Keith Van Horn may be the centerpiece in Scott Layden's plan to transform the Knicks into a younger, bigger team, but the former 76er is not the traditional center the general manager originally sought.

The NBA's stock of free-agent centers is all but empty, and trade speculation is bound to focus on current Knicks center Kurt Thomas. But despite rumors of a possible deal with Dallas, Layden is in no rush to trade his toughest remaining defender.

Once the Knicks traded away Latrell Sprewell to acquire the 6-10 Van Horn, who can play both forward positions, some might have assumed Thomas would be next to go. But while Thomas is an undersized center at 6-9 and provides little shot-blocking ability, he is a productive scorer and rebounder and the team's best low-post defender.

According to several NBA officials, Layden is most likely to trade backup point guard Charlie Ward, whose nine-season tenure is the longest of any current Knick. Ward is entering the final year of a contract worth $6 million, and he would receive an additional $900,000 if he were traded. But only $2 million of his salary is guaranteed, which means his contract can be bought out for that amount if a team merely wants to clear salary-cap space.

Although the summer-league performance of second-year point guard Frank Williams boosted the Knicks' confidence in his ability to back up Howard Eisley, the team would seek an athletic point guard in any deal.

Of course, the Knicks still need a center. Seattle 7-footer Peja Drobnjak, a restricted free agent, is available, but he is a jump-shooting center and poor rebounder. Atlanta's Theo Ratliff is no longer available since the Hawks traded forward Glenn Robinson to Philadelphia in the Van Horn deal. Sacramento 7-footer Keon Clark is on the trading block, but he was charged with marijuana possession a year ago and also said he doesn't want to play in New York.