The Knicks lost a top young executive as well as one of the final holdovers from the Pat Riley-Jeff Van Gundy era when Jim Sann announced his resignation yesterday to join the Toronto Raptors.

Sann, 34, will become one of Kevin O'Neill's assistant coaches. O'Neill, a former Knicks assistant, was hired by the Raptors last month.

Sann was not the most recognizable name in the organization but around the NBA he was quickly making a name for himself as a rising star in the profession with the potential to be a general manager one day.

Knicks president Scott Layden promoted Sann to the front office position of director of basketball administration two years ago. Sann, who was working under assistant GM Jeff Nix, was responsibe for scouting college players.

In March, Sann predicted that Georgetown power forward Mike Sweetney would be a sleeper in the draft. The Knicks eventually selected Sweetney with the ninth overall pick.