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GREENBURGH, N.Y. –- The Knicks may have been an old team last season, but they were loaded with experience, wisdom and leadership.

Carmelo Anthony knows he will have to take on even more of a leadership role this season with veterans like Jason Kidd, Kurt Thomas and Rasheed Wallace gone. Replacing Kidd, the new Nets coach, will not be an easy task as far as making the right plays and getting easy baskets.

“Being one of the leaders, I have to be the spearhead,” Anthony said. “I have to be the forefront guy to hold guys accountable, to hold myself accountable. Because I think if I’m able to do that and we hold each other accountable, it makes everybody’s life easier.

“I know I learned a lot from Jason, from Sheed,” Anthony added. “Just having them guys around and being around those guys. I can take my knowledge that I already have, apply that to what them guys have taught me on the court, off the court, to make our team better.”

Coach Mike Woodson acknowledged what the veterans brought last season, even if they didn’t play a ton of minutes.

“Last year, make no mistake about it, those veteran guys helped us,” Woodson said. “Wasn’t like they played big minutes, but they were a big part of what we did last year. You don’t win 54 games without everybody being a part of it.”

Kenyon Martin, who can be one of the team’s more vocal leaders, said replacing Kidd’s ability to adapt on the court will be difficult.

“J-Kidd, mentally, is one of the best people I’ve ever been with, who knows the game and thinks the game on the fly,” Martin said of his former Knicks and Nets teammate. “Not a lot of people are able to do [that]. We’re going to miss that aspect, but you have guys like myself, Tyson [Chandler], Melo has been around.

“I think I have been a pretty vocal guy over my career, so if I see something that can help the team, I am not afraid to say it.”

Martin wishes his old friend luck with his new Nets job.

“I wish him the best except for the four games when they play us,” Martin said. “I think he’s going to lead those guys in the right direction.

“He has a lot of vets on that team that respect him; he added Lawrence [Frank] to the staff, which is going to make his job that much easier. ... I think that is going to help him a lot -- hopefully not in the four games against us.”

Whenever someone asked Amar'e Stoudemire about his knee injuries over the past couple seasons, he'd respond something like this: "I'm confident that I can come back and be better than I was before."

But something seems to have changed for Stoudemire over the summer.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, the six-time All-Star seemed resigned to the fact that knee injuries will hinder him until he retires.

"Right now, unfortunately my career has been somewhat tainted by injuries the last few years," Stoudemire said. "Now, it’s a matter of trying to maintain strength and health, to have some solid and productive years. I do still want to reach my full potential. I still have room to improve as a player. My career isn’t over yet. So with that being said, we’re just taking precautionary measures to make sure that I’m able to play at a high level."

Given the state of Stoudemire's knees, playing at a "high level" seems like a remote possibility at this point.

The 11-year veteran underwent two knee debridements last season and a "minor procedure" over the summer.

He hasn't been participating in any basketball activities, and it's unclear when he'll start to do so in training camp.

"The whole objective is to prolong my career, my season, to make sure I’m ready for the postseason when it really counts. That’s the whole goal," he said.

Which brings us to today's question: Given his recurring knee issues, what do you expect from Amar'e Stoudemire this season? Will he play a full season? 50 games?

UP NOW: We have stories with full details on the Knicks picking up Mike Woodson's contract option for 2014-15, Amar'e Stoudemire's offseason knee procedure and Carmelo Anthony's silent approach to his pending free agency.

Ohm Youngmisuk lays out what the Knicks need to do to keep Melo beyond this season. He also has an item on Metta World Peace turning Media Day into his personal comedy hour.

Elsewhere on the blog, president and GM Steve Mills says he has no plans to hire Isiah Thomas and explains why owner and MSG CEO James Dolan decided to hire him. Lastly, J.R. Smith talks about his decision to delay knee surgery until after he signed with the Knicks.

WHAT'S NEXT: The Knicks will hold their first full practice on Tuesday morning. I'll be there for us. Keep an eye on the blog for updates throughout the day, including an item at noon on Andrea Bargnani's health.

QUESTION: Given his recurring knee issues, what do you expect from Amar'e Stoudemire this season? Will he play a full season? 50 games?

