Cap is hindering knicks front-line needs

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Cap is hindering front-line needs
Isiah's desire for a shot-blocker will be difficult to fulfill with the current crop of free agents

BY GREG LOGAN
STAFF WRITER

July 10, 2005

Isiah Thomas scored a draft- night coup when he took advantage of a contractual snag in the Kurt Thomas-for-Quentin Richardson trade to pick up Phoenix's first-round pick and add pocket rocket point guard Nate Robinson to promising big men Channing Frye and David Lee.

But the team president's stated goal of adding a shot-blocking big man in the free-agent market might be difficult to achieve for the Knicks, whose $120.8-million payroll for next season is far beyond the projected salary cap of $48 million. They would have to do a sign-and-trade to offer more than the mid-level cap exception of $5.1 million to the top prospects, with the possible exception of unrestricted free agents Jerome James and Steven Hunter.


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Chicago's Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler, Philadelphia's Samuel Dalembert and Washington's Kwame Brown are restricted free agents whose teams have the right to match any offer. Of those, only Brown is on the trading block, but one Eastern Conference personnel expert said the Wizards want a starting shooting guard to replace Larry Hughes, who signed with Cleveland.

In talking with the Knicks, they have made it clear they are interested in Richardson, not Jamal Crawford, the starting two-guard last season. Although third-year power forward Mike Sweetney is available, the Wizards need more for the 6-11 Brown, who is only 23 and would project as the Knicks' starting center despite coming off an injury-plagued season.

Another possibility is Memphis power forward Stromile Swift, who is only 6-9 but is a leaper who averaged 1.53 blocks last season. He visited the Knicks but figures to get more than the mid-level from teams with more cap flexibility than the Knicks.

If the Knicks go the sign-and-trade route for another power forward, Boston's Antoine Walker might be the top target. Celtics president Danny Ainge recently said it's unlikely he would trade Walker to a division rival, but agent Mark Bartelstein suggested Boston's youth movement could force Ainge's hand.

"Isiah and I have talked, and they definitely have the door open," Bartelstein said. "It's complicated to do a sign-and-trade, but the Knicks are the biggest stage, and I know Antoine would thrive there. I think there's intense interest, and he loves to be under the lights."

Ainge traded Walker to Dallas two years ago but reacquired him from Atlanta last season, and he led the Celtics to the Atlantic Division le.

"We've got to see what happens with Danny," Bartelstein said. "He wants to play the young guys, and they're not going to play if he signs Antoine ... Danny has a decision to make. A number of teams are interested in Antoine - the Knicks, Houston, Seattle, Sacramento, Indiana, the Clippers. He's the most talented free agent on the market."

Walker is no shot-blocker, but he would offset the rebounding and shooting the Knicks lost when they traded Kurt Thomas.

If Isiah Thomas can add James or Hunter on the cheap, it would improve the Knicks' defensive presence in the middle. James started 80 games for Seattle and averaged 1.39 blocks but played only 16 minutes a game and didn't produce much until the playoffs. The 7-foot Hunter averaged 1.34 blocks in just 13 minutes a game for Phoenix, but he's 80 pounds lighter than the 7-1, 300-pound James.

Notes&quotes: According to Sports Illustrated's website, Detroit owner Bill Davidson is likely to fire Larry Brown, which would make him available to coach the Knicks if he resolves his health issues.

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"Since the Knicks are looking to unload the expiring contract of Tim Thomas when a logical deal presents itself, there might be time available in the rotation again... Washington has a need to fill with Larry Hughes committing to the Cavaliers and is looking to get back a shooting guard in any sign-and-trade for Kwame Brown."

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I thought Larry Brown's wife said Larry would never coach with the Knicks.