The first of a series of attempts at predicting the Knicks’ summer 2010 plan

SCENARIO 1: THE DREAM TEAM

We’re not talking Olympics with MJ and co. We’re talking about what, in my opinion, would set the Knicks up with the purest basketball team. No LBJ or DWade; they’re brands, not ballers, and the Knicks have gone after these types of guys way too often, Starbury and Franchise among them.

(Before I go on, I know I’m in the minority here. I know that Wade and LBJ would bring HUGE interest to The Garden. I know I’d be at 10 games next year if they were in New York. However, the Knicks should build a team - not a pair of max guys with 10 minimum contracts.)

No Bosh; while he’s a terrific power forward, he’s not the best available. And no Joe Johnson. I think he’ll end up in Chicago. With Bosh, as a matter of fact.

So, without further ado, crack number one at prognosticating the Knicks’ 2010 offseason:

What’s left of NYK:

• Eddy Curry - $11.28M in 2010-11
• Danilo Gallinari - $4.19M in 2010-11
• Wilson Chandler - $2.13M in 2010-11
• Toney Douglas - $1.07M in 2010-11
• Bill Walker - $0.85M in 2010-11

I don’t think the team will retain J.R. Giddens. Everyone else is sayonara!

Move 1: Sign David Lee to a three-year, $39M deal

First, as a disclaimer, the estimates here are VERY, VERY raw. I don’t know how much each player will demand, or what the market will bear. But stick with me through this, as the numbers should be at least in the ballpark.

I know what you’re thinking. The first move is to bring back a member of the Loser Knicks? He wouldn’t be around for long in this scenario …

Move 2: Send Lee in a sign and trade to the Hornets, along with a draft pick, for Chris Paul

I have no idea what the pick will be, if it is a pick. I don’t want the extra piece to be Chandler, either, because that would be overpaying. Lee alone might do it. This deal makes sense for both teams, though. The Hornets want to clear space, and are struggling big time, so they unload Paul. While this would infuriate New Orleans fans, they would have a more-than-capable Darren Colison running the point, and add DLee to the front court. Can he mesh with David West? I don’t know. Remember, this is a very hypothetical scenario.

For the Knicks, the question might be why waste $14.94M (Paul’s 2010-11 salary) right away, and elminate the chance of two max players? By doing this, the Knicks now have a piece to draw a superstar. Paul, pre-injury, was arguably the best point guard in the league. Since then, Steve Nash and Deron Williams have looked better. But should Paul return to form, New York has the first piece of the puzzle securely in place.

Move 3: Sign Amare Stoudemire to a four-year, $65M deal

Amare would earn $15.4M in 2010-11, and slot immediately into the power forward position. I have Stoudemire rated as the third best free agent available in this class. The way he played down the stretch for Phoenix was really, really impressive. He’s a good defender, great rebounder, great scorer, explosive, and exciting to watch. Plus, he’s not a brand name guy, so he won’t be bigger than the Knicks. And finally, he wants to play with the Knicks and reunite with D’Antoni.

Move 4: Sign Marcus Camby to a two-year, $8M deal

Will Camby sign for this price? The additions of Stoudemire and Paul could coax him. The fact that he’s aging and injury prone, but gets two guaranteed years, could coax him. And if the Knicks make the second year a player option, Camby can bail if he sees his stock go up. For the Knicks, this gives them the defensive stalwart they need. Camby is a lockdown defender, and could neutralize Dwight Howard in the playoffs.

Move 5: Sign Earl Barron to a minimum contract

Barron would serve as Camby’s backup. He’s shown he can play in a fast-paced system, and is a could cheap guy for the bench.

Move 6: Sign Jason Williams to a one-year, incentive-laden deal

The Knicks won’t have much cash to work with at this point. With the cap estimated to be at $56M, they’d be sitting with a little under $1M left to spend. Sign the veteran point guard as a backup for Paul and Douglas, and get another veteran leader on the team.

Moves 7 and 8: Draft PF Kevin Seraphin (France) and SG Jordan Crawford (Xavier)

The Knicks have two second-rounders. They can draft two guys to non-guaranteed contracts, and if they look good in training camp, sign them to deals starting them off with minimums.

According to nbadraft.net, Seraphin will be the best available power forward at this point. The Knicks will need one - while Gallinari or Chandler could play the 4, they won’t have a true backup to Amare. Seraphin solves that.

Crawford would need to slip a bit to fall here. He’s projected by nbadraft.net to go a few picks before the Knicks’ back-to-back selections in the second round. Much can change, though, and if he falls, he is a darkhorse scorer off the bench. He’d be arguably the team’s only true shooting guard, with Douglas a combo, and both Walker and Chandler small forwards. Additionally, fans mught feel the Knicks “lost” in the LeBron sweepstakes. Well, to please the fans, they draft the guy that dunked on LeBron. If Crawford is gone? Grevais Vazquez might not be a bad pick - sort of a Douglas clone.

So, after all the moves, here’s what the Knicks opening night roster would be:

PG: Chris Paul (formerly New Orleans, $14.94M)

SG: Toney Douglas ($1.07M .. he’d play 25-30 minutes a night, splitting time with Chandler)

SF: Danilo Gallinari ($4.19M)

PF: Amare Stoudemire (free agent, $15.4M)

C: Marcus Camby (free agent, $3.64M)

BN: Wilson Chandler ($2.13M)

BN: Bill Walker ($850K)

BN: Jason Williams (free agent, $1M + incentives)

BN: Earl Barron (free agent, $500K)

BN: Jordan Crawford (NBA Draft, $500K)

BN: Kevin Seraphin (NBA Draft, $500K)

BN: Eddy Curry ($11.28M)

Total salary: $56M

Thoughts?