'm cool with most of this stuff, from the Piston's PA guy and his "DEEE-troit BASKET-ball!" calls and even the giddy "VC for Three!" stuff that Gary Sussman barks during Nets games. There's a place for this type of home-team bravado in sports. But in Cleveland, it's over the top.

The 'Q' is a place they're calling "Loudville," which is something they developed when LeBron arrived. They wanted attitude and enthusiasm to go along with this "Scream Team" they developed.

Home court advantage is great, but does it need to be manufactured? I never understood the concept of the bass drum and the canned "Dee-Fense!" chant that was meant to encourage the crowd to do the same. Intensity can't be created, it has to be natural.

And, quite frankly, do you really want your fans leaving the place with a splitting headache? After my second game in Cleveland this season, I wanted to find my man Ahmaad (who is probably a great guy with a wonderfully effervescent personality) after the game and gag him. I literally found myself yelling "Just shut up already!" during the game.

Ahmaad, you must chill.

One of the things I've always loved about Madison Square Garden is they've never needed an in-arena host. Ever. Sure, the PA guy will put a great deal of effort in screeching the name of the Knick who just scored -- Channingggg Fryyyyyyye! used to make one of my colleagues literally hold his ears -- but games at MSG are never over-the-top with the in-game stuff. Never too loud with the music or in your face with imploring you to stand and cheer. We're in New York, people know when it's appropriate to stand and cheer and when you sit down and wait for a reason to cheer. And the "Dee-Fense" chant? It's a Garden original. And it never needed encouragement from a banging drum.

At another game in another ear-shattering arena, I was talking with a reporter during the game and realized I had to wait until the game started back up again to continue the conversation. It used to be that you talked during the stoppages. That's what created a buzz on certain nights.

And there's a reason why they call it the "Garden buzz." That is generated by the people talking excitedly about whatever is happening or about to happen on the court. You don't hear the "buzz" if it's drowned out by the eardrum-puncturing bass line of an overplayed Jock Jams song.

I turn 36 next week. Maybe my age is showing. Hey, I still roll with a good sound system in my ride (though I don't rattle the neighborhood with it) and my wife is constantly asking me to turn down the surround sound system in the house. I love things loud. And there's nothing like a roaring sellout crowd.

But the artificial noise at some of these arenas, especially at the 'Q' is, to me, ruining the atmosphere rather than creating it.

Let me know what you think.

When I first started at Newsday I met a veteran reporter on the staff who was nearing the end of a long career. He was notorious for putting his tag line on every little thing he'd submit in the paper, even stuff that came right out of a press release.

"Gotta let 'em know I'm still workin'," he'd say.

Isiah Thomas seems to be doing the same thing right now, in the calm before the summer storm. With so many big names potentially available on the trade market (Kobe Bryant, Jermaine O'Neal and Rashard Lewis, for starters), of course Thomas will say he's exploring all options. Of course he would be willing to part with the No. 23 pick in a package for a high-end player, as he did on Tuesday at the press conference to announce the preseason game with the Tel Aviv Elite team.

With the NBA Finals still going on (though it's almost over: Witness....A Sweep!), trade talk really hasn't reached a boiling point. Things will start to bubble up by next week and the week before the draft is when things will get hot.

Here's what we know -

- Kobe Bryant's situation might not be completely resolved in Los Angeles. Jerry Buss' son, Johnny, wrote a farewell to Kobe on his MySpace page, according to a LA Times report. Johnny Buss doesn't have a say in matters with his father's team, but it does provide enough reason to think the Lakers might explore offers for Bryant, if just to see what's out there. Thomas will make that call to float his scenarios, if he hasn't already. I read somewhere that Stephon Marbury believes people would love to see Marbury and Kobe in the Knicks backcourt. Sorry to break it to you Steph, but if Kobe comes to New York, you're probably going to LA. And even if not, I think most Knicks fans would love just to see Kobe in the backcourt. Doesn't matter who he's with.

