The Knicks still may shop at K-Mart this summer.
According to an NBA source, Kenyon Martin, a free agent, went through with his offseason left ankle surgery and is on schedule with his rehab to be ready for training camp.
The Knicks, pending what they do in their hunt for a big man with their $3.3 million mini midlevel exception, could have interest in Martin.
Martin played in 32 games last season, riddled with pain for his chronic ankle issue. He tried a platelet-rich plasma procedure, but never made it back after shutting it down before the All-Star Break. Martin revealed before the season finale he likely would have ankle surgery as a “cleanup.’’
“I’ve got a lot of basketball left, and I hope it will be here,’’ Martin said in mid-April.
The Knicks are looking to use their mini midlevel on a big man, and have inquired about Washington power forward Trevor Booker. The Knicks’ roster currently has eight backcourt players and a deficit in the post following the trade of center Tyson Chandler.
Samuel Dalembert, who averaged 20 minutes last season, is their current starting center and Amar’e Stoudemire, always an injury risk, finished up as the starting power forward. Forward Andrea Bargnani, who suffered a season-ending elbow injury in late January, is still on the roster.
Center Cole Aldrich had a nice finish, so the Knicks conceivably could bring him back as a free agent if they can get him on a 0ne-year deal. Big man Jeremy Tyler will play on the summer-league team after showing strong flashes last season. The Knicks own a team option on Tyler.
Other potential big-man targets are former Knick first-round picks Jordan Hill and Channing Frye, and ex-Net Kris Humphries.
The pie-in-the-sky signing would be Pau Gasol, who already is talking to Miami and made $17 million with the Lakers last season.