NBA

Knicks GM says this team can be ‘special’

TORONTO — After two weeks on the job, Knicks president and general manager Steve Mills said he’s very impressed with the chemistry of the players during training camp and predicted, “We have the makings of something special.’’

In a rare 16-minute sitdown with a group of writers before Friday’s preseason game against Toronto, Mills raved about the Andrea Bargnani-Carmelo Anthony connection, the depth at point guard, the veteran leadership, the competitiveness of training camp and coach Mike Woodson.

Mills said his transition has been smooth, despite the unorthodox situation of replacing Glen Grunwald four days before camp. Mills said his prior 10-year stint as Garden sports president allowed him to ease back in.

“I’m really excited with what I’ve seen,’’ Mills said at the Air Canada Centre. “I wasn’t at training camp last year. Talking to coaches and players, camp has been much more competitive. Maybe it’s a function of a lot of older guys who know what their role would be. There’s a lot of situations here where Iman [Shumpert] is pushing to play Metta [World Peace] pushing Melo [Carmelo Anthony]. It’s very competitive. It’s good for the spirit of the team. Mike and I have talked about how good things are going so far.’’

Mills said the biggest reason he feels the Knicks will be better than last season is the trade for the 6-foot-11 Bargnani, who made his Toronto return Friday night, and the increased depth at point guard, though he’s concerned about a lack of a backup to Tyson Chandler. Mills said he attended about 11 games at the Garden last season and a couple of games on the road when he was campaigning for executive director of the Players Association.

“Bargnani is a big addition to us,’’ Mills said. “He’s going to make the game interesting with Carmelo. When they are out there together, you create difficulties for teams defensively. We have two bigs like him and Tyson, a scoring presence we didn’t have last year.’’

Mills added the point-guard troika of Raymond Felton-Pablo Prigioni-Beno Udrih is also more impressive than the 2012-13 trio, which included ason Kidd, who broke down late.

“The point-guard depth, Raymond is playing really, really well,’’ Mills said. “[The coaches] spent a lot of time with him over the summer on different parts of his game. I didn’t know Pablo before. I watch how he works out. Every single shot he takes, he takes in a game. Very efficient.’’

Mills, a former Princeton point guard, has been on the whole three-game preseason trip that ends today in Manchester, N.H., has attended every camp practice, has sat in on coaches’ meetings and met with this personnel staff that Grunwald assembled.

“Watching the way Carmelo was working with Shumpert [at Thursday’s practice], talking to Raymond about things,’’ Mills said. “Allan Houston talking to Tim Hardaway Jr. to focus on the same elevation you take during warm-ups as a game. That kind of chemistry and veteran leadership with young guys, I’ve been around a lot of teams. That wasn’t there.’

“I appreciated how important it is. I clearly believe in Mike Woodson as coach. I believe we have great players. There’ll be bumps in the road. We’ll be patient. We have the makings of something special. We won’t overreact to situations.’’

Mills said he had regrets from his past term in a trying Knicks’ era, in which he hired Isiah Thomas. But he added, “What I learned is this team and building and the history of the franchise means a whole lot to a whole lot of people.

“You have an obligation to try and build up and make it as successful as it possibly can. I realized the significance of this brand to people in New York. What I’m committed to doing is everything I can to help us win a championship.’’