An MRI revealed that Eddy Curry has a torn right plantaris muscle that will sideline him for the rest of training camp.

Curry's recovery will only be 3-5 days to drain blood from the area.

During an interview in New York to promote the release of "More than a Game," LeBron James said, "I'm very excited to be here in New York, I love New York ... you know, couldn't be better than to be in the Mecca of basketball and that's New York City."

The interviewer then asked James, "And we know you said you loved playing at MSG, how about next summer?"  

James responded, "We'll see when it gets here, all right," and ended the interview.

As the video ends, James is heard chanting "New York! New York!" as he walks with a group.

Darko Milicic possesses several qualities that intrigue the Knick coaching staff.

Mike D'Antoni and his assistant coaches see in Milicic a 7-2 center who runs the floor, passes and blocks shots.

Despite staying overseas all summer, Milicic showed up to camp in excellent physical condition.

Frank Isola speculates that if Eddy Curry has a healthy and productive season, he could forgo the last season of his contract in order to seek a long-term deal next summer.

Curry has an option that would pay him more than $11 million next season.  The Knicks would gladly apply the additional cap space to their 2010 free-agent pursuits.

It has been considered a given that Curry would opt in for the 2010-2011 season because he undoubtedly would take a loss in that season under any new contract.  What is not clear is whether the prospect of signing a new multi-year contract would be enough reason to convince Curry to elect to become a free-agent next summer.

One factor that could come into play is the expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement after 2010.  A new CBA, one that is expected to be less favorable to the players, will govern free-agency in 2011.

Admitting that he did not properly emphasize defense last season, Mike D'Antoni told the media on Tuesday that he has set a goal for the Knicks to be in the top half of the league on defense.

Last season, the Knicks were last in shot-blocking and gave up the third-most points in the league on the third-highest field goal percentage allowed.

Al Harrington is in the final year of his contract, but is very adamant about his desire to remain with the Knicks.

"I want to finish my career here," Harrington told the New York Daily News. "I'm not auditioning myself for anybody."

It may be tough for the Knicks to retain Harrington, even if there is a desire to do so. In order to sign a maximum contract player next summer, New York will have to let most (if not all) of their free agents go.

Despite a strained hamstring and calf, Eddy Curry said he will participate fully in the first day of Knicks' training camp on Tuesday.

Curry understands that the team may try to trade him for additional cap room next summer but hopes he is still a contributing member of the Knicks when next season rolls around.  For either outcome to occur, Curry will have to show results on the court this season.

"I hope they do get LeBron," Curry said.  "I hope I'm here when he comes."

Knicks general manager Donnie Walsh was pleasantly surprised when he was able to re-sign David Lee and Nate Robinson to one-year deals.

"If you had told me at the beginning of the year that these guys wouldn't get offer sheets and that they would be willing to sign one-year contracts, which is what we felt was all we could offer, I would have said it was doubtful," Walsh told the Sporting News.

"But then I think the league kind of froze when the economic numbers came out. So it was not a good market for them, and that opened the door for us and we got it done."

Nets guard Rafer Alston expects to begin the season with either the Knicks or Heat, according to a source.

"New York and Miami are the top two teams on Rafer's list," the source told ESPN 1050 in New York. "He can't play in a contract year in New Jersey behind Devin Harris and Keyon Dooling."

Alston was part of the package that the Magic sent to the Nets for Vince Carter back in June.

Because of his expiring contract, Alston is a valuable trade chip.

"(Mike) D'Antoni might be the only coach in the league that would let Rafer be Rafer," the source added.

Eddy Curry has reportedly lost 40 pounds this offseason, but the Knicks aren't setting their expectations too high for the center.

"I think it's going to take him time to get back into a flow," general manager Donnie Walsh told Newsday of Curry.

Curry played in just two games last season because of knee and conditioning problems.

"I'm not expecting anybody to come out of the gate and we all go, 'Wow,' " Walsh added.