Ian O'Connor of The Journal News reports that the Knicks have talked to the Trail Blazers about trading Latrell Sprewell and Marcus Camby for Rasheed Wallace and Bonzi Wells. It would be a deal involving oversized budgets and overwhelmed teams. At a combined $169.5 million, the Knicks and Blazers account for the two biggest payrolls in the NBA, and the two biggest busts since "Ishtar" and "Heaven's Gate."

With Sprewell and Camby making a combined $18.5 million, and Wallace and Wells weighing in at $16.4 million, the difference is small enough for the prospective exchange to be notarized by David Stern. Or in other words, the salaries match within 115% + $100,000 necessary for such deal to get approval.

"But I think Portland will keep Rasheed," one high-ranking Eastern Conference official said yesterday. "Rasheed is better than Camby and Sprewell is older than Bonzi. If the Knicks can pull it off, that's definitely a deal they should make."

But O'Connor has another idea: Instead of trading the stars, the Knicks should fire Scott Layden as president and general manager of this hopelessly lost cause.

O'Connor compares the moves made by Layden and former GM Ernie Grunfeld. This is a well-written commentary that Knick fans should read.

Elsewhere, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports that Layden is getting a few deals in the works. The GM has spoken to the Nuggets about unhappy point guard Nick Van Exel. Denver wants want back one of the Knicks' Big 3 - either Marcus Camby, Allan Houston or Latrell Sprewell - but Layden is not quite ready to get that desperate.

Layden has spoken to the Warriors not just about Jackson but also power forward Danny Fortson and Adonal Foyle. The Knicks could have stolen Fortson from Boston for Chris Childs and $3 million back in the summer of 2000.

Layden has targeted Portland's Rasheed Wallace and may be willing to part with two of his Big 3 plus Houston if he can get back someone such as Bonzi Wells.

The Knicks like Denver center Raef LaFrentz, but the Nuggets are looking for a standout big man in return and the Knicks have yet to offer Camby.

The Knicks also have talked to the Bucks about giving up Camby and Charlie Ward - two of Milwaukee GM Ernie Grunfeld's favorites - for Tim Thomas and second-year center Joel Pryzbilla.