The Knicks do not need a new president as much as they need a new starting center.
With the lockout looming Friday and with outgoing president Donnie Walsh leaving the same day, the Knicks’ restocking of their roster from the Carmelo Anthony trade will be on indefinite hold.
Free agency normally begins July 1, but the impending lockout could last most of the summer and the Knicks’ void in the middle will remain.
Walsh made a very telling remark on the Knicks’ free-agency strategy Thursday night following the NBA Draft — an indication the front office will not do anything to hurt their 2012 salary-cap space when they should have enough room to sign Chris Paul, Deron Williams or Dwight Howard as free agents.
“Now we have to manage the cap and then the following year (2012), we’ll be in great position,” Walsh said.
According to an NBA source, the Knicks are planning on only offering one-year deals this summer to free agents. That will take them out of the pool of prominent free-agent centers, including Samuel Dalembert. Certainly the more marquee players, such as Mavericks champion pivot Tyson Chandler, the Grizzlies’ Marc Gasol and Clippers young stud DeAndre Jordan are out of the question.
There had been debate inside the organization about whether to use the Mavericks championship blueprint, forgoing the three-superstar Miami plan — that would add Paul — and breaking up the cap room among three solid pieces rather than a third superstar. They could still do that, but plan to wait until 2012 — perhaps with a new president — before deciding. Commissioner David Stern’s recent proposal of a $62 million cap – up from $45 million — gave the Knicks new life on a 2012 bonanza.
Their one-year-contract edict would still give the Knicks a shot at lower-tier, cheaper centers.
Kwame Brown is on their radar after having a serviceable season with Charlotte (7.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 51.7 percent shooting). Michael Jordan’s former No. 1 draft bust is 6-11, 270 pounds and though he has hands of stone, he can defend, rebound and block shots — the only Knicks requirements.
There are other free-agent centers who could be had for one-year deals that will pique the Knicks’ interest — Tony Battie, ex-Knick veteran Kurt Thomas, who filled in solidly in spots with the Bulls, Joel Pryzbilla, Aaron Gray and ancient Theo Ratliff.
Even if Greg Oden, who has interest in the Knicks, is not extended a qualifying offer by the Blazers, he is going to command a multi-year deal, according to sources, leaving the Knicks on the outs.
The only center with a contract for next season is undersized Ronny Turiaf. The Post has learned Turiaf, as expected, exercised the final year of his contract at $4.5 million. He proved injury-prone in missing 18 games last season with chronic knee soreness.
The Knicks must add more size if they hope to compete for the Eastern Conference title. “We’re going to be better than last year,” said coach Mike D’Antoni, who will enter his lame-duck season. “We’ll have time to come together. Landry [Fields] is going to be better, Toney [Douglas] is going to be better. Iman [Shumpert] and Josh [Harrellson] will help out. We’ll have some holes and we’ll re-sign people. But we’re going to be a better team.”
The Knicks want to re-sign Sixth Man surprise Shawne Williams and possibly veteran point guard Anthony Carter as insurance for Chauncey Billups. But Shelden Williams and Jared Jeffries figure to be goners.
Owner James Dolan has yet to begin a search for Walsh’s replacement. That soon-to-be interim president Glen Grunwald went on the national TV draft telecast Thursday to discuss the Knicks’ selection of Shumpert was a good sign he’ll be around for a while.
Grunwald is expected to have Mark Warkentien, John Gabriel and Allan Houston under him. Grunwald, a former Indiana center, is 6-9, but has his work cut out for him in adding a player taller than himself who will make a big impact next season.