- Rashard Lewis has been told to sit tight for the time being while the Sonics get their house in order. Sam Presti will step in as GM after the Spurs finish off the Cavs for their fourth NBA title. As for the coach, several possibilities have been thrown around, from PJ Carlesimo (yet another Spurs employee) to Rick Carlisle. My bet is PJ gets the job (long time coming), which is why they're waiting to make the hire. It's then up to Presti to decide what to do with Lewis, who will be a free agent on July 1. We know if the Sonics draft Kevin Durant (as expected), Lewis won't re-sign there and will force the Sonics to deal him or lose him for nothing on July 1. Isiah will have compeition for Lewis, so his offer has to be good.

- Jermaine O'Neal is another player likely headed to another team. I think there will be a domino effect, starting with Kobe Bryant. If the Lakers indeed keep Kobe (as we all expect they will), then their next move will be to make a deal for O'Neal to pacify Bryant. The Lakers have more value to trade to Indiana (Andrew Bynum, for starters) than the Knicks, so Isiah, I think, would lose this competition. Plus, as many of you noted, J-O and Curry really wouldn't work as a frontcourt, never mind the fact that Larry Bird has little interest in dealing his best player to an Eastern Conference rival.

- Kevin Garnett, however, could factor into the Lakers' situation. If Kevin McHale decides to exlore a trade, the Lakers would have to look there, first. That would open the door, slightly, for the Knicks to get O'Neal. A KG-to-NY scenario doesn't seem to have legs because the Knicks don't have much to offer Minnesota, who would want to ensure getting quality players (and not a lot of big contracts) in return.

- Rasheed Wallace's name came up after the Pistons were eliminated by the Cavs. Isiah could make this move to immediately improve his team, but it comes with a risk.

- The same goes for Ron Artest, but I've been told by enough people that Thomas isn't interested in bringing the Queensbridge rapper back home.

As far as the draft goes, we're analyzing and speculating, but no one really knows what the Knicks will do at No. 23, if they do hold onto the pick. Why? Mostly because the Knicks don't know who will be there for them at No. 23. They also don't know if they're even going to have the No. 23 pick to use in the first place.

Aside from the bigs that have intriguing possibilities -- Big Baby Davis and Josh McRoberts both would be solid picks if they were there at No. 23 -- my go-with-your-gut pick is Taurean Green, who works out for the Knicks and Nets on Tuesday at the MSG Training Center.

The kid ranks middle-of-the-pack among the draft hopefuls and some mocks have him labeled as a secondrounder. I saw a little of him at the predraft camp in Orlando and enough of him during Florida's run to a second straight title. Green may be young and, at 6-foot even (according to his NBA combine stats), slightly undersized. He's a confident player and a pretty good shooter who has NBA range, but he's got the same problem as Nate Robinson: though he has quickness, it does not translate into defensive quickness.

Green is an average defender. He can run an offense, but isn't a dynamic passer. And when his shot isn't falling, his effectiveness plummets.

But the kid's a winner and you can't teach that. He also has pedigree, with his father, former Knick Sidney Green, having NBA blood. Plus, he was coached by a hardworking classic point-guard personality in Billy Donovan (only we know once he's drafted Taurean can't change his mind and go back to Florida).

Some scouts feel his stock is slowly rising. His performance in Orlando overall was a success. He's already worked out with the Washington Wizards, who pick 16th overall. It's doubtful they'd use that pick to take him then, however, when there likely will be other more talented players available.

As you all know by now, Isiah Thomas feels he can take a chance with his No. 23 pick because he feels he already made one first-round selection by signing Randolph Morris right out of Kentucky. Go further with that thinking and you figure with Morris, who is 6-9 and projected to be a power forward, Thomas got his big. You might think he'd go with a guard, then, with the next choice.

Selecting Green would be the kind of move that would fit in the Knicks' plans. He's not someone who would have to play right away. In fact, he might not get much burn at all for two full seasons. But consider that Stephon Marbury's contract expires in two years, as does the contract of Steve Francis (if it remins on the books). Mardy Collins is a nice player but you all know how I feel about Nate Robinson's actual potential to be a true PG, so the Knicks will need a young guard to emerge by then.

Green could be ready to step into a bigger role in two years when Marbury's contract ends, assuming the Knicks don't plan to extend Marbury.

