Demetris Nichols hasn't played in his first NBA game yet, but he's already fired one agent and hired another.

Nichols, the 53rd player selected in June's NBA Draft, recently hired Bill Neff after ending his brief relationship with Bill Duffy of BDA Associates.

According to Neff, Nichols was unhappy with the New York Knicks' roster situation. The Knicks traded for the 6-foot-8 Nichols in a draft-night deal with Portland. However, the Knicks have 16 players with fully guaranteed contracts, putting them one over the NBA's roster limit before Nichols gets factored in.

Neff said Duffy had talked with the Knicks on a plan to send Nichols, who led Syracuse in scoring last year with 18.9 points per game, to Italy for a year - an arrangement that would allow the Knicks to retain his rights.

"There was an understanding with the previous agent and the Knicks that he would go overseas," Neff said.

"Unfortunately, I don't think Demetris was privy to that. He doesn't want to go overseas.

"He hopes to make the Knicks and I think he will," Neff said, "but if he doesn't, after his showing in Las Vegas, I think other teams will be interested in him. But the plan is for him to be a Knick."