BOSTON — With Raymond Felton out two-to-three weeks with a hamstring strain, the Knicks are involved in advanced trade talks for Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry.
The teams have engaged in “a very strong conversation’’ regarding the speedy Lowry, who is being shopped by Toronto, according to an NBA source.
Lowry has heavy interest in playing for the Knicks and his Jersey-based agency is motivated to steer him to New York. The Knicks have been “very receptive,” according to a source, to acquiring Lowry, who makes $6 million in the final year of his contract.
However, a deal probably would have to include Felton and a first-round pick. The 6-15 Knicks, who play in Boston Friday, don’t have one to offer until 2018 under league bylaws.
According to a source, the Raptors and several teams have inquired about rookie Tim Hardaway Jr., who becomes eligible to be traded Sunday, when 2013 draft picks and free-agent signings — such as J.R. Smith, Metta World Peace and Beno Udrih — can be traded.
The Knicks don’t have a lot of interest in trading Hardaway. His solid play this season is one reason they have shopped Iman Shumpert.
Reportedly, the Raptors aren’t high on Shumpert. Several scouts have attended Knicks games this season to compare Hardaway and Shumpert.
World Peace, who did not play Wednesday against Chicago and has all but fallen out of the rotation, is available in a Lowry package. Toronto, however, isn’t too inclined to take on a multiple-year contract, and World Peace signed a two-year, $3.2 million deal in the offseason.
Yahoo! Sports reported the Knicks had offered Felton, World Peace and their 2018 first-rounder to the Raptors. However, the Lakers also are in the market for a point guard and coach Mike D’Antoni is known to like Lowry, who is averaging 14.6 points and 6.7 assists, is quick and has a nice 3-point shot (36.1 percent).
The point guard issue has become a big one in the Knicks organization as there is concern Felton’s hamstring won’t fully heal this season. Pablo Prigioni is now the starter and could remain there permanently because he gives the Knicks a stronger defensive presence than Felton.
“That’s something that’s always dangling out there,’’ coach Mike Woodson said on his ESPN Radio show when asked about trying to upgrade the position. “Right now for us there’s nothing really going on. We just got to maintain and coach the guys we got in uniform. If Ray’s out two, three weeks, Pablo, Beno and perhaps Toure’ Murry if he gets opportunity to be in there, they have to step up and play. Nobody’s going to help the Knicks out and make a big blockbuster trade to bail us out.’’
The Raptors are in fire-sale mode after dealing star forward Rudy Gay to the Kings this week. Toronto general manager Masai Ujiri dealt Andrea Bargnani to the Knicks this offseason and received the Knicks’ 2016 first-round pick. He also sent Carmelo Anthony to New York when he ran the Nuggets, who own the Knicks’ 2014 first-round pick that could turn into a lottery selection.
The win against the Bulls — despite blowing a 23-point lead — could buy Woodson some time as Tyson Chandler started contract drills Thursday.
Next Wednesday in Milwaukee would mark the six-week mark in his four-to-six week diagnosis after fracturing his right fibula, and Woodson wouldn’t rule out Chandler’s return after he gets reevaluated Monday. The Knicks are just one game in the loss column behind Boston in the awful Atlantic Division.
“It’s still a long season,’’ Woodson said. “I know we’re 21-plus games into the season but everyone in the East is stacked and bunched up from the third spot on down. It’s still in the making in terms of where we could go as a ballclub. We still control our destiny. I just like to get a full team back to see exactly where we are as a ballclub. I haven’t had the luxury to have that. That’s been the frustrating part.’’