<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">KNICKS HOPING 7-FOOT KAMAN DROPS TO NO. 9 By MARC BERMAN -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CHRIS KAMAN - AP June 25, 2003 -- Latrell Sprewell has lobbied Knicks management for a big post-up player to dump the ball inside and take heat off the perimeter. Antonio McDyess was supposed to be that guy last season. But no one can say for sure whether McDyess will ever be able to patrol the Knicks' post without his left kneecap exploding. So that is why the Knicks were so desperate to arrange an 8 p.m. workout for Central Michigan 7-foot center Chris Kaman last night. That is why the Knicks are crossing their fingers this true back-to-the-basket center drops to the No. 9 spot in tomorrow night's NBA Draft. They already know 6-10 power forward Chris Bosh won't be there at nine. Kaman has few workouts to the No. 6 Clippers, No. 5 Miami and No. 4 Toronto. Last night, Raptors new head coach Kevin O'Neill and their scouts flew in to Westchester and was permitted to watch the Kaman workout. Ironically, the Knicks and Raptors discussed swapping picks, with Sprewell heading to Canada. The Raptors reportedly were closing in on a deal with No. 12 Seattle but O'Neill said it was "looking at all possibilities." O'Neill, the former Knick assistant and Marquette coach, said his past relationship with Sprewell was no factor. "I've known him for a long time, he used to play pick-up games at our gym in Milwaukee but don't read anything into that," O'Neill said. The chances of Kaman falling to the ninth spot were diminished when 7-5 center Pavel Podzokline pulled out. If Kaman isn't there and the big men include Kansas' Nick Collison, Georgetown's Mike Sweetney and 7-foot small-forward project Maciej Lampe, the Knicks may decide to trade down. Layden will interview Sweetney today. Kaman averaged 22.4 points and 12.0 rebounds as a junior and Layden likes his preference for the low post. "He had a great workout," Layden said. "He did as good as he could've." "I got a lot stronger this past summer and that helped me a lot in the paint," said Kaman. "I was getting pushed around before. I still want to get stronger, especially playing in the post. Quickness doesn't always work." There's been some classic Layden misdirections the past nine days, ever since he said after Kansas' Kirk Hinrich's workout that he would consider drafting a point guard. That led to speculation the Knicks wanted to move up in the draft to get a crack at undersized Texas point guard T.J. Ford, whose stock has been dropping. That's mostly smokescreen. In truth, the Knicks would like to see both point guards snapped up in the top eight, which would allow Kaman to fall. If Ford fell to nine and Kaman was gone, the Knicks would consider the 5-10 jitterbug, with the option of trading him later. If the Knicks traded up to four, they'd likely snatch Bosh or Kaman. </div>
