NBA

Knicks target Raptors big man

The Knicks continue beating the bushes for a big man and have placed Toronto’s young 7-2 French center Alexis Ajinca among their targets.

Ajinca — who began last season with Dallas, even starting two games — is strictly a reserve and still needs to work on his body with his skinny build. But if Toronto passes, the Knicks could take a flyer on Ajinca with a one-year deal for a minimum-range salary.

It isn’t surprising Mike D’Antoni’s Knicks have interest in Ajinca because of his European offensive style, as he can shoot the 3-pointer. But he also can rebound and can be an athletic shot-blocker. He’s only 23 and the Knicks need to stockpile size.

However, one NBA scout deemed him as too raw to make a definite impact this season, though thought his future upside could be similar to Samuel Dalembert, if Ajinca shows a better work ethic.

The Knicks would like to add another veteran defensive center to start and are waiting on the likes of Kurt Thomas, Aaron Gray and Jeff Foster. There has been a terrific amount of debate in the organization on Kwame Brown, but an NBA source says they’ve lost interest despite an initial push.

Ajinca, a native of Saint Etienne, France, played 34 games last season between Dallas and Toronto, which traded for him. Ajinca was drafted 20th by the Bobcats in 2008.

The Knicks’ interest in Ajinca appears to have given them pause to offering their second-rounder Jerome Jordan a contract. Jordan, a low-post center unlike Ajinca, is in Slovenia but wants a trade if he is not invited to training camp Friday and offered a deal.

If Ajinca signs, it would mark the first time an NBA franchise has two French centers on the roster. Ronny Turiaf is French and both are clients of agent Mark Bartelstein. Free agency officially begins Friday, as do the opening of camps, but agents have been allowed to talk to teams since Thursday.

The Knicks, meanwhile, are in the hunt for veteran small forwards Grant Hill and Cleveland’s Anthony Parker, who is more attainable. Hill is leaning toward staying in Phoenix.

They plan on re-signing Jared Jeffries, feeling his brief late-season tenure was not a fair measure. However, a league source said the Nets have also made a Jeffries inquiry.