With free-agent forward Grant Hill looking like a long shot, the Knicks have expressed interest in Cavaliers sharpshooter Anthony Parker, The Post has learned.
Though the Knicks’ priority is a defensive center, they seem also intent on getting a 3-point-shooting small forward, a leader who can defend coming off the bench. Parker, who once played for Maccabi Tel Aviv, shot 38 percent from 3-point land last season, averaging 8.3 points.
The Knicks are offering just one-year deals to protect their cap space for 2012 for the possibility of signing the likes of Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Dwight Howard.
They have the $5 million mid-level exception, the $1.9 million biannual exception and the $1.4 million veteran’s minimum. If they wait long enough, they probably can come away with three players from the free-agent market.
But the Knicks probably would have to give Parker, 36, a portion of the mid-level.
“We want [Parker] back,’’ Cavaliers general manager Chris Grant said Thursday. “He played great last year and is a leader for us. He’s a person that everyone likes to be around.’’
According to a person familiar with the Knicks’ thinking, the decision may come down to using the mid-level on the best player available willing to take a one-year deal. Parker’s sister is WNBA star Candace Parker, who’s married to Knicks free agent center Shelden Williams.
The Knicks’ preference is Hill, 39, whom they pursued two years ago, only to lose out to the Suns. Hill, after working out at the Suns facility (a bad sign), told the Arizona Republic there were “good chances’’ he’d re-sign with Phoenix.
The Knicks — and Nets — also have reached out to Bostjan Nachbar. The former Net, a 6-foot-9 sharpshooter, once played for Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni with Benetton Treviso in Italy before both player and coach headed to the NBA. Nevertheless, Nachbar has been out of the league the past three seasons, playing the last two in Turkey and one in Russia.
Nachbar has worked out in Manhattan the past two months and still has the northern New Jersey pad in which he lived when he played three seasons with the Nets. The Knicks consider him a lower priority than do the Nets, who need a forward.
But Nachbar always has wanted to play in New York.
“I think he’d be a good fit in New York because he knows Mike’s system and he has a good relationship with him,’’ agent Marc Cornstein said.
The Knicks also are chasing centers Kurt Thomas, Jeff Foster, Tony Battie and Aaron Gray. Foster is intriguing because of his defensive mindset, but he has been beset by lots of injuries in recent years and was drafted by former president Donnie Walsh.
Contrary to a report, the Knicks have no interest in Sebastian Telfair.
Because the Knicks are only offering one-year deals, they may have a long wait until the higher-tier players have signed before players are willing to go the one-year route.
* ESPN.com was the latest outlet to debunk the report Paul’s agent Leon Rose officially demanded a trade to the Knicks on Thursday — the same day Paul showed up at the Hornets’ practice facility.
The ESPN report said Paul won’t force a trade to the Knicks because he knows they don’t have the pawns to get him.
The Post reported last Sunday the addition of extend-and-trades in the new collective bargaining agreement actually hurt the Knicks’ chances of landing Paul as a 2012 free agent.
* Toney Douglas, who had major right-shoulder surgery in May to repair a torn labrum, said he has been cleared by the Knicks’ medical staff for full-contact drills on Dec. 9.
Rumors the past month said Douglas’ rehab was slower than anticipated, and he did not play in any barnstorming charity games. At a players rep meeting during the lockout three weeks ago, Douglas told The Post his rehab was “still in the process.’’
Douglas said he has spent the past months getting his shoulder stronger and rehabbinng in a facility in Garden City, Long Island. Douglas said he has bulked up from the rehab and his shoulder has regained its strength.