Just win, baby. Keith Van Horn knows that's all it will take to diminish the outrage Knick fans feel from last week's Latrell Sprewell blockbuster trade.

"I'm going to bring a lot of things to this team that's going to make it better," Van Horn said. "The team hasn't made the playoffs for two years. Their fans and organization are dying for a winning team. The fans really care about basketball in the city. My only objective is to help this team win. If we win, fans are happy."

They're not happy right now. The fans act as if GM Scott Layden broke up an Eastern Conference dynasty instead of a shrimpy unit that hadn't won a playoff series since 2000. After taking his Knick physical, Van Horn made an appearance at the Vanderbilt YMCA, answering questions from 25 kids aged 7 to 12. The campers are the only New Yorkers who haven't called Van Horn soft.

But Van Horn knows Sprewell, fresh from choking P.J. Carlesimo, faced the same nasty New York sentiments when he arrived before the 1999 lockout season.

"There was a lot of negative opinion when John Starks left and Latrell came as well," Van Horn said. "That's been the case with a lot of trades made in the area. The opinion is negative at first, then the player comes in and shows he can help the team and it changes. It's kind of how it works here in New York."