I believe New Jersey is about to enter the LeBron James sweepstakes.

Sending a useful player like Richard Jefferson to Milwaukee for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons otherwise defies logic. The deal is reportedly awaiting league approval, but it seems Rod Thorn is pushing the button. Kaboom! Now the Nets are rebuilding, too, and the organization will undoubtedly make a play for the biggest prize of the free agent class of 2010 to lure fans to Brooklyn.

Do they have the inside track?

Simmons comes off the books in two seasons, and Yi will be much happier in a major market. Imagine how many fans will hop a subway from Chinatown to see a native son play. He’s now a legitimate drawing card.

This is why the Knicks better have a backup plan.

We know there will be some talent on the market in two seasons, but not enough to go around. And there’s a big difference between somebody like James and somebody like Chris Bosh.

The rumors are cluttering message boards all over the internet, which is all part of the fun, I suppose.  Donnie Walsh and the cast of thousands who are weighing in on the draft assembled this morning at the MSG Training Center, and most of them are prowling for information.

Isiah Thomas is not on the premises, according to a Knicks spokesman.

Don’t give up on yet on the possibility of moving up to snag O.J. Mayo because the best offers probably won’t be exchanged for a couple of hours. I don’t see any benefit to partnering with Portland to move down unless there’s an opportunity to pave the way for a marquee name in 2010.

There’s a reason why so many teams are ready and willing to dump first-round picks outside the lottery.

I’m starting to wonder if Joe Alexander is worthy of the No. 6 pick because it doesn’t sound like Walsh has any intention of signing David Lee to a contract extension down the road. The sound of silence is usually a hint. Since we haven’t been hearing much about Alexander, maybe he’s the guy.

Or maybe not.

They’re going to keep us guessing all day long and into the night. I can’t wait to see how Knicks fans react to whatever goes down at the WaMu Theater.

Donnie Walsh didn’t exactly drop any names when he met with the media yesterday afternoon, so I took an informal poll. Guess what? I got six different names when I asked six different executives who the Knicks will select at No. 6 should they hang onto the pick.

Heck, we might as well throw darts.

Let’s take a stab based on the lies and speculation circulating. I’m going to say the Knicks’ draft board has the prospects ranked something like this:

1. O.J. Mayo: Wishful thinking.


2. Danilo Gallinari: A high basketball IQ makes up for a lack of quickness.


3. D.J. Augustin: He’s still an inch taller than me.


4. Jerryd Bayless: Scoring is not an issue.


5. Russell Westbrook: Might become a stopper.


6. Joe Alexander: The heir apparent to David Lee.

It sounds like Walsh is still talking with Minnesota about moving up far enough to grab Mayo, but nobody seems to know the particulars. The deal with Memphis seems to be contingent on an unspecified combination of players coming off the board right away.

Anybody getting goosebumps?

I’ve had just about enough of this tedious process, but I’ll keep making phone calls in hopes of tripping over something. It just seems like teams are still piecing together draft strategies. Either that or a record number of executives and scouts are blowing smoke.

Basically, it’s hard to nail down anything beyond the Bulls and Heat.

I still believe Knicks president Donnie Walsh is looking to use the No. 6 pick to swing a deal. Minnesota and Memphis have been open to the idea of parting with the No. 3 and No. 5 pick, respsectively. And when names start coming off the board, there will be opportunities to move down and pare salary, as well.

Here’s my question of the day, would you be happy with O.J. Mayo if the Knicks can swing a deal? I’m guessing Kevin McHale would come looking to move salary or pick up a couple of young players. Would you part with David Lee and Chandler to make the deal go through?

According to DraftExpress.com, Brendan Suhr was in Chicago over the weekend to watch Mayo work out. The site also said Walsh stopped by to see Ante Tomic, a 7-2 project from Croatia, so either he was bored in the office or he’s in the market for at least one second-round pick.

If you happen to be in NYC on Thursday and wish to attend the draft, the NBA is placing a limited number of cheap seats on sale at 11 a.m. Tickets can be purchased for $15 at the MSG box office.

We’ve officially reached the point where team executives start talking in circles.

Nobody wants to get caught leaning.

In the next few days leading up to the draft, there will be all kinds of speculation. Take it at face value. Some of it will prove true on Thursday, but a lot of it will fade away.

I do know that Donnie Walsh has a lot of us guessing.

The pensive team president apparently told a number of people inside and outside the organization the Knicks will not be predictable. So let’s deal with the unexpected.

Walsh is definitely calling around the league, seeking a match for pieces that don’t seem to fit here.

I don’t know whether anyone is expressing interest, so there’s a chance he’ll be forced to let go of somebody like David Lee or Nate Robinson to make an exchange intriguing. The goal is to unload some of these over-sized contracts, and there has to be an incentive to accept dead weight.

Throwing in cheap talent is one way of making things happen.
In this draft, it makes a lot of sense to chase playmakers because there are several who could impact a rebuilding NBA team in a hurry. But if you’re going to get rid of Lee or Robinson, does that make Joe Alexander or Danilo Gallinari a target?

There have to be some other picks that require a little imagination, let’s get a list going.

