Andrew
Posts: 26600
Alba Posts: 2
Joined: 7/24/2001
Member: #1 USA
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Ah, some insight from Insider:
Larry Johnson ended his 10-year career Tuesday, announcing that he'll retire because of chronic back injuries. The move is both a blow and a boon to the Knicks, who are still trying find a dominating inside presence to balance their strong perimeter attack.
A source close to the Knicks told ESPN Insider Tuesday evening that the Knicks will apply for, and likely receive, a full $4.5 million medical exception due to Johnson's announcement. The Knicks passed up the chance to use a similar exception after Luc Longley retired, but they are already working the phones looking for an athletic big man to stick in the post.
With the fragile Marcus Camby as their only true big man, and a host of undersized power forwards in Clarence Weatherspoon, Kurt Thomas and Othella Harrington, the Knicks' top priority is adding size.
Marc Jackson is out of the running and Olden Polynice is really the only legit big man left in free agency, so the Knicks are searching for teams wanting to trim payroll. They'll likely have plenty of willing trade partners.
The Bucks are gauging the Knicks' interest in Scott Williams. If the Bucks can get Williams off the books, they'll be able to sign Anthony Mason and still avoid the luxury tax. Though Williams would be an upgrade for the Knicks, they'd prefer center Ervin Johnson, who had a career year last season.
Another possibility is the Warriors, who had on-again, off-again discussions all summer with the Knicks about Adonal Foyle. Should the Warriors decide that Jackson is the better option, they could match the Rockets' offer sheet and then ship out Foyle when the Knicks get their exception.
Another team with a glut of big men is the Raptors, who have already had several conversations with the Nuggets, also in the hunt for a center. According to league sources, the Raptors are trying to move Eric Montross or Mamadou N'diaye. They'd love to move Michael Stewart, and the Knicks seem like just the team to take on his bloated contract.
Either way, the Knicks must find a way to get balance on a team Latrell Sprewell is already calling fatally flawed.
"I'm definitely concerned," Sprewell told the N.Y. Daily News. "I don't want to go through a season where we're not a competitive team. It's not time to hit the panic button, but we can't be kidding ourselves. We need to play a lot better and a lot harder."
PURE KNICKS LOVE
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