Isiah looking to deal
despite no cap room



BY FRANK ISOLA
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER


Antoine Walker
The first wave of free agent signings came and went with the Knicks unable to spend any of James Dolan's money. But it's still early.

For weeks, Isiah Thomas cautioned Knick fans that acquiring the likes of Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Rasheed Wallace was more fantasy than reality. The Knicks either didn't have the assets to trade for O'Neal or the salary-cap flexibility to sign Bryant or Wallace.

But with 2-1/2 months left before training camp begins, Thomas still has plenty of time to upgrade the Knicks' roster. The Knicks have their $5 million exception to use on any number of available free agents and Thomas, who is no stranger to orchestrating trades, is actively recruiting teams to involve in multi-player transactions.

The fact that the Knicks have several players with expiring contracts increases the likelihood that Thomas will be able to pull off a significant deal.

Dallas forward Antoine Walker is a player Thomas covets and the Knicks are trying to get involved in a three-team deal that would include Vince Carter heading to Dallas and Kurt Thomas, Dikembe Mutombo and Josh Howard going to Toronto.

Thomas is also involved with two of the top free agents still available on the market, Warriors center Erick Dampier and Bulls guard Jamal Crawford. The Bulls seem to have little interest in the players the Knicks have offered in a sign-and-trade, although there was a rumor yesterday the Knicks had sweetened the deal by throwing in $3 million in cash.

Dampier is looking for a six to seven-year contract starting at $9 million and in order to make the trade work the Knicks would have to send Mutombo and Nazr Mohammed to Golden State.

"Dampier is not the sexy free agent but there are a lot of teams that want him because he's a big man who can play," said a person familiar with the Knicks' thinking. "It would be a great deal for the Knicks."

Stromile Swift and Darius Miles are two restricted free agents who have been on the Knicks' radar screen for some time. Also, free agent Rodney White may be a good alternative if the Crawford deal is really dead.

Toni Kukoc, Wesley Person, Vlade Divac and Greg Ostertag also are available on the free agent market and each could help the Knicks. Last summer, the Knicks did not use their mid-level exception until October, when they signed Dikembe Mutombo. Their collective patience was rewarded. Patience, of course, is one thing Isiah Thomas doesn't have.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/212627p-183148c.html

A few other FA's are mentioned in that article. Notice you're hearing less and less about Illgauskas these days.

Oh yeah, and I don't believe that deal involving Toronto for one second!

isola is a jackass. the more and more he writes, the more and more it smells like cow turd.

Patience, of course, is one thing Isiah Thomas doesn't have.

where the fcuk does he come to that conclusion? patience is what i wish the daily news doesn't have so they fire this idiot.