Knicks have selection committee for draft

As Donnie Walsh prepares to make his exit from the Knicks' front office, he puts his support behind the staff he leaves behind. And at this point, it is very possible that the franchise moves forward with a hierarchy that includes Glen Grunwald, Mark Warkentien, Allan Houston and Mike D'Antoni.

"I think if everybody is comfortable with that, that's what they should do," Walsh said of the committee approach. "I think they're all qualified, they all like each other and they've been working together like that for a long time."

With the focus currently on the No. 17 pick the Knicks have in Thursday's NBA draft, the search for Walsh's successor has not yet gotten under way. Walsh's contract ends on June 30, as does most of his basketball operations staff, with the exception of Grunwald, who has been tapped to serve as interim general manager, and Houston, who has been promoted from assistant general manager to GM of the team's D-League affiliate, the Erie BayHawks.

Warkentien signed a short-term deal when he arrived in February but is expected to be retained, according to a source. Just about all of the scouts, however, will be looking for jobs at the end of the month since their contracts will expire.

Walsh admitted that while he's technically still in charge, he's not going to be the ultimate decision-maker.

"I'm not going to just come in and dictate," he said. "Let's put it that way."

So whatever the choice is tonight, Walsh said it'll be a decision reached by committee, with those who are likely to remain with the franchise having the most influence.

At this point, as it is nearly every year, the Knicks have come up in a host of trade rumors but nothing that appears close to fruition.

Jimmer Fredette, the BYU star who is from upstate Glens Falls, said earlier this week on a sports radio show that his preference is to be selected by the Knicks.

"Yeah," Walsh said, "but what good does it do if you can't get him."

The Knicks have looked into moving up in the draft to position themselves to land Fredette, who is projected to be selected within the top 12, but at this point the cost seems to be too high. There is a strong reluctance to trade Toney Douglas and Landry Fields, two of the few assets the franchise has, just to move up a few spots.

"You have to be careful not to go overboard," Walsh said.

Aside from Fredette, the Knicks also have their eye on intriguing big man Bismack Biyombo, a 6-9 power player from the Congo who many scouts compare to the Thunder's Serge Ibaka. The Knicks will meet with Biyombo this morning for a late workout, but it is possible he could pull out if he gets a promise from a team selecting earlier than the Knicks. The Pistons (No. 8) and Rockets (No. 14) are believed to have strong interest.

The Knicks are also expected to acquire at least one more pick, either a late first-rounder (possibly Chicago's pick at No. 30) or an early second-round pick.

The Dolan family owns

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