Again, I'm all for drafting big bodies, such as Big Baby or McRoberts. You can always use size. Sean Williams, from all I've heard, is something the Knicks would be better off avoiding. This franchise doesn't need distractions and head cases, especially not if they seriously plan on making a run at acquiring Rasheed Wallace.

Most of the other players they've looked at so far are either projects or hustle players in the mold of Renaldo Balkman.

Here's something to consider, however. If Morris Almond, the sweet-shooting Allan Houston clone, is taken, then you know Isiah has plans to move Jamal Crawford or Nate Robinson. You don't take the best pure shooter in the draft and then sit him on the bench all year.

* * *

The other players the Knicks and Nets will work out on Tuesday are Dominic James (sophomore G, 5-11, 175, Marquette), Trey Johnson (senior G, 6-5, 218, Jackson State) and Ron Lewis (senior G, 6-4, 200, Ohio State).

Last Saturday's workout included Blake Schilb (senior G, 6-7, 220, Loyola (IL)), Jason Smith (junior F/C, 7-0, 240, Colorado State), Alando Tucker (senior F, 6-6, 205, Wisconsin) and Kyle Visser (senior C, 6-11, 250, Wake Forest).

* * *

The Knicks will announce today that they will open the preseason against the Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv team on Oct. 11 at Madison Square Garden. The game will benefit the children of Migdal Ohr.

The game will be the highlight of a "Hoops and Dreams Week" in New York City, hosted by the American Friends of Migdal Ohr.

Tickets for the game go on sale Wednesday (June 13). For more information, visit http://www.migdalohrusa.org/promotions/bb/moreinfo.php

One thing about being a part of the big, bad New York media is you have to know your place and, while it's not easy to accept, understand where you are in the pecking order.

Me? I've discovered this week that I'm somewhere below Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts. I discovered this after asking the Knicks PR staff since last week to try to get me D-Lee for a short phone interview. A little bit on how his mysterious bone-bruise injury is healing, how he feels about the talk of the Knicks going after top shelf power forwards (with him likely going the other way in any trade) and, of course, his former Gators coach Billy Donovan.

Instead of in Newsday, he answered all of these questions yesterday on WFAN.

It's like that episode of Seinfeld.

-----

George: I'm sorry. I can't live knowing Ted Danson makes that much more than me. Who is he?

Jerry: He's somebody.

George: What about me?

Jerry: You're nobody.

George: Why him? Why not me?

Jerry: He's good, you're not.

George: I'm better than him.

Jerry: You're worse, much much worse.

-----

So it goes.

I like David anyway. I know what he was up to. He was pushing a product. One that, being snubbed, I refuse to promote for him. But I will say that David was one of only a few Knicks who at the end of the season said good-bye with a well-meaning handshake.

Anyway, here's some highlights of the conversation David had with Joe and Evan. You can hear the whole thing at the WFAN website.

- He said playing the sixth man role took some time to adjust to, but he learned to embrace it. "Basically, it's all a mental game."

- He's shooting 1,000 jumpers a day and also working on his ball-handling to improve two weak areas of his game. "I'm definitely not going to get worse at it," he added.

- Regardling the Jermaine O'Neal/Kevin Garnett talk - "The thing about the New York media is there's rumors every day . . . if my name is mentioned, i'm really trying not to pay too much attention to it." (Is that another shot at the writers?) Lee added that he's working hard to have a big season next year and wants to be in New York.

- On Donovan's wacky weekend, going from Florida to Orlando back to Florida - "That was a crazy situation."

- Is Donovan's intense-style right for the NBA? - "That's tough to do over an 82-game season."

- On his bone-bruise, leg injury - "I'm gradually getting back into it, getting better each day and getting stronger each day . . . I'm definitely back to just about normal now."

* * *

By the way - Phil Ford's departure from the Knicks bench to be an assistant coach with the Charlotte Bobcats won't leave a vacancy. In fact, the Knicks coaching staff was a bit oversized this past season. Isiah Thomas opted to keep Larry Brown holdovers such as Ford and Dave Hanners because they were under contract. With Ford off to Charlotte, the Knicks still have five assistant coaches - Herb Williams, Mark Aguirre, Brendan Suhr, George Glymph and Hanners.

