<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">LAS VEGAS, July 9 ? The Knicks will almost certainly have a new look at small forward next season, when their starter will be a deft shooter and a dedicated defender. No trades will be needed. The new starter could very well be the old starter ? a surgically upgraded Quentin Richardson, who hopes to be lighter, quicker and pain-free when he returns. Richardson, who had back surgery March 30, was cleared Monday to work on the court. He is running, jumping and even dunking, although not yet playing with contact. He is on track to resume playing by the end of the month, and to be at full speed by the time he reports to training camp in October. While speculative reports link the Knicks to Sacramento?s Ron Artest, a native New Yorker, the most likely outcome is a revived Richardson filling the team?s needs on the wing. ?I think I?ll be more explosive now, because I was so limited last year and the year before,? said Richardson, who attended Monday night?s 87-74 summer-league victory against the Seattle SuperSonics. (Nate Robinson scored a game-high 19 points and Randolph Morris had a game-high 10 rebounds.) Richardson had a microdiscectomy to repair a herniated disk, which bothered him for most of last season. He played in only 49 games, averaging 13.0 points and 7.2 rebounds. When healthy, the 6-foot-6 Richardson was the Knicks? best perimeter defender, routinely guarding the league?s elite swingmen like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. He is also the Knicks? best 3-point shooter and among their top rebounders.</div> Source: NY Times
