ORLANDO, Fla. - The NBA predraft camp was abuzz with
talk of Kobe Bryant's on-again, off-again trade demand and speculation
immediately arose regarding where Bryant might wind up.
Here's one place he likely won't: New York.
It's not that there won't be any interest if Bryant is shopped. Isiah
Thomas will make the requisite call to Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak if
the team decides to go through with Bryant's request. But Thomas knows the
Knicks don't have nearly enough to compete with what the Lakers might demand
for the NBA's leading scorer.
But the Knicks believe they do have what it takes to land one all-star
caliber player this summer to move to contender status in the East. Multiple
persons with knowledge of the situation yesterday confirmed that the Knicks
plan to pursue a sign-and-trade deal with Seattle for Rashard Lewis.
The one-time All-Star forward, who exercised an opt-out clause in his
contract last Friday to become a free agent on July 1, is believed to have
great interest in going to New York. Lewis' agent, Tony Dutt, would only say
that talk of the Knicks' interest is "the great thing about being a free agent,
[Lewis] can look at all of his options."
Thomas, however, shot down the notion that the Knicks would be involved in
anything major during the offseason that would add more to a payroll that
shrinks somewhat next season but is still well over the salary cap. To acquire
Lewis, the Knicks would likely have to accept him after the Sonics sign him to
at least a five-year deal that would push the Knicks even deeper into luxury
tax debt.
"We're not going to set ourselves back," Thomas said. "We sit in a very
comfortable position right now in terms of our base."
Thomas did suggest that, with Greg Oden and Kevin Durant expected to go
No.1 and 2 in the draft to Western Conference teams (Portland and Seattle,
respectively), the East "is still going to be open."
"And until somebody makes some major changes or some major trades, I think
you'll probably be looking at the same group of characters again," he added.
"Hopefully, we'll be one of the characters in the playoffs next year."
According to one person with knowledge of the Knicks' thinking, Lewis would
be an exception to the rule regarding adding more payroll because he is
relatively young (he turns 28 in August) and is an outstanding perimeter
shooter who also possesses a post-up game. The Knicks figure him to fit
perfectly with Eddy Curry as the dominating inside threat. This past season,
the 6-10 Lewis averaged 22.4 points and 6.6 rebounds in 60 games and shot 39
percent from three-point range.
The Sonics are expected to select Durant, a 6-11 swingman, with the second
overall pick, so their likely only option with Lewis is a sign-and-trade or to
lose him for nothing on July 1. Sonics president Lenny Wilkens told a Seattle
newspaper on Tuesday he plans to sign Lewis. The sides are expected to begin
talks today.
The Knicks hope to jump into the conversation sometime in the near future.
"If there's a way we can upgrade our team, we definitely will. We're not in
a hurry to do anything," Thomas said. "We're not looking to make any mistakes.
We'll be cautious and very conservative."
Meanwhile, predraft camp was otherwise uneventful. Just about all of the
big names in the draft - Oden, Durant, Brandan Wright and Joakim Noah - are not
participating in the scrimmages. Thomas said he expects to make a pick at
No.23, but will likely take a risk on a project type of player who can develop.
The presence of late-season signee Randolph Morris from Kentucky, he said,
allows him that luxury.
One player who could be on the Knicks' draft board is Florida point guard
Taurean Green, the son of former Knick Sidney Green, who is projected to be a
second-round pick. Thomas spoke highly of Green and mentioned how he
"quarterbacked two championships" with the Gators.
