Walsh's option not yet picked up by Knicks

The Knicks are pursuing Carmelo Anthony with the hopes to add the superstar forward either by trade before the Feb. 24 deadline or as a free agent in the offseason. But while Donnie Walsh is working now to ensure the Knicks have a future as a championship contender, he does not yet have assurances that he will be here to see it.

Walsh's contract has a team option for a fourth season that must be picked up by April 30. At this point, neither Walsh nor his agent, Steve Kauffman, has been given any indication from team owner James Dolan that the fourth year will be picked up. Kauffman, who was in New York last week, did not meet with Dolan, nor has he or Walsh approached ownership to discuss his future.

But the closer the calendar gets to April, the greater concern there is about the stability of a franchise that Walsh has only started to rebuild. Walsh is also close to adding former Nuggets general manager Mark Warkentien to his front office as a consultant.

That move should eliminate concerns about Isiah Thomas returning to the franchise. The Knicks hired Thomas as a consultant in August, but the NBA blocked the hiring because Thomas is directly tied to the NCAA as coach of Florida International.

Walsh publicly has said he is not concerned about his future, and privately has told confidants the same. One person close to Walsh said Dolan has always been honest with him and Walsh doesn't expect that to change.

Walsh, who turns 70 March 1, took over the franchise in April 2008 and in two years got the team under the salary cap for the first time in 14 years.

Walsh was unable to deliver the biggest target of 2010, LeBron James, as a free agent, but he did sign Amar'e Stoudemire, who has emerged as an MVP candidate. The next target is Anthony, whom confidants say wants to come to the Knicks. Walsh is working on making that happen.

The Knicks are sixth in the East, and with 34 games left in the season, appear to be on their way to their first playoff berth in seven years.

There is a prevailing belief at the Garden that Dolan is waiting until the playoffs become more certain. Thomas was awarded a three-year extension on March 12, 2007, a day after the team moved into the eighth spot with 22 games left. The Knicks finished 5-17 and failed to make the playoffs.

Mozgov blogs

Timofey Mozgov has a blog. Of course he does. The Russian center is still learning English, so his interviews are often short and apologetic, but when he writes in his native language, Mozgov is very candid and expressive. At least that's how it translates on Alexander Chernykh's blog, Rush'N Hoops.

In Mozgov's latest blog, posted Tuesday, the young center talked about his impressive 23-point, 14-rebound performance in Sunday's win over the Pistons. Mozgov said a TV reporter told him the Garden should be named Mozgov Square Garden.

"This is funny, of course," Mozgov said. "Like I say, it's like a mass madness."

The Dolan family owns controlling interests in the Knicks, MSG and Cablevision. Cablevision owns Newsday.