Only if Williams left would there be a reason to start a campaign to bring Patrick Ewing on the staff. Williams and Aguirre do a good job with the bigs. But that doesn't mean the Knicks shouldn't reach out to Ewing to join the organization as some form of a development coach or advisor. Eddy Curry should have him as a mentor.

-

The prospects just keep rolling in and Thursday's group might be the most intriguing yet.

The teams will watch USC guard Nick Young, LSU power forward Glen Davis, Rice guard Morris Almond and Duke power forward Josh McRoberts work out at the Nets practice facility. Young and Almond are shooting guards and Almond is considered one of the best pure shooters available.

But you know where my eyes are fixed.

Look at the size that will be on display. LSU "Big Baby" Davis, all 6-8 and almost 300 pounds of him. His weight has long been an issue and he supposedly dropped a great deal of it before this season (looks to me like it dropped from his stomach to his thighs). But size is hard to come by, especially that much. It would be interesting to see Davis and Eddy Curry -- about 600 pounds of front court -- work together down low. I'd hate to see them run the break, however.

Davis' strength is his strength. He is a load to deal with in the paint and that kind of size and power could make him a force in defending the likes of Shaq and Yao and most of the league's power-game big men. But he'd be a liability against quicker bigs such as Dwight Howard and Kevin Garnett. You also wouldn't solve your problem with interior help defense because Davis isn't much of a leaper, nor is he quick off the floor.

But overall you have to like this guy as a No. 23 pick, if he stays on the board that long. He's got a personality as big as his body and that always is welcomed in New York. For a big man, he moves well. And with some more conditioning and learning from Mark Aguirre and Herb Williams, in time this guy could develop into a solid off-the-bench presence.

Wait, didn't I just describe Jerome James?

The other guy in this group that has had my eye since I started reading the draft updates and scouting reports is McRoberts. This kid has NBA size, NBA smarts and a nice touch. They say he also has a mean streak, but that might just be another way of saying he is quickly rattled.

The Nets pick at No. 17 and almost everyone believes they are looking to get more size. I have to believe if McRoberts is there at 17, they'll grab him up and try to develop him to work with Nenad Krstic. Then again, if the Nets believe they're going to lose Vince Carter, they might be more apt to go with a shooter.

* * *

I don't know what this means, but I'll pass it on to you, my loyal readers. In making my usual calls and checking around about what the Knicks may be up to on several fronts (not just trades and the draft, wink-wink) I have noticed in my notes that more than once I've been told by different people that "we'll know more in about a month" regarding the direction of the Knicks in the offseason.

Hmmm...

* * *

I had to throw this in - basketball junkies need not continue reading.

Last night I got word that the Islanders had decided to buy out Alexei Yashin. After years of hearing this kind of talk every summer and never seeing it actually come to fruition come the fall, I was quite skeptical. Then I saw the back page of our paper in the morning and read Greg Logan's scoop.

I then quoted the greatest sports movie of all time, Slapshot: "Dickie Dunn wrote this, it must be true!"

It's great news,but also about three years too late. I heard from several former Islanders, most from the recent years, who grumbled that the decision should have been made right after the NHL lockout ended and the amnesty period was put in place by the league so teams could rid themselves of bad contracts. The Isles decided not to part ways with Yashin then. Instead, they broke up what was a pretty good core of players -- Michael Peca, Adrian Aucoin, Dave Scatchard, Mark Parrish, etc. -- and tried to build around Yashin. They even gave him the 'C'.

C for Complacent. C for Care-less. C for Conditioning (as in poor). C for Contract (the ultimate albatross).

I was one who wanted to give Yashin a chance when the Islanders first got him in 2001, but after seeing first-hand how this guy sandbagged a team and blamed everyone but himself, I've called for a buyout since the day the league instituted the rule. In fact, I was told by someone high in the league's office that the amnesty rule was put in place with Yashin's contract in mind. It was like the Knicks opting not to buy out Allan Houston's contract, when the rule was put in place specifically for that.

