The Knicks announced their eight-game preseason schedule yesterday, with their opener at Washington's MCI Center Oct. 7. But it seems a longshot Antonio McDyess will suit up for any of them.

If his rehab goes according to last time, McDyess would be due his all-important CAT-scan on the six-month anniversary of his latest knee surgery. That would not be until Oct. 22.

The Knicks only let McDyess do light shooting before his April CAT-scan. If that CAT-scan had shown proper healing, McDyess was to be cleared - no-holds barred. But it showed the healing was not complete, which forced another surgery, his third in 18 months.

The new structure of training camp also will not benefit McDyess. In a change this year, players with less than three years experience must report Sept. 28 while veterans won't practice until Oct. 3. With the opener just four days after that, the Knicks decided against going to their Charleston training camp home this October but could return the following year, according to a team executive.

The extra short double- sessions of camp make it virtually impossible for McDyess to be in shape for the Oct. 7 opener even if somehow he is ready to practice in early October, which seems unlikely.

The Knicks have still not set a timetable for his return as he rehabs his left knee in Houston, but GM Scott Layden has guaranteed he will play this season. The Knicks will take every precaution since McDyess cracked his knee cap in the third preseason game last October - one year after his first surgery.