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It would take a lot to get him, but do you think the Knicks should make a run at Chris Paul? Or should they stand pat with their current point guard situation?

Let us know your thoughts. Vote here.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Memo to Knicks fans daydreaming about Chris Paul playing in an orange and blue uniform next season: general manager Glen Grunwald doesn't expect to make any major changes to the roster this summer.

"In general, it's best to maintain continuity, familiarity," Grunwald said Tuesday on ESPN New York 98.7 FM's "The Stephen A. Smith & Ryan Ruocco Show." "I don't foresee substantial changes to our roster."

The Knicks don't have much roster flexibility this summer.

With $77.6 million in committed salary, they will have only the mini mid-level exception ($3 million per year) and veteran's minimum contracts to offer free agents.

There is a possibility the team could trade players to get under the salary cap, but Grunwald dismissed that on Tuesday. The Knicks can also execute a sign-and-trade to acquire a free agent, though it would be tricky to accomplish that due to CBA restrictions.

A sign-and-trade is one way that the Knicks would be able to obtain Paul, who is a free agent this summer. But it is an extremely remote possibility.

"You can trade players, but I don’t think that’s our focus," Grunwald said Tuesday when asked about the possibility of a sign-and-trade. "Our focus is to continue to build this core team. Some continuity, some familiarization, further growth as individuals and as a team, I think that’s what we have to do."

Grunwald said the Knicks' front office will take a "creative" approach to the offseason.

They have a first-round pick (24th) in the June draft but have no second-round picks. They will have decisions to make on several players expected to test free agency, including J.R. Smith, Chris Copeland, Pablo Prigioni and Kenyon Martin.

Grunwald declined to comment on Smith or other potential free agents. The Knicks will be able to offer Smith a contract starting at around $5 million. Other teams under the salary cap may be able to offer a richer contract.

With Prigioni and Copeland, the Knicks will likely be able to use part of their mini mid-level exception to match offers from other teams, if the players receive such offers.

Grunwald said again and again on Tuesday that he'd like to maintain "continuity" and keep the roster largely intact.

"In general, it’s best to maintain the continuity if you think [the team can] get better. I think we can get better. I think we can play better than we did at the end of the season," Grunwald said. "But that’s not to say we won’t explore all alternatives."

Other highlights from Grunwald:

CHANDLER GAVE 100 PERCENT: Grunwald said Tyson Chandler lost 12 pounds shortly before the playoffs due to illness and, as a result, he wasn't 100 percent healthy in the postseason.

"He wasn't 100 percent, he gave 100 percent of what he had," Grunwald said.

Chandler was badly outplayed by Indiana's Roy Hibbert in the Knicks' playoff loss to the Pacers.

"I know he's disappointed in the team's performance and what he gave in the playoffs," Grunwald said.

The GM added that the Knicks may look into using Chandler and Amar'e Stoudemire in the post more frequently next season. Chandler served primarily as the screener on pick-and-rolls this season.

AMAR'E SUCCEEDED OFF BENCH: Neither Grunwald nor Mike Woodson would say whether Stoudemire would start or come off the bench next season. But Grunwald did say that Stoudemire "grew into" his role off the bench with the Knicks this season.

"We're hopeful he'll be able to contribute next year in whatever role Woody decides," Grunwald said.

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

Just like the team's slogan, "Once a Knick, Always a Knick," its fans and media have their own: "Once it Happens, We'll Always Remember." As Marcus Camby told ESPNNewYork.com earlier this year, "The Knicks' community knows their basketball."

While that applies to many great moments in Knicks history, the past 10 years or so have offered something different: more recurring negatively themed storylines, such as James Dolan consulting Isiah Thomas, which reportedly happened again Friday. Frustration, mounted on top of extreme expectations, tortured Knicks fans over several seasons of futility under Thomas.

Even while the Knicks continue to re-establish themselves, negativity these days, no matter how small, runs deep in New York as if it's an emotional scar after a personal tragedy. You can't stop thinking about it. On top of that, the only thing competitive New Yorkers care about is a championship -- and that hasn't happened in a while.

On that note, ESPNNewYork.com brings you the Top 10 Knicks Storylines That Won't Go Away, starting with 10 through six:

10. The Knicks losing to another lousy team. Every time the Knicks got embarrassed last season, fans wrote on Twitter, "They made another below-average team with a below-average player look good." That started Jan. 4 against the Bobcats, the worst team in the league, and continued about 10 more times at the Garden. If J.R. Smith is guaranteeing a championship, it starts with knocking off the bottom-feeders.

