With additional talent comes additional worries, which is a lesson that Knicks coach Lenny Wilkens may be learning first hand if his entire backcourt is healthy and he has problems finding minutes for newcomer Jamal Crawford.  Wilkens, however, is prepared for such a situation and accordingly can placate their playing time concerns by telling them a quarter century-old success story.

"I had Gus Williams and Dennis Johnson and Fred Brown," Wilkens recalled Thursday of the Seattle SuperSonics team he coached in 1978-79. "We won a championship, and everybody was happy with their minutes."

Crawford is a combo guard capable of playing the point or shooting guard, but Stephon Marbury is the incumbent playmaker and Allan Houston is the team's best outside shooting threat.

If Houston's achy knees are healthy enough to allow him to play by the time the season begins Nov. 3, Crawford will find himself in the same unhappy position he was in last season with the Bulls - coming off the bench.

"It'll all work itself out," said Wilkens.  "I think we have a whole lot more depth now, and it should pay off. Right now, we're approaching camp in a real positive mode. We're excited about it."

John Starks will join the Knicks this season in their front office according to sources.

Arguably the most popular Knick ever, Starks will mostly be responsible for community relations and will have an expanded role on MSG Network?s telecasts as last year Starks did some halftime studio work for the network.

His official title and the official announcement from the Knicks are expected later on this week.

Allan Houston says his knees feel better than they have in a long time, yet he still plans to be extra cautious when training camp opens for the New York Knicks.

"I probably could go out there and start right now, but I don't want to because I'm being cautious," said Houston, who missed the playoffs and 13 of the Knicks' final 14 regular-season games due to soreness in his left knee.

Houston's right knee underwent microfracture surgery in 2003, and he believes he injured the left knee by coming back too soon at the start of the 2003-04 season and overcompensating for the pain. His decision to remain cautious in training camp reflected his desire not to make the same mistake twice.

"I've been in this league 12 years, I'll know when I'm ready," Houston said. "I just want to be surer than sure."

Houston averaged 18.5 points last season for the Knicks, who were swept by the New Jersey Nets in the first round of the playoffs.

Houston, who joined the Knicks in 1996, has the longest tenure of any member of the team. He averaged a career-high 22.5 points in 2002-03.

Isiah Thomas' thirst for size does not appear to be quenched, the Knicks boss set to add Chinese bigman Mengke Bateer to the preseason roster on Monday according to a report in the New York Post.  

Bateer, joining his sixth team in three years, will be joined in New York by 5-10 guard Andre Barrett out of Seton Hall who will also receive an invite from the Knicks.

Thomas also continues to shop forward/center Kurt Thomas who he considers not athletic enough for the new Knicks structure.  If Thomas is traded the Post reports that the Knicks would have no problem starting a frontcourt tandem of Nazr Mohammed and Vin Baker.

The Knicks have reportedly offered former Spurs center and Chinese native, Menk Bateer, a one-year contract worth $700,000.

"We have accepted a contract offered by the Knicks, and the contract is very likely to be signed", said Xia Song, who also revealed they have booked tickets to New York on September 22.

Mr. Bateer was on the Chinese Olympic Team, however did not play many minutes due to a wrist injury.

With Shaquille O'Neal in the East, the Knicks wanted to add a big body to their roster to contend with perhaps the most formidable center in the history of basketball.  

The biggest move Knick president Isiah Thomas pulled off this off-season was the acquisition of Jamal Crawford from Chicago.  But Isiah spent a good deal of the summer courting Erick Dampier in the hopes of luring the restricted free-agent to New York in a sign-and-trade deal.  

The Knicks know they must find a way to withstand the Shaq Attack if they hope to contend in the Eastern Conference.  

But the push to acquire Dampier was fruitless, and so with the start of the NBA preseason just days away, the Knicks and their head coach Lenny Wilkens will open camp looking to solve their size deficit internally.

The Knicks re-signed Vin Baker this past off-season and Baker is looking to get closer to his old form after a procedure to correct an abnormal heartbeat.  Baker has struggled for several seasons with health problems and substance abuse, after reaching all-star status early in his career.  He may have some talents left but his value as an asset is in doubt.

Perhaps the best returning player to throw in Shaq's way is Nazr Mohammed, who played well when he was acquired last season from Atlanta.  A former 300-pounder himself, Mohammed might have what it takes to stand up to Miami?s behemoth.  He continues to refine his body and game and is very excited to be playing in New York.

?I feel I'm back in college again, where fans are into the game," said Mohammed. "I almost feel I've been reborn in terms of my basketball juices."

A cousin of New York Knick star Stephon Marbury was one of two people shot and killed yesterday when an argument turned violent at a Coney Island birthday party.

New York Police found Yusef McEaddy, Marbury's cousin, and Allen Lewis dead behind a Coney Island home.

McEaddy's father and Marbury's father are first cousins, cops and relatives told the media.

McEaddy "was a loving father.  He loved his son," said a man who identified himself as a relative.

'The Nets' interest in trading Jason Kidd has moved the Knicks closer to exchanging Kurt Thomas for Wally Szczerbiak, according to several NBA sources.'

In this scenario; the Knicks wouls send Kurt Thomas to the Nets and receive Wally Szczerbiak and Aaron Williams.

The Nets would get Sam Cassell and Ervin Johnson with Thomas.

The Timberwolves are the team trying to get this done. Isiah Thomas also wouldn't mind having Wally Szczerbiak.

'Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor has charged his GM, Kevin McHale, to acquire Kidd, according to an NBA executive involved in the talks, and the Nets' All-Star point guard has told management he would accept a trade to Minnesota. With Kenyon Martin and Kerry Kittles jettisoned in the purge ordered by new owner Bruce Ratner, and with the Nets staring at a series of bleak lame-duck seasons in the Meadowlands before moving to Brooklyn, Kidd wants out in the worst way.'

"But is anyone willing to take him and the $90 million after knee surgery?" said one NBA executive with knowledge of the talks. "I wouldn't buy a racehorse that couldn't run, even if it was the greatest racehorse of all time."

'To take on Szczerbiak and Williams, the Knicks would have to rid themselves of another salary in addition to Thomas'. Isiah Thomas is hoping against hope to convince someone to take Moochie Norris or Shandon Anderson off his hands.'

Stephon Marbury is confident that the Knicks' offseason additions that Isiah Thomas will make for a better team in the upcoming season.

"This is a new style and we're all going to be together from the beginning," Marbury said. "We're not going to be learning on the fly, like before."

Marbury was particularly enthused about new teammate Jamal Crawford. "I think he's going to be great," Marbury said. "He's another weapon for us."

One that Marbury feels he can deploy in a much different offense than the one the Knicks played last year.

"I expect us to be going up and down the court," Marbury said. "[Crawford] makes the game easier. I can play the one or the two with him out there and Allan [Houston]'s job is just to shoot the ball now."

As for Houston, Marbury thinks the often-ailing guard will be better.  "I heard he's feeling good."

Mike Breen has been officially named as the voice of the New York Knicks.  He will be replacing Marv Albert, who left the network after a dispute with management over the content of the game broadcast and money.  

"I can't say a thing," Marv Albert said during a recent conversation.