Between checking Vince Carter's injury status and Eddy Curry's availability, Knicks President Isiah Thomas has made time to give disgruntled ex-Laker Karl Malone a call.

Thomas made the call Wednesday to the agent for Malone. A free agent, Malone is ready to play again after recovering from off-season knee surgery. But because of a recent publicized rift with Kobe Bryant, he no longer wishes to play for the Lakers.

"Isiah was very forward yesterday," Dwight Manley, Malone's longtime agent, said in a telephone interview.