9. Jeremy Lin leaving. While many Knicks fans don't want to hear Lin's name again, many -- including Walt Frazier -- are still surprised the team didn't match the Rockets' offer. And until the Knicks address their decision, Lin's name will come up. But if Raymond Felton proves it on the court over the long haul -- which he didn't do last season in Portland -- the memory of Linsanity will collect some dust.

8. C-P-3! C-P-3! Who can the Knicks trade to get Chris Paul? If not, can they sign CP3 in 2013, when he's a free agent? These are the questions on repeat, because there's belief that Paul's close friend (and fellow Jordan Brand endorser), Carmelo Anthony, wants to make it happen. It's also because Knicks fans are not in love with the team's point guards -- and feeling cheated on Lin and Steve Nash, they're aiming higher. But it's mostly false hope.

7. Carmelo Anthony is overweight and a ball-stopper. When Melo had his worst season since 2008-09, some Knicks fans thought they knew why: He's overweight! But in 2011-12, Melo suffered a few upper- and lower-body injuries that affected his shot and stamina. Also, his swollen look comes from his underneath protective padding. While Melo's work with renowned NBA trainer Idan Ravin has paid off, he's still working to erase the "isolation scorer" tag.

6. Melo and Amare Stoudemire can't coexist. When LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, and Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook represented their respective teams in the Finals this past season, Knicks fans wondered, Could Melo and Amare ever do it, too? With the increased formation of "big twos" around the league, there will always be pressure on the Knicks' stars. Mike Woodson has been focused on making their partnership work. Will it finally happen?

Stay tuned Tuesday for No. 5 through the Top Storyline That Won't Go Away with the upcoming season (and possibly beyond).

You can follow Jared Zwerling on Twitter.

Clippers point guard Chris Paul will sit out Wednesday's game against the Knicks due to a sore groin, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Paul worked out before the game but Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro decided to shut him down with the playoffs around the corner.

Eric Bledsoe started in place of Paul.

Wednesday's game is significant for the Knicks because they can either move up to sixth, stay in seventh or move down to the eighth seed in the Eastern Confernce.

The Clippers are still in a race for home-court advantage in the playoffs.

How would Carmelo Anthony feel if he were in his buddy Chris Paul's shoes? Would he like his future being controlled by David Stern?

"I would feel just like Chris felt. I would be disappointed, I’d be frustrated, I’d be upset," Anthony said. "But you know, Chris got what he wanted, it went through."

Paul was dealt to the Clippers late Wednesday for three players and a draft pick. Stern nixed an earlier deal that would have sent Paul to the Lakers.

The Knicks were believed to be Paul's preferred destination. They were prepared to clear enough cap space for the summer of 2012 to land the superstar point guard.

But once Glen Grunwald realized he wouldn't have the requisite cap space to pay Paul or another top free agent in 2012, he turned his attention to Tyson Chandler. The Knicks acquired Chandler in a three-team sign-and-trade deal late last week.

Because of Paul's reported desire to come to the Knicks, Anthony has been asked about Paul's situation again and again over the past 10 days.

He said on Thursday that he's tired of hearing about it.

"No more David Stern talk from nobody," he said. "Not from me, not from Chris and I hope from nobody else. I'm tired of talking about it, I’m tired of hearing about it and everybody just focus on basketball."

You can follow Ian Begley on Twitter.

Sources have told ESPN's Chris Broussard and Marc Stein that the New Orleans Hornets may deal Chris Paul before the season starts.

According to Stein and Broussard, Paul met with New Orleans GM Dell Demps on Monday. The meeting was amicable but Paul "did not tell the Hornets he is prepared to sign an extension before the regular season before opening day."

Sources also told Broussard and Stein that three teams -- the Mavericks, Celtics and Rockets -- have told the Hornets they'd be willing to deal for Paul without the guarantee that he'd sign an extension.

This may hurt the Knicks' chances of landing Paul in a trade because sources told Broussard and Stein that "the Hornets are convinced that they can receive more from any of the so-called gambling teams than from the Knicks, who are widely regarded as Paul's No. 1 preferred destination."

Stay tuned. Things should get very interesting.

Read the full story here.