But I give a lot of credit to Charles Wang, who is eating almost $20 million to right a wrong that he tried so hard to make work. With that money-pit of an arena and not much else in income other than tickets, Wang loses almost $20 million a year alone on that team. So this year the man is out $40 million. Don't feel sorry for Yashin, he walks away a rich man (and he'll get a contract somewhere, likely in Russia).

It's easy to throw around someone else's money. Wang does have a lot of it, but he doesn't need to just burn it in a pile every year.

So Islanders fans, you need to show your appreciation for what your owner just did and buy tickets. Lots of them. Sell the damn place out every night.

And Ryan Smyth had better re-sign. No more excuses now.

OK, hockey stuff out of the way....yeah, it's so hard to cut the cord.

Curtis Sumpter is a Brooklyn kid, a star out of the city CHSAA and he has a tattoo of the Twin Towers to memorialize his uncle, who was among the victims of 9/11. There's so much New York about him it's impossible not to think he'd be worth a shot at No. 23 in the draft. Bum knee (he's had two major surgeries on his ACL) and all, Sumpter wouldn't be a bad pick. He's got explosiveness, slashing, scoring ability....and you could sit him on the bench and let him develop in practice or elsewhere, such as the D-League......

Then again, you have Derrick Byars, the late-bloomer from Vanderbilt, who won the SEC player of the year award. He's got some maturity. He understands what it takes to work hard to achieve. He's got more talent than what his late first-round status suggests......

Whatever man, it's way too early for this. The Knicks have more players to watch on Wednesday and in the coming weeks. I still say if Florida's Taurean Green is on the board when the 23rd pick comes up, Isiah Thomas will grab him up. Green comes in for a workout next week. Note the number on his jersey in this picture.

A player you've been reading a lot about in connection with the Knicks is Sean Williams, the 6-9 pogo stick from Boston College. Williams has been that player everyone acknowledges is an intriguing risk, but who will take the chance on a kid who was thrown off his college team? And then he blows off the Orlando pre-draft camp at the last minute? And now he's turning down invites for private workouts? The Knicks were among the teams he declined.

But no fear, reclamation expert John Lucas is on the case. Lucas has been brought in to assist Williams as he prepares for the draft.
Now, as reported in the Boston Herald, Williams has announced that he will conduct his own workouts for NBA teams to come and see him in his own controlled environment. That would be in Houston, where Williams is from and, coincidentally, where Lucas also lives,

Williams will hold two workouts on June 11 and 18. The Boston Celtics, who were among the teams who had invited Williams in for a workout, have already said they plan to go. A person with knowledge of the Knicks plans said they are holding their own workouts those days and, as of now, don't plan to go. Plans, of course, can change. But the source told me that the Knicks, despite the reports from other media outlets, are really not that high - no pun intended - on Williams.

With Randolph Morris already in the mix, you have to believe Thomas plans to take a guard/swingman type. Byars, if he's still there, would be the safest pick. Sumpter would be a decent risk. But Green, who after the Orlando camp was starting to make his way up the ladder from being projected as a second-round pick to possibly a late first-rounder, would be a solid pick for the future.

More on him later...

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The Rashard Lewis situation in Seattle likely won't be figured out until after a series of events first takes place, starting with the hiring of a general manager and a coach. The Sonics are likely to take Kevin Durant with the No. 2 pick and, as of now, Lenny Wilkens wants everyone to believe he thinks Durant and Lewis can co-exist in the lineup. But don't believe a word of it. Wilkens knows he'll lose Lewis on July 1 to free agency unless he finds a sign-and-trade deal, which the Knicks are interested in doing with Seattle. What Wilkens needs, of course, is some competition with the Knicks bid to get the most out of the deal.

I was told things probably won't happen until after the draft on June 28 and before the start of free agency on July 1. By then the Sonics should have a GM and coach in place and know the direction of their team.

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I've seen the Rasheed Wallace-to-Knicks scenarios suggested and, like some of you, I find it both tantalizing and yet alarming. With his game, he would be a great fit, but does anyone want to deal with his antics? I guess if it gets you to the Conference Finals for the first time in 9 years, you would. But I wonder how ultra-image conscious James Dolan would feel about seeing one of his veteran players drawing negative attention from both the NBA and the officials.

If I'm dealing with Detroit, I'd rather have Mad Maxiell.