Mark Warkentien talked excitedly about his opportunity with the Knicks, but avoided entering the controversy between Donnie Walsh and owner Jim Dolan.

"I have no idea, other than I dealt with Donnie," Warkentien said. "I wouldn't know how much he had to deal with Jim or not on it. That's a conversation above my pay grade."

Walsh's contract for the 11-12 season has yet to be picked up.

"You get to work for a guy you always wanted to work with in Donnie Walsh, and then it's Madison Square Garden," Warkentien said. "I'm 57, and is there anyone in our age group who doesn't want to be a part of the Garden? It's the mecca, and it's New York. It's like, 'Wow.'"

Warkentien has intimate knowledge of Denver's front office and is represented by the same agency as Carmelo Anthony.

"Donnie and I have been talking about working together in New York for a long time," he said. "It's not like this was a new conversation. Donnie flew me into New York right around Labor Day, I spent two days there, we talked at great length about it, and it's been gathering momentum since then. Thank goodness it got done.

"If Donnie's the godfather, and he is, I'm a mere consigliere. But I think Donnie and I have real synergy. I have my finger on the pulse of the west big time, and his roots are all eastern."