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

NEW YORK -- J.R. Smith said he delayed having surgery on his knee until after he signed his contract with the New York Knicks because it "made more sense for my family."

"For one, I'm a father and I have two young children to look after," Smith said Monday. "It made more sense for my family to get a deal done before [surgery]."

Smith had surgery on his left knee a week after signing a three-year, $18 million contract with the Knicks. If he'd had surgery earlier in the summer, Smith might have been healthy enough to play in training camp. If he'd had surgery earlier in the summer, though, it might have impacted his value as a free agent.

The surgery, a patellar tendon repair and an arthroscopy for a tear in the lateral meniscus of his left knee, is expected to sideline him through training camp.

"Without a doubt, the best part about it was we had the support of the team," Smith said. "The team supported us, the [team doctor] supported us all on the decision. At the end of the day it was more of a family decision than anything else."

Smith spoke Monday for the first time since the NBA announced his five-game suspension for violating the league's anti-drug policy. He expressed remorse for the transgression and remained hopeful that he'd be healthy enough to play opening night.

"I more disappointed because I let my teammates and my coaches down more than anything. I let [Knicks owner and Madison Square Garden CEO James] Dolan down," Smith said. "And we're looking to move forward from it as soon as I'm able to play and have a good season."

As soon as the Knicks' medical staff and an independent doctor from the NBA deem him healthy to play, Smith will being serving his five-game ban. The earliest he can return is the sixth game of the season against the San Antonio Spurs.

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- New Knicks president and GM Steve Mills says he has no plans to bring Isiah Thomas back into the fold.

"No, Isiah will not be coming back to the Knicks," Mills said Monday in an interview on "The Michael Kay Show" on ESPN New York 98.7 FM. "I've known Isiah for a long time. I think he has a lot of good things going on in his life. He just finished getting his master's at [the University of California] Berkeley. He's on NBA TV. He's doing a lot of community work through his foundation. I actually think with his background and what he was able to get accomplished as the president of the [NBA] players' association, he's probably an excellent candidate for the executive director's job at the NBA players' association."

In his previous term with the Knicks, Mills worked for 10 years as president of MSG Sports. He hired Thomas as president and general manager. Thomas and Mills presided over the team during one of its least successful stretches, with the Knicks missing the playoffs in six of their seven seasons on Thomas' watch.

The tumultuous period of the Mills and Thomas reign included a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by Anucha Browne Sanders. The Knicks' former senior vice president of marketing and business operations successfully sued MSG, as a jury in October 2007 ordered Madison Square Garden to pay her $11.6 million after finding she endured crude insults and unwanted advances from then-coach Thomas. Thomas and Mills reportedly had a falling-out after the Browne Sanders trial.

Mills was demoted by the Knicks in the summer of 2008. Thomas was fired in 2008 as well but remains a confidant of owner James Dolan. Mills admitted as much Monday.

"Isiah and Jim have a good relationship but he will not be coming back to the Knicks in this organization," Mills said.

MILLS: KNICKS CAN WIN NBA TITLE: Mills has high hopes for the Knicks this season.

"We are going into the year with the hope that we can win a championship," he said.

The Knicks haven't won an NBA title since 1973.

The big unanswered question regarding those lofty expectations is this: If the Knicks have a legitimate chance to win an NBA title, why was the guy who put most of the roster together -- Glen Grunwald -- demoted last week?

Mills didn't shed much light on Dolan's decision to demote Grunwald.

"He didn’t express anything about the job that Glen had done or any problems with the job that Glen had done," Mills said Monday at Knicks media day. "But he did express that he felt in today’s environment of the NBA with the punitive nature of the tax structure and the salary cap, that he wants to have an organization that is the best in the NBA."

There is speculation Dolan was upset after his team lost in the second round of the playoffs last season. Some of Grunwald's free-agent signees from last season (Jason Kidd, Marcus Camby) were ineffective or unavailable in that series.

Mills declined Monday to discuss the details of Grunwald's demotion. Rather, the new president focused on Dolan's decision to rehire him.

