There's no question general manager Scott Layden has stepped up his efforts to transform the Knicks' roster dramatically this summer, but wanting it to happen and pulling it off in such a difficult economic climate are two different things.

Layden wants what nearly everyone in the league wants - a big man who can score - which is why talk of a deal that would bring Philadelphia forward Keith Van Horn to New York has been revived. But the 76ers have the same need as the Knicks, and GM Billy King has said he's not interested in Latrell Sprewell and Kurt Thomas, so it will take a third team to provide the players to satisfy him.

No trade was imminent yesterday, but Layden left Boston with the Knicks' summer league team and headed for the league in Salt Lake City, where he will expand his talks with other GMs this week. If Van Horn is the target, San Antonio and Indiana are the most likely candidates to facilitate a trade, but there are problems with both scenarios.

Reported discussions of a trade that would send Sprewell to the Spurs, who would send undersized power forward Malik Rose and possibly one other player to the Sixers, have the most substance yet. But King might not consider Rose and a throw-in sufficient compensation for Van Horn, and such a deal would make the Sixers even shorter.

A scenario involving Indiana would be welcomed by King if it meant he could get free-agent center Brad Miller in a sign-and- trade. But the Pacers aren't interested in Sprewell and would need a center to replace Miller. One Eastern Conference GM said the Pacers want to unload as many contracts as possible to free up money to sign Miller and prevent him from going to Denver or Utah.

One difference from the past, the Eastern Conference GM said, is that Layden has mentioned Thomas in trade talk. "Kurt Thomas was not easily included in any scenario in the past," the GM said.

If Thomas were the bait in any trade, the Knicks would have to get a veteran center back or would have to use their $4.9-million mid-level exception to sign a free agent such as Elden Campbell or Predrag Drobnjak. Another possibility is a trade with Atlanta for Theo Ratliff, who could supply shot-blocking and rebounding.