Both Chris Paul and Dwight Howard appear to be ready to test the free-agent market.

If you're Knicks senior vice president Glen Grunwald, who do you go after?

Howard, the dominant center that your team is sorely lacking? Or Paul, the play-maker who'd thrive in your coach's up-tempo offense?

Jared Zwerling and I give our takes here. Now, we'd like to hear your opinion.

So, who would you pursue? CP3 or D12? Let us know your thoughts here or in the comments section below.

Chris Paul reportedly wants to come to New York.

But do the Knicks have enough trade pieces to land him?

The Knicks' roster was gutted last season in the Carmelo Anthony deal, leaving them with few trade chips this year.

The organization isn't going to trade Amare Stoudemire or Anthony go to acquire Paul. So that leaves Chauncey Billups and his $14.2 million expiring contract, which is an attractive piece.

Guard Toney Douglas, coming off of shoulder surgery, could also be used in a deal. Same goes for Landry Fields and, possibly, rookie guard Iman Shumpert.

It would be crippling for the Knicks to include a first-round pick in a trade, as their 2012 and 2014 picks are owed to other teams and they will likely have to swap their 2016 pick with the Nuggets (the league forbids teams from trading picks in consecutive years).

So their existing pieces don't figure to be enough to land Paul, a four-time All-Star who has averaged 19.8 points, 9.8 assists and 2.4 steals in six seasons.

Just as they did a year ago, the Knicks will likely have to engage a third team if they have any hope of acquiring their superstar target.

Last season, the Knicks dumped Anthony Randolph and Eddy Curry on Minnesota in the Melo deal. Getting the Timberwolves involved helped make it work financially. But the Knicks didn't ask Minnesota to give up a quality player.

This time around, they will likely have to find a third team willing to trade a top pawn, not just take on salary.

That's no easy task.

If the Knicks can't land Paul in a trade, the 26-year-old would have to make a significant financial sacrifice to come to New York as a free agent.

In order for Paul to sign as a free agent, he would have to forgo close to $40 million in salary, in the best-case scenario, according to ESPN.com's John Hollinger.

As Hollinger points out in this Insider piece, the Knicks can offer Paul, at most, $13.5 million in the first year of a free-agent deal.

The $13.5 million offer is based on the notion that they'd have Anthony, Stoudemire and a bunch of minimum-salary players on the roster in the summer of 2012.

According to Hollinger, if Paul signs for $13.5 million in his first season, he can earn $57.6 million over the life of the maximum four-year deal allowable in the proposed CBA.

The Hornets, on the other hand, can sign Paul to a five-year contract that starts at a little over $17 million and is worth $98.8 million over the life of the contract, assuming the salary cap remains around $58 million.

So, in this scenario, Paul would take a $40 million pay cut to play for the Knicks.

Paul can avoid that shortfall by forgoing free agency and trying to force a trade to the Knicks. Though he'd still be sacrificing money by not signing an extension with New Orleans (fewer years), it would be far less than a $40 million hit.

But do the Knicks have the pieces to get a deal done?

As currently constituted, the answer appears to be a resounding no.

Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony says he hasn't tried to recruit his friend Chris Paul to New York.

Paul, the New Orleans Hornets' All-Star point guard, reportedly has requested a trade to the Knicks.

"I'm not involved in that process. No way. That's a subject, a topic, that I don't want to touch. I don't want to deal with that," Anthony said after working out at the team's training facility on Thursday, the first day players are permitted to train at team facilities.

Anthony was the first Knick to arrive at their Greenburgh, N.Y., training center.

But instead of talking about the upcoming season, Anthony was bombarded with questions about Paul, his friend and U.S. Olympic teammate.

Yahoo! Sports reported on Thursday that Paul's agent has told the Hornets that Paul will not sign a contract extension and wants to be traded to the Knicks. The Times Picayune, citing two league sources, said that Paul hasn't demanded a trade to the Knicks.

Paul can opt out of his contract and test free agency after this season.

The situation Paul's facing is similar to what Anthony went through last year.

Anthony dealt with months of uncertainty about his future last season before being dealt from Denver to the Knicks. He doesn't want to see Paul go through the same scenario this season.

"That’s going to be a sensitive situation," Anthony said. "I don't want to see him go through that, because I know personally how that feels."

Anthony said he will not interfere with Paul's decision.

