When Knicks' GM Scott Layden came to bat at No. 9 last night at the NBA draft, he figured he had a choice of either power forward Mike Sweetney or the Polish 7-foot small forward project Maciej Lampe. Layden never figured he could get both.

After a stunning drop by Lampe, projected as high as five, Layden believes he selected two lottery picks last night. In nabbing two frontcourt players, the Knicks have one ready to contribute next season and another who may not be ready for a year or two but who already is the darling of Knick fans.

The Knicks tabbed Georgetown's 6-8, 265-pound Sweetney with their ninth pick and Lampe, after a stunning drop, with the 30th pick. The 18-year-old - who's been compared to a young Dirk Nowitzki - dropped like a stone out of the first round because of a contract-buyout snafu with his Spanish team, Real Madrid, and because he did not work out for a single team outside the lottery, sources said.

"Good for us, good for New York," crowed Layden, who called Lampe "clearly a lottery pick" Wednesday.

Before the Knicks selected with the first pick of the second round, the Garden crowd chanted Lampe's name. Layden worked out the outside-shooting Lampe twice, including Wednesday at the Garden, and believes he can be transformed into a center. Lampe played mostly last season for Real Madrid's minor-league team. Knicks European scout Kevin Wilson said he's still growing.

With their second pick of the second round, at No. 39, the Knicks selected another international project in 7-6 Serbian giant Slavko Vranes, who is 20. He has limited skills but can dunk without jumping.