"He felt it was time to bring someone in who can take a look at every aspect of running a basketball business from the use of analytics in terms of evaluating the players that you have and the players you should have," Mills said. "What is the best structure in terms of creating and developing a scouting staff? What is the best way to prepare your players and evaluate how your players are doing and how you can make them the best they can be?"

Mills added that Dolan was looking for someone who can "create an organization that allows players to perform at their best. Those are the things he was looking at, and he thought I was the person to do it."

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Carmelo Anthony won't be talking about his contract situation this season. But the Knicks have made it clear that they want him here for a long time.

Knicks president and general manager Steve Mills said on Monday that New York has "every intention" of keeping Anthony beyond this season.

"The things that he has done to make this team successful and to represent this city is something that's very important," Mills said. "While it is premature in the process, we have made it very clear we have every intention of making Carmelo a Knick for a long time to come."

For the full details on Anthony's approach to free agency, click here.

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. –- Kenyon Martin believes Carmelo Anthony isn't going anywhere next summer.

So much so that Martin said confidently of a guy he has been teammates with in Denver and New York: "Personally, I can't see him going anywhere else."

"It's the city man," Martin said of why Anthony won't leave New York. "If he don't know that by now ... people out here love him, it's home for him, his birthplace. Don't have to do any convincing."

Being the superstar, the main draw to play on the Madison Square Garden stage is as intoxicating a draw as any. And of course, there are 129 million more reasons if he opts out and re-signs with the Knicks next summer.

But the Knicks can't chance anything. With sincere apologies to Deron Williams, Anthony is the biggest free agent the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area has had since the summer of Jason Kidd in 2003.

All signs point to Anthony wanting to stay. He's not discussing his future, but the defending scoring champ appears to genuinely enjoy it here and being the man in New York.

But a decade earlier, the same could be said for Kidd. Kidd was the toast of the area as he molded the Nets into a title contender. He felt a loyalty to the Nets, loved being in the metropolitan area and seemed pretty sure he was staying until he went on a recruiting trip to San Antonio. He returned from Texas torn before finally making the decision to remain with the Nets.

Point is anything can happen once a star opts out of his contract. Other teams, and more importantly other stars, will attempt to lure Anthony away if opts out in this Super Friends era of NBA basketball.

All Anthony has to do is listen, and then he could be like Kidd a decade ago, feeling like his decision was up in the air like a jump ball with Tim Duncan on one side and the Nets on the other.

The Knicks don't want that walking-on-pins-and-needles feeling Rod Thorn had during the summer of '03. That's why they have to do all they can this season even if it means moving heaven and Earth which is what they probably will have to do to obtain another star.

As it is now, the Knicks might be the fifth-best team in the East behind Miami, Indiana, Brooklyn and Chicago. They won 54 games and were the second seed last year, but they likely are no longer even the best team in New York with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce now residing in Brooklyn.

The Knicks' biggest moves of the summer were Andrea Bargnani and Metta World Peace and re-signing J.R. Smith. They surprisingly hired Steve Mills to be the team president and general manager, perhaps hoping the personable Mills will be able to lure other free agents when the Knicks have cap space. And the Knicks picked up Mike Woodson's option, something that likely got Carmelo's approval.

But they need to do more. While Derrick Rose is making his return to full strength in Chicago, Amar'e Stoudemire repeatedly talked on Monday about recently having another "minor" surgery in an attempt to prolong his career with his aching knees.

The Knicks' second-best offensive player is Smith, an explosive shooter better suited to being a complimentary weapon. Adding another young star -- even one who is a slight notch below Anthony -- will require crafty maneuvering with either Stoudemire's, Tyson Chandler's or Bargnani's contracts.

It won't be easy, and, heck, Anthony might end up staying even if there are no major upgrades as Martin and Raymond Felton believe.

"I know there's been a lot of talk this summer saying that he's going to go to the Lakers, he's leaving New York," Felton said in a camera interview with ESPN. "He's not going nowhere. Melo loves it here. He loves it."

That all might be true. Melo probably wants to remain a Knick for life. But he certainly doesn't want to remain a guy who scores a boat load of points on the fifth-best team in the East for years to come.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- If his media day news conference is a preview of things to come, Metta World Peace is going to be a source of entertainment for the Knicks.