"We never had any conversations about him coming to New York," Anthony said. "That's something that I would leave up to him and him and his family and I'm staying away from that."

The Knicks star recognized that the speculation surrounding Paul isn't going away anytime soon, saying "the biggest discussion at the beginning of the season and the beginning of training camp" will center around the Hornet point guard's next move.

He's advised Paul on how to handle the decision -- and the drama surrounding it.

"One thing I did tell him was, 'Just make the best decision for you and your family.' He responded back that he knew. ... He saw what I went through last year," Anthony said. "And I'm pretty sure there's a certain part of him that don't want to deal with that."

"I don't think the NBA needs that right now," he added. "We just want to focus on -- especially the Knicks -- we just want to focus on what we need to focus on. Getting better, getting everybody back in the gym and preparing for our first game."

Anthony downplayed the notion of he and Paul teamming up in New York anytime soon. According to Anthony, the next time he'll play with Paul is in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

"Before that, I’m not even thinking about it," he said.

On Thursday, Anthony worked out alone under the watch of team trainers for about two hours. Afterward, he pronounced himself 100 percent healthy.

Shortly after last season, the eight-year veteran had simultaneous surgeries to repair nagging left knee and elbow injuries. Anthony returned to the court in August, playing in several exhibition games.

"I'm good, I'm healthy. As you can see, I'm in here today. As soon as they opened the doors up I was the first person in here today," said Anthony, who was joined at the Knicks' facility by guard Toney Douglas.

Anthony said that his elbow had been bothering him for the past six years. The ailment affected the follow-through on his jump shot.

"I was always jerking my shot," he said.

But the arthroscopic procedure relieved the pain in his elbow.

"I feel better this season than I've felt in a long long time," he said.

The Knicks acquired Anthony last February in a blockbuster three-team trade. In 27 regular season games in New York, Anthony averaged 26 points, 6.7 rebounds and three assists.

He helped the Knicks reached the playoffs for the first time since the 2003-04 season. They were swept in the first round by the Boston Celtics. Including the playoffs, the Knicks went 14-18 after acquiring Anthony.

The new players struggled to adjust to Mike D'Antoni's system on the fly and many mentioned that they'd need a full training camp to jell.

The start of training camp has been tentatively scheduled for Dec. 9, which gives the Knicks just 16 days to prepare for their Christmas Day opener.

Anthony said on Thursday that the Knicks would have enough time to prepare.

"It's not a full training camp but it’s a lot of time to get stuff done," Anthony said. "Get guys in, focus on the couple things we need to focus on and go from there and then we get better as the season goes on."

He acknowledged that the truncated 66-game schedule could take a physical toll on players. Schedules haven't been released, but the league announced each team will play at least one series of back-to-back-to-back games.

"It's a battle, it’s a fight and we have to prepare ourselves for that," Anthony said.

He added: "We might have five games in six nights and we as players, we've got to prepare ourselves mentally and figure it out as we go along."

Players and the league agreed on a proposal to end the lockout last Saturday. But both sides still need to ratify the agreement before teams can open for training camp.

Anthony believes the deal will be ratified by players.

"That’s just my opinion. I don’t think they would have opened the doors up and said all the stuff that they’re putting out there, training camp starting on the ninth, without having the chance to close this thing up," he said.

Anthony plans to work out at the training facility over the weekend.

Appearing on ESPN New York 1050's "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" on Monday, ESPN's Chris Broussard said the Knicks have a "great chance" to land Chris Paul, thanks to the new CBA.

"We all know that their wish list is Chris Paul and I think they’re going to get Chris Paul," Broussard told Cowherd. "I think there’s a great chance he ends up in New York and now you’ve got a Big 3 in the Big Apple. And if they don’t get Chris Paul for some reason, Dwight Howard is a possibility, Deron Williams is a possibility. The Knicks should end up getting one of those three players; I think it will be Chris Paul."

Broussard points out that the Knicks are expected to have significant room under the salary cap next season. (As currently constituted, the Knicks have Amare Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, Renaldo Balkman and (presumably) rookie Iman Shumpert under contract for 2012-2013.)

Broussard also cites the fact that the CBA allows all teams (tax payers and non-tax payers) to execute sign and trades in the first two years as an advantage for the Knicks. This will allow the Knicks to acquire Paul via a trade during the season and sign him to a maximum contract extension without salary cap concerns. Paul can opt out of his contract after the 2012 season.

