There is no quick fix for the salary-cap problems that have anchored the Knicks in lottery land the past two seasons. Despite the boos he received on NBA draft night last year, general manager Scott Layden came close to pulling off a miracle turnaround when he packaged Marcus Camby and the No. 7 pick for former All-Star power forward Antonio McDyess.

Layden has been criticized for the risk he took on a player coming off left patella tendon surgery, but given the positive medical prognosis he received, it was a risk worth taking. He got unlucky when McDyess fractured his left patella in training camp that cost him last season and required further bone- graft surgery in April, which might cause him to miss part of next season.

Despite that setback, Layden has been working the phones again this year and looking to use the No. 9 pick as leverage to make another deal. If he stays in the lottery to add youth and size and begins building for the future, Layden actually might be cheered, but if he chooses to trade down for a young veteran, Layden will have to be prepared with his earplugs.

Whenever Layden is asked about his long-term plans for the Knicks, he gives his stock answer that he will use any means to improve the team. Naturally, the Knicks, whose payroll reached $93 million last season, would like to have it both ways - they would like to return to playoff contention while avoiding further salary-cap problems.

The torturous truth is that it probably will be easier for the Knicks to compete for a playoff berth than it will be to get under the cap, which isn't expected to go up much beyond $42 million for next season.