The forward spent a few minutes before his presser interviewing members of the media with a microphone and a camera following him. Then he sat down with Raymond Felton and provided some answers that can only be described as MWP-ish.

If you’ve spent any time around the player formerly known as Ron Artest, you’d know that he has his own unique view on things which makes him a one of a kind. Even Carmelo Anthony found himself chuckling as he watched World Peace hold court.

Take his first answer in the presser when asked about his reaction to “the big shakeup” in the front office with Steve Mills being named Knicks president and GM.

“What shakeup?” World Peace asked seriously. “The only thing I shake up is my milk ... what shakeup?”

Then there was his answer about whether he is more comfortable playing defense at small forward or power forward these days.

“As far as me being comfortable, I am most comfortable in the bed,” World Peace said. “All right? I am not going to lie.”

Felton added, “He means sleeping, by the way.”

World Peace then described the type of bed he prefers and asked a reporter who was waiting to ask the next question if he knew where he could get that type of bed. The reporter blurted out, “Bed Bath.”

“Bed Bath?” World Peace asked. “I don’t think they sell beds at Bed Bath and Beyond.”

World Peace was also asked if he could compare former Lakers teammate Pau Gasol to new teammate Andrea Bargnani.

“Not really,” said World Peace, who added they both can hit 3-pointers. “Foreigners, not from America ... I can’t give a comparison. I haven’t played with Bargnani yet. They are good guys, they like to read. Read to achieve. I love you guys. Melo is here. Bye.”

NEW YORK -- The New York Knicks have picked up the option on coach Mike Woodson's contract for the 2014-15 season, the team said Monday.

"I have long respected Mike and think he has done a remarkable job since becoming the head coach of the Knicks," team president and general manager Steve Mills said in a statement. "After spending time with him recently, it is clear that picking up his option is an easy decision."

For the full details on the Woodson option, click here.

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

NEW YORK -- New York Knicks forward Amar'e Stoudemire underwent a minor procedure on his knee in the offseason, coach Mike Woodson said.

This latest knee procedure was the third in the past 12 months for Stoudemire, a six-time All-Star who appeared in just 29 regular-season games last season because of knee issues. He underwent two surgeries to remove debris in both knees.

For the full details on Stoudemire's surgery, click here.

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

NEW YORK -- Monday is media day at the Knicks training facility.

That means at some point on Monday afternoon, the Knicks GM, coach and players will be available to talk about the upcoming season. There's plenty of ground to cover. Between Carmelo Anthony's opt-out, to Mike Woodson's job security and the health of Amar'e Stoudemire's knees, the Knicks never lack for storylines.

But no matter what is said and what is revealed, the only thing that matters is this: Will the Knicks be good enough this season to make the Eastern Conference finals?

Sure, every team's goal at the beginning of the season is to win an NBA title. But in order for this Knicks team to stay together past this season, it needs to show progress in the playoffs.

If the Knicks can make it to the conference championship, maybe management will be inclined to pick up Woodson's option next season. Maybe Anthony will decide to stay in New York.

But getting that far is a big if. As we all know, Chicago has Derrick Rose coming back, so they should be better this season than they were last season. Indiana added Luis Scola and a healthy Danny Granger. And the Nets added Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. So the path to the Eastern Conference finals won't be an easy one.

That's brings us to today's question: Based on what the team did this offseason, do you think the Knicks can take the next step toward a title this season?

UP NOW: We have every angle of training camp covered. Here is our camp primer, with five issues facing the Knicks heading into camp. Here are our position previews: PG, SG, SF and PF, C. And here are our offseason grades.

WHAT'S NEXT: Ohm Youngmisuk and I will have you covered from Knicks media day. You can expect updates on the plans for Stoudemire this season, comments from Carmelo on his contract situation and insights into Woodson's lineup.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Do you think the Knicks can take the next step toward a title this season?

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

NEW YORK -- Expectations for the Knicks have been sky high since Carmelo Anthony came to town.

New York's basically been considered a "win now" team since Anthony arrived in a three-team trade from Denver in 2011.