"The big market teams are helped in the first couple of years of this deal," Broussard says.

Broussard points out that tax-paying teams will be restricted heavily in the third year of the deal. Rules in place would also make it difficult for big-market teams to execute sign and trades. The luxury tax rate also increases in Year 3.

The players and owners still have to ratify the proposed CBA. They are expected to vote on it in the coming days.

With the lockout all but over, the "chase for Chris Paul" has officially begun.

Much like last season's "Melo-Drama," you can expect plenty of speculation and debate over Paul's next destination.

And the Knicks will be in the thick of it.

The immediate question for the Knicks is this: Does the new CBA help or hurt their expected pursuit of Paul?

We won't have a definitive answer until the CBA is ratified.

But by and large, the proposed CBA seems to have put the Knicks on an inside track to land Paul, who can opt out of his contract after this season.

Though, to be sure, there are aspects that could hurt their chances.

Let's break it down:

WHAT HELPS

No "Melo Rule": Owners were reportedly pushing for a rule that prohibits teams from signing a player to a Bird Rights deal if they'd traded for him in the final year of his contract (after July 1 of the last year of the deal). They named it the "Carmelo Rule," and aptly so.

If the rule were in place last season, the Knicks wouldn't have been able to sign Carmelo Anthony to a Bird Rights extension after acquiring him in a trade because they wouldn't have been permitted to exceed the cap.

Owners relented on the deal, which means the Knicks can sign Paul to a max extension if they acquire him in a trade during the season.

Amnesty clause: Under the proposed CBA, each team will be able to waive one player to discount his salary from the cap. If Paul tests free-agency in 2012, the amnesty clause will give the Knicks more cash to play with. Let's say they use it on Renaldo Balkman, for example. That could provide a long-term savings of $2.5 million and an immediate savings of $1.7 million (the amount of his contract in 2011-2012).

Mid-level trade exceptions: Non-tax paying teams are permitted to use a full mid-level exception to sign a player for $5 million and a maximum of four years. Taxpayers can use an exception to sign a player for $3 million and a maximum of three years. As currently constituted, the Knicks will be close to $20 million under the cap next summer, when Paul hits the market. Regardless of whether they are over or under the cap after inking Paul, the exception will allow them to add an extra piece to the puzzle.

Additionally, there is a provision that allows non-tax payers to sign a player (or players) to a salary maximum combined salary of $2.5 million for a max of two years. Who knows if the Knicks will be under the tax after next summer. But if they are, they can take advantage of this aspect of the CBA.

No "Franchise Tag": This idea, floated before talks, was reportedly never brought to the table. This is a good thing for the Knicks in their pursuit of Paul and other free agents. And it's an exclusion that certainly hurts the Hornets.

WHAT HURTS

Sign/extend and trades: On the surface, it seems that the CBA's allowance of sign/extend and trades would help the Knicks with Paul. But, hear me out.

There aren't many good trade chips on the Knicks current roster. So the fact that the CBA allows other teams to acquire Paul via a mid-season trade and sign him to an extension hurts the Knicks.

If extend and trades were prohibited, Paul would have been a rental to any team that dealt for him in-season, all but assuring that he would test the free-agent market.

Now, the Knicks have to worry about another team -- with more attractive trade pieces -- acquiring Paul via a trade and extending him.

In addition, all teams (tax payers and non-tax payers) can execute sign and trades without a tax penalty in the first two seasons of the CBA. This means the Knicks will have to compete with teams that have better trade pieces to offer New Orleans in any Paul trade.

Of course, as we saw last season with Anthony, the Knicks can get a third team involved to sweeten the offer. And Paul, like Anthony, could force his way to New York. Either way, it will be fun to watch the free-for-all for Paul's services.

Question: How do you think the CBA affects the Knicks pursuit of Paul?

Let us know in the comments section below.

New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul has been spending a good amount of time in New York City these days. As NBPA vice president, he's been present at several labor meetings and he's been palling around with his good friend Carmelo Anthony, like at Melo's M8 sneaker launch party in mid-October.

Not only has Paul been alongside Anthony in NYC, they've been teaming up on the court at various charity and exhibition games. While the All-Star-like showcases haven't been competitive NBA regular-season games, they've offered a glimpse into how good the pair can really be on the main stage together, utilizing the pick-and-roll, backdoor cuts and alley-oops.

