From the ESPN Insider

LJ out -- Another big man in? by Chad Ford

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."




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Scott Williams will be excellent. Actually he would be a good starter.

Posted by falcindor:

Scott Williams will be excellent. Actually he would be a good starter.

You must not remember Scott Williams back in his Philly days where he was booed by the home crowd every time he walked out onto the court. I think it all started when he was wide open under his basket with the ball - no one was even within 3-point arc distance - and he missed the layup/got stuffed by the rim. Repeatedly. And failed to convert the basket. With people like Jordan and Pippen and the 3 stars in Milwaukee, anyone can look good. Scott Williams is not a fit for NY.

YOU GUYS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, WITH MICHEAL JORDAN AND SCOTTY PINPEN IN A TEAM SCOTT WILLIAM LOOK EXCELLENT, BUT PLEASE DON'T BRING THIS GUY IN NEW YORK, HE IS SUCK.....
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LOVE THOSE KNICKS....

Posted by Andrew:

Also, do we really want to help the Bucks get Mason?

us getting Williams who is no better than Felton Spencer and letting Bucks than acquire Mason which would make them an elite title contender would be a huge blunder look at this lineup:
Cassell
Allen
Robinson
Mason
E. Johnson
bench= Tim Thomas= wow

Posted by Dano:

you guys are 100% right. Scott Williams is soft. I never liked him.
He cant score at all and is an ok rebounder at best.

Earvin Johnson may be a good pick up though. He's a monster and displays great leadership.

But we don't need to help the Bucks get Mason. I think that Mason
is the balance of power in the East.

While Mason is the balance of power in the EAST, the knicks need to make the Playoffs. And without a center, or a player over 6-9 playing Center, we are going to be destroyed nightly. So even if we play the bucks in the playoffs, without a Center, we are lost, hopefully we can get Ervin Johnson and let him play Center and let Camby slide over to PF. Ervin Johnson's contract $3,670,929; significantly under the 4.5$ injury exception. and he's $4,030,879 for the next season, after which his contract is up... looks like a great pickup to me.

If we grab him we have a lineup such as:

PG Mark Jax/Eisley/Ward
SG Houston/Anderson/Postell(IR)
SF Sprewell/Weatherspoon/Wright(IR)
PF Camby/Thomas/Harrington
C Ervin Johnson/Felton Spencer/Travis Knight(IR)

With two skilled front court players 6'11" Camby and Johnson and Dirty KT coming in backing up both spots, Spencer "for hire" in emergencies.

We would be a formidable team if Johnson could be picked up.