But the "win now" mandate may never hold more weight than it does entering this season. The 2013-14 season could be the Knicks' final chance to win with a team led by Anthony and coached by Mike Woodson.

With that in mind, we take a look at five pressing questions surrounding the team as it enters training camp:

MELO'S OPT-OUT: The biggest issue hanging over the Knicks this season is Anthony's opt-out clause. If he chooses to do so, Anthony can opt out of the third and final year of his contract extension with the Knicks and test free agency.

He has said that he has no plans to leave town, but his opinion may change if the Knicks don't take another step toward the NBA Finals. If the Knicks don't make any progress, maybe Anthony decides he wants to chase an NBA title elsewhere.

It should be noted, though, that if Anthony chooses to opt out and sign with another team, he can sign a four-year contract worth $95,897,372, according to calculations by ESPN salary cap guru Larry Coon. If Anthony opts out and re-signs with the Knicks, he can sign a five-year contract worth $129,135,806. That's a difference of $33,238,434.

WOODSON'S JOB SECURITY: Despite winning 54 games last season and leading the Knicks to their first playoff series win in more than a decade, Woodson is on shaky ground heading into this season. His contract is guaranteed for this year but contains a team option for next year.

So Woody likely needs to have a strong showing in the playoffs in order to keep his job.

Complicating matters for Woodson is owner James Dolan's decision to demote ex-GM Glen Grunwald.

With Grunwald out, there is one less voice in the room to support Woodson when the front office and Dolan discuss the coach's future.

WHO STARTS? Woodson has plenty of options here. If he chooses to play small ball, that means Raymond Felton and either Pablo Prigioni or Beno Udrih will share the backcourt and Anthony will play power forward.

If Woodson goes with a traditional lineup, that means Anthony may play small forward alongside Metta World Peace or Andrea Bargnani. That could limit Anthony's chances of taking advantage of mismatches at power forward, but the guess here is that Woodson finds a way around that.

WHAT ABOUT AMAR'E? Amar'e Stoudemire said recently that his top goal for this season is to stay healthy. That hasn't been easy for Stoudemire in recent seasons.

The six-time All-Star played in just 29 regular-season games in a reserve role last season due to recurring knee issues. He underwent two separate surgeries to remove debris in both knees.

The Knicks are expected to limit Stoudemire to 20 minutes per game this season in an effort to keep him healthy.

CAN BARGNANI FIT THE BILL? Andrea Bargnani was the biggest haul for the Knicks in the offseason. The trade was panned by analysts who see Bargnani as a player who is inefficient on offense and severely challenged on defense -- not the kind of guy the Knicks needed.

But if Bargnani can find openings on the perimeter and knock down shots, he could be a valuable piece for the Knicks. It would behoove Bargnani to get off to a fast start, though. Knicks fans will be tough on the former No. 1 pick if he struggles early on.

Question: What do you think are realistic expectations for the team heading into the preseason?

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

NEW YORK -- Training camp kicks off Tuesday. To get ready, we are taking a position-by-position look at the New York Knicks' roster. We'll have a new position breakdown on the blog each day for the rest of the week. Here's our analysis of the team's point guards, shooting guards, small forwards and power forwards. Today, we examine the centers.

Feel free to share your thoughts on the Knicks' centers in the comments section below.

What's new? Not much. One of the missing pieces to this Knicks' roster heading into the offseason was a young big man who could score, rebound and defend. New York didn't add a proven player to address that issue over the summer.

The Knicks may have found a bargain in young big men Jeremy Tyler and Cole Aldrich. But neither has proven he can be consistently effective in the NBA.

Tyler had a strong showing in Summer League. But the 6-foot-10, 22-year-old cracked a bone in his right foot that needed to be surgically repaired. He will likely miss all of training camp, which could impact his chances of making the roster.

Aldirch worked out for the Knicks a couple times in September and was signed shortly before camp.

The former Kansas standout was drafted 10th overall in 2010 but has been traded three times since, raising questions about his ability.

So the one player the Knicks can count on to play behind Tyson Chandler is Kenyon Martin. Martin is undersized at center but proved last season that he could handle the position when Chandler was out with a neck ailment.

