Donnie Walsh acknowledged last night it will be nearly impossible for the Knicks to clear more 2010 cap space by the Feb. 18 trade deadline.
Walsh is trying to make a deal in the next eight days — with acquiring a point guard and Houston’s exiled Tracy McGrady their chief priorities.
Walsh — who won’t go to All-Star weekend, feeling he can get more trade work done in New York — said the chance of clearing more 2010 cap room by trading Jared Jeffries does not look good.
Walsh said if a deal is made, it’s likely going to an exchange of expiring contracts.
McGrady’s $23 million expiring deal would have to be matched in combining the expiring pacts of a collection of Knicks, including Larry Hughes, Nate Robinson and Al Harrington.
McGrady is the “upgrade in talent” coach Mike D’Antoni hopes is acquired by Feb. 18, but the Rockets have insisted the Knicks give up one of their rookies — Jordan Hill or Toney Douglas — in a package and have no interest in Jeffries’ long-term contract.
Walsh recently took up Chicago-based trainer Tim Grover’s invitation to watch McGrady work out in Chicago. T-Mac has been working out in Chicago since just after Christmas.
The Knicks have had internal discussions about Memphis’ third-string point guard Marcus Williams, the ex-Net first-rounder whom Walsh loved coming out of UConn. But the organization isn’t convinced Williams is a definite upgrade.
Other PGs with expiring deals on the Knicks’ radar include Portland’s Steve Blake, Luke Ridnour, Carlos Arroyo, Chucky Atkins and D.J. Augustin, on the block in Charlotte.
The Knicks will have a decision on Robinson, whose contract is expiring and has trade value. They shopped him in December during his 14-game banishment. D’Antoni does not view him as a point guard anymore after his two-game starting audition and could want to swap him for a legit PG. D’Antoni views Chris Duhon as the lone PG on the roster.
“It’s real simple strategy,” Walsh said. “You get a good player who doesn’t hurt you in the summer and helps you now, you consider it. Depending on who you have to give up, I think there’s good players who will be available.”
The Knicks would love to deal Jeffries and the two years left on his pact. That would give them the room to sign a maximum free agent and still have room to re-sign David Lee or add another prominent free agent.
The Knicks won’t take a player with a long-term deal unless he is a bona fide All-Star.
“I’m thinking of finances a lot and it seems like everyone’s thinking of finances,” Walsh said. “That’s what I’ve been discovering. That’s going to make it a little harder.”
Asked if the most likely trade is an exchange of players on the last year of their deals, Walsh said, “That’s what it looks like.”
Regarding their PG woes, D’Antoni said, “This summer we tried to address that situation. We knew there was a little bit of a hole there and hopefully we could get around it. Every once in a while it rears its ugly head.”