‘WORLD’ POWER: Former Knick and current team executive Larry Johnson says Metta World Peace would be “a great addition” to bring to the Garden. (Charles Wenzelberg; Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS — Knicks executive Larry Johnson admittedly is worried, unsure the Knicks have done enough to keep pace with the Eastern Conference stalwarts, specifically the Nets. And he said he believes the addition of Metta World Peace would be a perfect step.
Johnson, who spends his summers in Las Vegas as UNLV’s most famous basketball alum, is with the Knicks summer league team while aiding MSG Network’s coverage.
“I think that’s what we need to do,’’ Johnson told The Post of adding World Peace, who was amnestied by the Lakers. “That would be a great addition for us. This guy is a proven champion. He’s won. Off the floor, he had some problems. He did some things off the floor that wasn’t supposed to be done, but I think he’s got this life in the right place.
“To get him right now would be a great addition to our team as far as strength, outside shooting, perimeter defense instead of [Iman Shumpert] always guarding guys.’’
Johnson, working for the Knicks in basketball and business operations, was blunt when it comes to the team’s summer travails, believing the trade for 7-footer Andrea Bargnani won’t put the Knicks ahead of the Pacers, Nets or two-time defending NBA champion Heat. Indiana eliminated the Knicks in the second round of last season’s playoffs.
“That’s a big pickup, but the East has gotten so good this summer,’’ Johnson said. “Cleveland is going to be hard to handle. We’ll be OK, but I still think we have a couple of little parts missing that we can do. Another big man, maybe an outside scorer.
“Indiana really showed us what we were lacking and what we were weak in. We need to get stronger in those areas. We made a step in the right direction, but we need to do more.’’
The Knicks had very little money to spend under the new CBA rules penalizing luxury taxpayers, and couldn’t make sign-and-trades for free agents. Knicks general manager Glen Grunwald had just the $3.18 million mini mid-level exception to spend in addition to offering minimum contracts. Half the mini mid-level went to point guard Pablo Prigioni.
The Knicks are one of just seven teams who have not signed a free agent from another team — the Heat, Celtics, 76ers, Thunder, Magic and Grizzlies are the others.
Johnson said the Knicks would love to add a banger-type big man. They likely will re-sign Kenyon Martin, but he was no help against the Pacers. The Knicks have been told by agent David Falk that Elton Brand won’t be signing with them.
“We were exposed needing a big man,’’ Johnson said. “[Roy] Hibbert just destroyed us. We didn’t have anyone to deal with David West. Once we went small-ball, David West had his way. We need a rebounding, big man rather than putting all the emphasis on Tyson [Chandler] all the time. We needed another big [in that series]. If Amar’e [Stoudemire] was 100 percent healthy, that would have helped a whole bunch.’’
The league-wide consensus is the Nets have surpassed the Knicks, with the additions of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Andrei Kirilenko — even if Knicks coach Mike Woodson won’t concede it.
“A lot teams got better this summer in the East,’’ Johnson said. “We got better but we need to get more. I’m super impressed by the Nets. They’re in a situation as we were in, got guys are long in the tooth with age. But Pierce and KG have been around a long time. They take care of themselves. They’ll be a handful to handle when it comes down to it.’’
Perhaps World Peace could bring some buzz to the Knicks, but he must clear amnesty waivers tonight and then could always choose the Clippers over the Knicks. World Peace has stated he is over his dream of playing at the Garden. The Knicks passed on the former Ron Artest of Queensbridge in the draft in 1999 because of fears he would get swallowed up by distractions.
“You’re always concerned with that,’’ Johnson said. “The Stephon Marburys, you’re always skeptical about guys coming back playing at home. What [World Peace] he went through in his life, he’s got that under control. He should have it under control.’’
Johnson sat in on the draft meetings and believes first-round pick Tim Hardaway Jr. is looking even better than advertised.
“Seeing him now, I didn’t know he could shoot the ball this well,’’ Johnson said. “I like the aggressiveness he’s showing on offense. We’re going to need that. Of course, we know he’s athletic enough to play defense.’’
“I thought we got better with the new guys, but we’re going to have to do more to compete this year for the East.”