The Knicks' other options at backup center are Amar'e Stoudemire and Andrea Bargnani. But both players have significant shortcomings on defense.

How will it all fit? The Knicks need one of the two young big men they signed in training camp to pan out. Chandler's health was an issue late in the regular season and in the postseason.

He also struggled with his conditioning and timing early in the playoffs after missing 16 of the Knicks' final 20 regular-season games due to a neck injury. Having Chandler not at 100 percent during the Indiana series really hurt the Knicks.

So the team would be wise to limit Chandler's minutes as much as possible during the regular season. The 31-year-old is New York's second most important player behind Carmelo Anthony. Because New York has so many sub-par defenders, Chandler's health and production are crucial to the team's success.

So the Knicks could use either Aldrich or Tyler as insurance for Chandler. The coaching staff probably isn't too comfortable putting either Bargnani or Stoudmire at center without an experienced defender by their side. So they'd prefer if Tyler or Aldrich turns into a consistent contributor. Training camp invites Ike Diogu and Josh Powell are also candidates to help in this area, but are a bit undersized to guard traditional 5.

Question: How do you feel about the Knicks' center situation going into this season?

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

NEW YORK -- Training camp kicks off Tuesday. To get ready, we are taking a position-by-position look at the Knicks' roster. Here's our analysis of the team's point guards, shooting guards and small forwards. Today, we examine the power forwards.

Feel free to share your thoughts on the Knicks' power forwards in the comments section below.

WHAT'S NEW? The Knicks brought in plenty of players in the offseason who can play power forward. Metta World Peace, Andrea Bargnani and Kenyon Martin can all fill in at the 4. So the power forward position is one of the Knicks' deepest heading into training camp. And that's without even mentioning Carmelo Anthony.

If recent history is any indication, Anthony will also see plenty of time at power forward this year.

According to our guy Tom Haberstroh's Knicks player profiles, Anthony spent just 19 percent of the Knicks' minutes at power forward in 2011-12. That portion jumped to 48 percent last season, according to 82games.com tracking.

Of course, mismatches at power forward also allowed Anthony to score 28.7 points per game and win the NBA scoring title.

HOW WILL IT ALL FIT? On paper, it seems like Mike Woodson will have to deal with a logjam at power forward. But that may not be the case. The Knicks' depth should allow Woodson to play guys like World Peace, Bargnani and Stoudemire fewer minutes to keep them fresh and allow them to avoid injuries from overuse.

If Woodson starts Anthony at power forward, he can mix and match with World Peace, Bargnani, Martin and Amar'e Stoudemire off the bench. It would seem that at least one of these players would play fewer minutes than expected. Maybe that player would be Stoudemire, who has a history of knee issues and will likely be limited to 20 minutes per game this season?

QUESTION: How do you feel about the Knicks' power forward situation going into this season?

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

Mike Woodson's contract is guaranteed for this season. But the Knicks have a team option for next season. So Woodson is one of a handful of coaches whose job status is a bit shaky.

In fact, ESPN Insider Amin Elhassan says Woodson is sitting on one of the five hottest seats in the NBA entering 2013-14.

Writes Elhassan: "New York is an unforgiving town, and both the fan base and ownership expect superlative results immediately. ... Further complicating matters, the shocking switch in basketball leadership from Glen Grunwald to Steve Mills with the start of training camp just days away can't come as good news, as an incumbent head coach under a new regime usually spells doom."

Click here for the full Insider piece (you must be a member to access the story).

Question: Do you think Woodson deserves to be on the hot seat entering this season? Do you think he will be coaching the Knicks next year?

ESPN.com colleague Marc Stein has the Knicks at No. 11 in the first installment of his weekly power rankings, way behind the other Eastern Conference contenders.

Writes Stein:

Who thinks they're going to win 54 games again? Not I. The top half of the East is significantly more competitive, which means that the Knicks better get something out of Amar'e Stoudemire and Andrea Bargnani -- as well as Metta World Peace and a full-strength Iman Shumpert -- to keep up.

The rival Nets are third.

What do you think of where the Knicks fall? Let us know in the comments section below.

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.