Dwyane Wade was asked about the possibility of playing with LeBron James in New York on Friday evening.

"It's not crazy," Wade told The Post in the visitor's locker room of Indiana's Conseco Fieldhouse. "It could happen. We both understand that. We both signed the same contract. We did it together. More than anything, it's fun to think about. It's exciting to know we both control our future. Will it happen? Who knows. He has some something he's trying to accomplish in Cleveland. I have something I'm trying to accomplish in Miami. But up until 2010, it will be fun to think about."

Wade did mention that the New York weather is one factor against him signing with the Knicks, citing his love of the Miami sun.

Eddy Curry reportedly asked the Knicks for an $8 million advantage last year to offset his growing financial debt.

New York rejected Curry's proposal, according to a person close to the center, as they believed the amount was excessive.

The same source indicated that the Knicks advanced Curry approximately $2 million, which is commonplace as long as the player is guaranteed to make double that amount on his existing contract.

The NBA league office turned down the Knicks' application for a disabled player exception for Cuttino Mobley.

The league determined that the heart condition that forced Mobley to retire was a pre-existing condition.

Knicks president Donnie Walsh said it is unlikely that David Lee will be traded ahead of the February trade deadline and that the club is committed to re-signing the star forward, the New York Post is reporting.

Because Lee is a restricted free agent, the Knicks have all the control because they can match any offer sheet.  

"That's the key," Walsh said.

Is is believed that Lee's representatives were asking for $10 million per season before the season, which New York did not want to pay.

David Lee responded to the All-Star game snub with a sense of modesty.

?It was disappointing. It would?ve been a really cool experience, but the guys that got in were all very deserving.,? Lee said. ?All those guys are tremendous players and it?s great to even be mentioned in that group or to be in the conversation.?

D'Antoni did say he talked to Lee, and told him that often there is a lag period for people to recognize that level of play.

"He knows he's tied to the Knicks and the Knicks have got to get better," D'Antoni said.

?Next year,? D?Antoni told Lee, ?keep your numbers up, keep going, keep playing hard, we?ll get the team a little better, get a winning record, and get you in there.?

According to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, David Lee has not been named as a reserve on this year's NBA All-Star team.

Lee is second behind Dwight Howard for the league lead in double-doubles recorded.

The Knicks believe they will be able to retain David Lee this offseason.

Lee is expected to seek at least $10 million per season. Based on current projections, only seven teams will have $7 million or more in cap room this summer.

Three of those teams, Miami, Atlanta, and Minnesota, can be scratched off the list immediately.

That leaves Oklahoma City, Memphis, Portland, and Detroit as the most likely suitors for Lee.

A Western Conference executive said that Lee would be ?one of the more sought-after guys? this summer, because of his youth, his production and his rapid improvement.

Eddy Curry was the father of the 10-month-old girl who last week was murdered alongside her mother, Curry?s ex-girlfriend Nova Henry, sources familiar with the paternity case told the Chicago Sun-Times.

A confidential court document filed in September reveals a DNA test confirmed Curry as the biological father of Ava, whose last name is the same as a man questioned by police about the slayings, sources said.

"The family never had a doubt of who the father is," a spokesman for the Henry family said.

If Stephon Marbury does receive a buyout or release from the Knicks this season, he'd have to accept the veteran's minimum from a team like the Celtics.

Boston has refuted Marbury's claims that they have a verbal commitment in place should he become available, and because of luxury tax concerns, the team isn't likely to give anyone more than the veteran's minimum.

Marbury is reported to have already collected half of his $21 million salary this season even though he hasn't played a game for the Knicks.

Stephon Marbury appeared on Sports Center on Tuesday and tried to set the record straight on his situation.  He has been in contact with the Celtics, Heat, and Mavericks.

"If something was to happen, I would be able to pick either of those teams," said Marbury.  "So it's not do I have a verbal or did Boston give me a commitment. That's people saying what they are basically speculating on what I said. If I could get out of my deal, I'd have a chance to choose what teams that I am able to go to. Even if those teams are not there, another team might come up and try to do something. I don't know where it could go. But the whole truth of the matter is I have to be able to get out of my deal. And I'm in a deal where I'm basically locked in where I can't play basketball. I can't complain too much because they are still paying me.

"I don't believe that it's about the money," said Marbury.  "I think it's about where I'm going to be playing basketball at. D'Antoni says that he doesn't mind if I play in Boston or if I played in Miami. He didn't care moving forward. I don't think it's necessarily about money. It can't be about money, whereas the Knicks, the organization itself, they're a billion dollar company, so I don't think it can be about that, especially when they owe me that money. I didn't come this year saying to the Knicks that I wanted to go in another direction. I came here ready to play. I did the exact thing Donnie Walsh told me to do. He told me to come in the best shape of my life and I did that."