And let's not forget about Amare Stoudemire.

It's no secret that Paul jogging out of the arena tunnel wearing a Knicks uniform would lead to a standing ovation at the Garden. Just ask Melo himself. "If it works out and he comes here and they allow him to come here, you'll see a smile from ear to ear," he said. "It's not just me. It's everybody in New York."

You don't need to do much analysis to confirm Paul's potential impact on the Knicks, but NBA Insider David Thorpe has some solid predictions:

1. On defense -- Thorpe argues that because the Knicks ranked in the league's bottom eight in team defense last season, Paul will have a greater effect on the defensive end. "Both Stoudemire and Anthony need a point guard who can create turnovers and help spearhead good starting position on every defensive possession," Thorpe writes. "Someone such as Paul also can inhibit opposing point guards from playing 5 on 4 after using a good breakdown dribble-drive move."
2. Complementing Melo -- Thorpe argues that because Paul has a superior knack for organizing and predicting scoring opportunities before they actually open up, he'll be able to get Melo more open looks closer to the basket in transition. "Paul is a genius at getting defenses to organize against a decoy threat (using himself as the decoy) so he can create an even more dangerous threat for someone else," Thorpe writes. "That someone would be Anthony flying down the wing, flopping to the other side and sealing the defender under the rim before taking a pass from Paul and getting the easy bucket or earning a trip to the free throw line."
3. Complementing Amare -- Thorpe argues that because defenses will have to deal with Stoudemire's versatility to play inside-outside, it will leave room for Paul to score near the basket and beyond the 3-point line -- two areas he excels in. "In the past four years, Paul has made shots within the lane more than 50 percent of the time," Thorpe writes. "With double-teams on Stoudemire, Paul also will have open looks behind the 3-point line, from which he shot nearly 39 percent in 2010-11."

To read Thorpe's story, click here.

You can follow Jared Zwerling on Twitter.

Isiah Thomas playfully brushed off the suggestion that he could help recruit potential free-agent Chris Paul to the Knicks during a radio interview Thursday.

But his response to the idea that he could help bring Paul to New York shed some light on his current influence with the Knicks.

Here's what the former Knicks GM/coach had to say during an interview with Sid Rosenberg on WQAM in Miami:

"I root for the Knicks, I want them to win. I'm always going to be a close friend with [owner James Dolan]. I root for the organization. I want everyone to do well ... If there's any way I can help them, I can. I mean I will, and I can," Thomas said.

It's an open secret that Thomas still has a heavy influence with Dolan.

Dolan tried to hire Thomas as a consultant last season, a move that was eventually nixed by commissioner David Stern because of the conflict of interest that arose as a result of Thomas' head coaching job at Florida International University. After Stern nixed the hire, Dolan released a statement saying he would "continue to solicit" Thomas' views.

Also, ex-president/GM Donnie Walsh publicly thanked Thomas last summer for his help in landing then free-agent Amare Stoudemire during Stoudemire's introductory press conference. Dolan also reportedly sent Thomas after LeBron James in a last-ditch effort to recruit James last summer.

Thomas, who worked for the Knicks as president, GM or coach from December 2003 to April 2008, was reportedly involved in the recruitment of Carmelo Anthony last season.

Now, he's expected to do the same with Paul, who is under contract for the 2011-2012 season but has a player option for 2012-13, during which he is scheduled to make $17.8 million.

Many have speculated that New York is a potential destination for Paul. Current Knicks point guard Chauncey Billups, whom New York acquired in a three-team, 13-player deal last February, will be a free agent after 2011-2012.

THOMAS GIVES THUMBS UP TO WOODSON HIRE: Thomas also told Rosenberg that he is a fan of the Knicks' decision to hire Mike Woodson as an assistant. The widely-held perception is that Woodson, the former Atlanta Hawks head coach, was brought on to Mike D'Antoni's staff to help the Knicks' defense, which was statistically one of the NBA's worst last season.

Thomas has a long history with Woodson. He played one season with him at Indiana University and told Rosenberg that Woodson was one of the reasons he chose to play at Indiana.

"I think they'll get along well," Thomas said of D'Antoni and Woodson. "Woody definitely understands defense. He learned from the greatest mind in the game in terms of coach [Bobby] Knight. The way we were taught to play defense and defensive concepts, he'll be a great fit there. And he gets along well with the players and he'll be demanding of the players."

