It is quite the message sent by Knicks owner James Dolan about what he thinks of his roster when the general manager who built it is fired with a 0-0 record. Preseason record.
The Team that Glen Grunwald Built, and Dolan apparently doesn’t like, opens training camp with meetings Monday and the first practice Tuesday. A new president/GM Steve Mills will address the media Monday regarding a team he had nothing to do with forming amid a surreal atmosphere only Dolan’s Knicks can create.
The 2013-14 Knicks still could be good, but Dolan must believe the consensus they’ve fallen to fifth-best in the East — behind Miami, Derrick Rose’s Bulls, the improved Pacers and the reported juggernaut in Brooklyn.
But if Amar’e Stoudemire’s knees hold up, Andrea Bargnani lives up to his lottery potential, Carmelo Anthony duplicates last season’s gem season, and J.R. Smith and Metta World Peace don’t implode, the Knicks could be back to where they were last season — Atlantic Division champions and the East’s second seed. If not, Mike Woodson likely is gone after the season.
Dolan still can’t get over Woodson’s so-so performance in the second-round crushing vs. Donnie Walsh’s Pacers.
“We caught them by surprise in the first game,’’ Walsh told The Post. “In the sixth game, one play turned the whole series — the block of on Carmelo by [Roy] Hibbert, so we got the series.’’
Here are the five key issues heading into training camp.
State of Stoudemire
Training camp 2012 became a disaster for Stoudemire, who underwent his first knee debridement surgery after the third preseason game. He had his second knee surgery in March and returned rusty midway through the second round, dooming them. The quest is to preserve Stoudemire’s knees so he can play a good chunk of the regular season and be sharp when the playoffs begin. Dolan shut him down all summer, and he may play a limited amount of preseason games and not scrimmage. The Post has reported he may be on a 20-minute limit in the regular season and be held out of both ends of back-to-backs. For the Knicks to contend against Miami, Stoudemire has to be an essential cog off the bench.
J.R. Smith’s rehab
Smith has to rehabilitate his surgically repaired patella tendon in his left knee, and his image. Smith has been suspended for five games by the NBA for his third failed marijuana test. The Knicks are being cautious with Smith’s rehab and weren’t overly concerned if he would be ready for the season opener Oct. 30 vs. Milwaukee, rendering the suspension meaningless. Expect him to be back for the sixth game after the Knicks tell the NBA Smith is indeed ready for the opener. An independent doctor would then examine Smith, and the suspension clock starts if he passes the physical.
Starting backcourt up in the air
The coaching staff loved the starting unit that finished the final stretch of the season, which had point guards Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni sharing the backcourt. But now Woodson has more options for a traditional starting five with the signing of legit small forward Metta World Peace. That would allow Iman Shumpert to shift back to his normal shooting-guard role, paired with Felton, and have World Peace start up front with Anthony and center Tyson Chandler. The alignment keeps Anthony at the preferred 4. Things can change if Shumpert has a poor camp or Bargnani lights it up in preseason. Woodson says the only surefire starters are Felton, Anthony and Chandler.
The Melo hype
History shows Anthony’s best two seasons came in Olympic years — after winning gold-medals in 2008 and 2012. All summer, Anthony has assured he is in even better shape than London last August, and says his torn shoulder healed fine without surgery. Anthony needs a big start to set the tone, but he needs a bigger finish. After winning the scoring title, his playoffs weren’t good enough. He suffered through a massive 3-point drought, folded in the fourth quarters in all three games in Indiana and let’s not even speak of “The Block.’’
Italian Stallion Part II
The Knicks had great success with one of Italy’s finest in Danilo Gallinari. Now they embark on a reclamation project from Rome. Before injuries and Canadian boos ruined him, Bargnani was starting to weave a nice career. Two seasons ago, he averaged 21.4 points and has the perimeter-shooting grace to be the secondary scoring option Anthony privately craves. But his Knicks career is off to a shaky start, as he contracted pneumonia during Team Italy’s training camp in August preceding the European Championships and had to drop out. Hence, he’s not in the best of shape. Yet.