Donnie Walsh does not want to lock up players long term this offseason, and that said, he's going to use the mid-level exception and also explore sign and trade opportunities to land a point guard and some shot blocking help for the Knicks, the New York Post is reporting.

One potential target appears to be Monta Ellis of the Golden State Warriors.  For Ellis to become a member of the Knicks, he would have to be a sign and trade since Ellis is a restricted free agent, and the Warriors are sure to match any offer for the young guard.

Other options include Sebastian Telfair, Kyle Lowry, Chris Duhon, Keyon Dooling, Tyronn Lue, and Kirk Hinrich although some are not free agents and would need to be acquired via trade.

Memphis has a glut of guards now that they acquired O.J. Mayo from Minnesota while Chicago is in a similar predicament after striking it lucky and drafting Derrick Rose first overall.

Stephon Marbury's fitness declaration has failed to impress at least one of his Knicks' teammates, who said that Marbury says the same thing every year, the New York Daily News is reporting.

"It's the same story every year," says one veteran Knick. "He's doing this, he's doing that, he's running hills, he's lifting weights. And then on the first day of training camp he can't even finish some of the drills."

Marbury, who is entering the final year of his lucrative contract, may not play out the season with the Knicks.

According to the report, if President Donnie Walsh acquires a point guard, Marbury likely will be released, according to a league source.

David Lee, who is looking for a contract extension, seems the most likely candidate to be dealt for a point guard, with Raymond Felton from Charlotte and Steve Blake from Portland possible options.

Isiah Thomas gave new Knick President Donnie Walsh a positive scouting report on Danilo Gallinari, whom the team made the sixth pick in the 2008 draft Thursday night.

After being dismissed from his role as Knicks' president and head coach, Isiah Thomas embarked on a European scouting trip and watched Gallinari play for Armani Jeans of Milan.

"He told me, 'This kid won't back down,'" Walsh said.

When the Knicks selected Italian forward Danilo Gallinari with the sixth pick, it may have signaled the end of David Lee's career as a Knick.

"I'm hearing the Knicks could be working on a deal with the Charlotte Bobcats to acquire point guard Raymond Felton for Lee," Frank Isola writes in his blog.

The Bobcats chose Texas point guard D.J. Augustin with the ninth pick.  Augustin's game is consistent with Larry Brown's blueprint for an orchestrating point guard.

When Mike D?Antoni coached the Phoenix Suns, he reportedly did not want Lee because of the forward's lack of shooting ability.

Isola also reports that the Knicks had spoken to the Memphis Grizzlies about trading Lee and Malik Rose for the fifth pick.

Danilo Gallinari heard a hearty round of boos when the New York Knicks selected him with the No. 6 pick, but he isn't phased by any of it.

"It's a part of the game; all the players has got to hear this," Gallinari said of the boos. "It's not every time that you hear good things. So it's normal here."

He answered similarly when asked whether he felt it was unfair for New Yorkers to boo him when they don't know his game that well.

"No, I feel normal and comfortable with that. I have got no problem, and it's my work to prove everybody that I am a good player. So that's everything on me."

The Suns talked about trading Leandro Barbosa to Portland, where he has high interest, for Martell Webster, the No. 13 overall pick and perhaps Finnish point guard Petteri Koponen.

But the Blazers were keying on other options Wednesday, including ones with New York and New Jersey.

According to the New York Post, the Knicks have spoken to the Portland Trail Blazers about possibly trading down to the number 13 spot and picking up point guard Jarrett Jack in the process, the New York Post is reporting.

But a league source said Knicks President Donnie Walsh has very little interest in trading down, only up.

The New York Times is also reporting a Knicks-Blazers trade discussion in these final hours leading up to tonight's Draft.

Howard Beck writes, "According to executives with two teams, the Knicks are discussing a swap of first-round picks with Portland. The Knicks would send the No. 6 pick, forward David Lee and another player to the Trail Blazers for the 13th and 27th picks and a player, possibly Steve Blake or Jarrett Jack. (Portland is acquiring the 27th pick from New Orleans.)"

Could Eric Gordon be off the draft board when the New York Knicks pick at position 6?

According to the New York Daily News, there is speculation that either Seattle, who is picking at 4, or Memphis, who is picking at 5, will select Gordon.

If the Knicks cannot trade up to take O.J. Mayo, it is believed that they will choose out of a group including Italian small forward Danilo Gallinari, Gordon, UCLA guard Russell Westbrook and Arizona guard Jerryd Bayless.

Some in the Knicks organization have Gallinari rated above Gordon.

In the past few days, David Lee has been included in trade discussions that would give the Knicks another pick in the draft to go with their selection at number six.  

The Knicks appear to be trying put themselves in position to grab O.J. Mayo in the draft.

The Grizzlies are considering a package that would net them Lee and send the Knicks the number five pick.  It is likely that Mayo will be off the board at five, too, so it could be that Donnie Walsh is looking to package these two picks to acquire a single pick with which he can select Mayo.

Mayo is from West Virginia, as is Mike D'Antoni, and he seems to welcome the chance to play in the new Knick coach's up-tempo system.

"It definitely would be fun playing for Coach D'Antoni," Mayo said Wednesday. "But I'll be happy wherever I end up."

If the Knicks cannot reel in Mayo and Russell Westbrook is not available at pick six, they might opt to select Italian forward Danilo Gallinari.

Knicks General Manager Donnie Walsh is reportedly looking to trade up in the NBA Draft in order to grab USC guard O.J. Mayo, according to The New York Post.

Chances are extremely slim that Mayo will fall to the Knicks at the sixth pick, but Walsh has had talks with Memphis and Minnesota about the fifth and third picks respectively.

According ESPN.com, the Knicks have even discussed a trade with Memphis for Brian Cardinal and the fifth pick in exchange for David Lee and Malik Rose.