Dan D’Antoni, Phil Weber and Herb Williams are official now.

The standings probably won’t be affected one way or the other by who’s on the coaching staff, but there is one issue that’s been cleared up. Isiah Thomas liked having lots of help, so the Knicks put in extra seats behind the bench to accomodate everybody.

Now the chatter will be limited.

I really think it’s critical to have fewer voices in the huddle. The players don’t need six different assistants chiming in from all directions when a situation needs to be addressed. Most days, they require nothing more than somebody to rebound the ball and pass it back.

No workouts today, although Mike D’Antoni and nine others from the organization were on hand as Joe Alexander worked out for the Nets.

The hustling forward seems to be moving up fast, but probably won’t be the best player on the board six picks into next week’s draft. Anybody willing to gamble? The West Virginia product has a style that sells tickets.

Also, there’s a story in the Arizona Republic that again mentions the possibility of Leandro Barbosa getting traded here. I still don’t see where a deal like that fits in the grand scheme Donnie Walsh is putting into play. He’s got another $27.4 million coming and is under contract through 2012.

I’ll let you throw some names out there.

Let’s assume the exchange starts with the No. 6 pick, but who else do the Knicks give up? Make the numbers match.

The list of prospects stopping by the MSG Training Center tomorrow morning has been released, and there isn’t much to get excited about. If the Knicks are up for a project, DeAndre Jordan is the name you have to focus on.

He’s a 7-footer who’s only 19 years old.

From what I saw of Jordan he’s got all kinds of athletic ability, but he’s not fundamentally sound. He’s also going to get pushed around for a couple of years in the NBA, so don’t label him the second coming of Marcus Camby just yet.

Here’s the list:

• Antoine Agudio (senior G, 6-3, 190, Hofstra)


• Gary Ervin (senior G, 6-0, 182, Arkansas)


• Dante Milligan (senior F, 6-9, 215, Massachusetts)


• DeAndre Jordan  (freshman C, 7-0, 260, Texas A&M)


• Mike Taylor (junior G, 6-2, 165, Iowa State/NBA D-League)


• Vladimir Golubovic (C, 7-0, 225, Serbia)

From this day forward, every bad team in the NBA will talk about the Boston Celtics rebuilding in a matter of months and enjoying a historic turnaround. Heck, it was mentioned several times in the Knicks’ locker room this season long before a championship trophy was raised.

So, did you enjoy the show?

I know league officials giggled with excitement when the overnight ratings came in well higher than in past seasons. Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett even managed to outdraw Tiger Woods!

By the way, I meant Celtics in six.

It appears both teams are poised to make a repeat visit to the NBA Finals next season. The question is, who’s going to win more rings in the next five seasons, Bryant or Garnett?

The next round of workouts at the MSG practice facility is scheduled for Thursday, but we’ve not been told who’s coming yet. In the week before the draft, some teams like getting repeat visits to give prospects a second look.

It sounds like the coaching staff will become official later in the week unless there’s a snag.

Wilson Chandler did receive clearance to resume basketball activity last week. He sprained his left knee and missed the final game of the season. Chandler does have some unspecified restrictions to follow, but is reportedly back home in Michigan working out. It would do him a world of good to spend August and September in New York under the watchful eye of Mike D’Antoni and company.

He might be the small forward the Knicks have been looking for.

It seems the only players who’ve utilized the MSG practice facility since the end of the season are David Lee and Nate Robinson, who stop in from time to time. Both were fixtures there last summer. It doesn’t mean the other guys aren’t getting shots up.  

There are some interesting quotes from Ben Gordon, who was asked whether New York would be a good place to land should the Bulls grab Derrick Rose in next week’s draft and unload somebody from a crowded backcourt. There’s one thing people forget when they ask that question. Although he grew up in Mt. Vernon, a short ride from MSG, Gordon was a Michael Jordan fan. He’s always been a Bulls fan.

And somebody is going to have to pay him going forward.

Before you concoct any deals, figure out how to account for the $8 or $9 million a season Gordon is going to be looking for. It’s a number that cramps the Donnie Walsh game plan.

Again, please forgive the absence of updates. It’s a busy month with kindergarten recitals and predraft workouts and Little League games all vying for attention. The calendar is getting manageable this week, so we’ll have a chance to catch up.

Let’s start with Stephon Marbury making another court appearance. He was on the stand yesterday, testifying about a leaky basement. Here’s the story from Jane McManus that ran in The Journal News today. Who are we pulling for, the athelete who’s going to make $21 million this season or the big money developer who allegedly cut some corners?

I’m anxious to hear what the powers that be thought of D.J. Augustin, who is the one self-professed point guard in this draft. While he’s just 5-foot-11, the instincts and intangibles are NBA ready. Did anybody watch him in the NCAA tournament? He was struggling, but still found ways to contribute something to help Texas win games. Augustin scores well enough to keep defenses honest, and he seems committed on the defensive end.

Assuming Derrick Rose and Jerryd Bayless are off the board, do you use the No. 6 pick to get a player you want or take a gamble and trade down a couple of spots?

Here’s a little news about Jamal Crawford doing good, and Zach Randolph doing the opposite.