Thomas is hosting an NBA exhibition at Florida International featuring Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Paul and others on Saturday. Proceeds from the game will go to "Mary's Court" - a foundation in his late mother's name. Proceeds will benefit local education programs.

Thomas caught heat from Rosenberg for scheduling the game on the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur. He apologized.

"It wasn't meant to be that way and I apologize," Thomas said.

Recap | Box score | Photos

WHAT IT MEANS: Some fans came to the Garden thinking they'd see the Knicks' point guard of the future in Chris Paul. But Toney Douglas thoroughly outplayed the Hornets star in a 107-88 Knicks win.

Starting in place of Chauncey Billups (bruised left quadriceps), Douglas finished with 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting with five rebounds and four assists. The Knicks outscored the Hornets by 13 in Douglas' 32 minutes. Paul finished with just four points on 2-of-7 shooting and handed out 10 assists; the Hornets were outscored by 19 with Paul on the court.

The Knicks are 3-2 in the Carmelo Anthony Era and may need Douglas to start in place of Billups on Friday night against Cleveland. Billups is questionable for the game.

TURNING POINTS: A two-point Knicks lead quickly grew to 12 late in the second-quarter thanks to six quick points from Anthony and two each from Douglas and starting center Ronny Turiaf. The Hornets helped the Knicks' cause with two turnovers in the 13-3 run. The Knicks coasted after the half, leading by double figures for all but 18 seconds of the final two quarters. It got so bad midway through the fourth that the fans started chanting for a Roger Mason appearance. Mike D'Antoni obliged, and the crowd exploded when Mason hit a three with a little over a minute to play.

DIFFERENCE MAKER: In addition to Douglas, Amare Stoudemire finished with 24 points on 10-of-9 shooting and Anthony had 22, hitting 8 of his 18 shots. Sharpshooter Shawne Williams had 16 points and made four of his six 3-point attempts.

WHAT'S NEXT: If you're curious to see how quickly this team is building chemistry, look no further than Friday night's game home game against the Cavaliers. Last Friday, the Knicks traveled to Cleveland fell to the 11-win Cavs in embarrassing fashion. They were outrebounded by 20 and looked out of synch on offense (41 percent shooting) in a 115-109 loss, their second to the Cavaliers this season. It doesn’t seem like they will have Billups (thigh) available for Friday's home game but they should be able to bounce back against the Cavs, who are 3-27 on the road. The Knicks hit the road to take on the Hawks on Sunday night and return home to play the Jazz on Monday night.

As the Knicks prepare to take the court at the New Orleans Arena tonight, perhaps one of the thoughts going through Chris Paul's mind is, Imagine if I played in the Knicks' fast-paced offensive system.

While Paul is averaging 16.1 points, 10.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game and the Hornets are putting up 95.7 points a night, Knicks point guard Raymond Felton's numbers are 18.2 ppg, 8.1 apg and 4.1 rpg -- all increases from last season -- and the Knicks are third in the league in scoring at 107 points per game.

"I'm a huge fan of Coach [Mike] D'Antoni’s, and he really has those guys going right now," Paul said (ProBasketballTalk). "And any time you have a personality like Amare [Stoudemire] on your team and Raymond running your show, you're going to be tough."

Of course, that will get some Knicks fans thinking, Imagine how much tougher the team will be with Paul -- literally, tougher.

While Felton and Stoudemire are rolling right now off the pick-and-roll and the rest of the starting five is contributing, the Hornets are one of the best defensive teams, holding opponents to the second-fewest points per game (91.3; the Magic are first at 91.1). Paul, who will be guarding Felton, has very quick hands -- he leads the league in steals per game (3.1) -- and Emeka Okafor, who will be on Stoudemire, is a mobile and aggressive defender, and is tied for fifth in the league in blocked shots (2.2).

With Paul and Okafor anchoring the Hornets' defense from the perimeter to the paint, respectively, they started the season as the one of the NBA's hottest teams, going 11-1. While the Knicks have been better lately, going 5-1, and the Hornets have dropped four of their last six, Paul has to realize his team wouldn't be 13-5 without its shutdown defense. Tonight, each team will have a major challenge: the Hornets stopping the league's best scoring team on the road (109.6 ppg) and the Knicks getting past the wasps, which have the ability to mobilize the entire nest to sting in defense.

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