Kiki Vandeweghe denied all reports that he has talked with Knicks' management about any position with the team on Thursday, according to The New York Post.

"I'm focused on what I'm doing here, and that [talking to Knicks] would not be appropriate," Vandeweghe, a special assistant to New Jersey's Rod Thorn, told the Post. "I never spoke to anybody at the Knicks about their job. [The report] has no basis in fact."

Stephon Marbury has been told not to come to Madison Square Garden by Knicks' Coach Isiah Thomas, according to The New York Post.

A person close to Marbury told the Post that he is also forbidden to talk to the media, an instruction handed down by Knicks' management.

According to a report in the New York Daily News, the Knicks have spoken with Kiki Vandeweghe about taking over for Isiah Thomas in the front office.

However, James Dolan would like Vandeweghe to allow Thomas to continue coaching the team, according to someone close to the discussions in New York.

"Anybody who knows Isiah knows that he's not going to quit," one Knicks' official told the Daily News. "But he never should have been given both jobs. One job he can handle but not both."

According to the Associated Press, Knick Coach Isiah Thomas seemingly confirmed that Stephon Marbury may be finished for the season, and he may not be back next year.

Thomas said Wednesday the Knicks will go into 2008-09 needing a third guard to play with Jamal Crawford and Nate Robinson, and when asked if Marbury was that guy Thomas quickly tried to change the topic.

"Let's discuss next year when this year's over," Thomas said.

MSG president Steve Mills attended a special screening of 'Black Magic' in Harlem beside Kiki Vandeweghe on Tuesday evening.

According to a person close to Vandeweghe, the meeting was not planned, but the two did catch up.

Vandeweghe, according to sources, has the edge as Isiah Thomas' successor.  

Vandeweghe, Jerry Colangelo and Donnie Walsh have been mentioned as the three most likely candidates to replace Thomas.

"The NBA is pushing Kiki for that job," said a league executive. "It sounds like it is a foregone conclusion that something is going to happen over there at the end of the season. Kiki makes a lot of sense."

Earl Monroe was a part of the New York Knicks when all was well with the franchise but the legend has a hard time watching the current team struggle, according to the New York Daily News.

"It's a group of guys that have a lot of talent," Monroe told the Daily News, "but they have an identity problem."

"Obviously, there need to be changes," Monroe added. "The most important thing about playing and being on a great team is that you have to have good chemistry. And right now, they don't have that."

Eddy Curry has told reporters that he is not going to change who he is, and he is questioning his role with the Knicks, the New York Post is reporting.

Curry played 26 minutes, which is much more than in previous games, but was mostly unimpressive and was burnt by Andrea Bargnani, who finished with 25 points in the Raptors win.

"I'm not going to change who I am," Curry said. "I really hope I fit in here. I hope they see I do because I feel I do. I got to work on my jump hook. Last year I made more than I made right now."

Isiah Thomas has insisted the reason why Curry hasn't been getting minutes is because of mismatch problems, saying that the big man in the NBA is being phased out.  Curry is not buying the excuse.

"That's my opinion; I don't believe it is," Curry said. "Maybe that's why I'm playing and not coaching because I don't know as much as [Thomas] knows. [But] I just don't believe that."

After starting for the Knicks on Friday night against the Raptors center Eddy Curry was planted firmly on the bench for the final 38 minutes, according to the New York Post.

Isiah Thomas insisted that Curry was rested due to matchups, but many find that hard to believe.

"He's definitely in our plans, but some nights the matchups aren't there," Thomas told the Post. "This is a team that really plays small. Sometimes it's not a good night for him matchup-wise. We have David [Lee] for that."

The Knicks and Bucks had serious discussions about a trade on Thursday.

Zach Randolph and guard Fred Jones would have gone to Milwaukee in exchange for guard Charlie Bell, forward Bobby Simmons, and center Dan Gadzuric, according to a league source.

Ron Artest is expected to opt out of his contract at the end of the season, and the Knicks could offer him the five-year, mid-level exception this summer, according to the New York Post.

"If there's a competitive offer on the table, the hometown team would become very appealing," Artest's agent Mark Stevens told the Post.