You are undoubtedly wondering where Steve Francis winds up. Me?

I'm just as curious to see what happens in the Magic Kingdom if Orlando can't move him before the trade buzzer.

That's because, at this point, it's looking like Knicks-or-Bust for the Artist Formerly Known As Stevie Franchise.

Minnesota, I'm told, is no longer pursuing Francis. Denver appears to be pursuing a variety of trade targets not named Francis, with Baltimore's Carmelo Anthony said to be less than excited by the Nuggets' earlier attempts to bring the former Maryland man to the Rocky Mountains.

That leaves New York as the only known trade partner in circulation for Francis. In what would be an audacious double swoop -- even by Knicks standards -- it appears that Isiah will have an opportunity to package Jamal Crawford, Maurice Taylor and a youngster like Trevor Ariza for Francis . . . and then use Penny Hardaway's expiring contract (along with at least one first-round pick) to acquire Portland's Darius Miles and Theo Ratliff.

Of course, if the Knicks wake up Wednesday morning and realize what everyone else sees when you project Stephon Marbury and Francis playing together -- for Larry Brown, no less -- they could wise up and walk away from that half of their two-part makeover.

And if that happens, Orlando will then have to figure out what to do with the unhappy Francis for the rest of the season, after trying harder to trade him than any team out there has tried to trade any player.

Could this be another case of IT bidding against himself????????

We should get a 2nd rounder from ORL for taking Franchise.