It’s probably not the greatest public-relations pick considering the Knicks’ history with 7-foot European centers, but the Knicks are pretty high on Germany’s 7-foot Tibor Pleiss.
Unless you count oft-injured Eddy Curry, the Knicks don’t have a center on their roster. Unless they can get Earl Barron back for the minimum, it will be tough to get a piece in free agency.
If Pleiss falls to 38 of 39, the Knicks are ready to snatch him and sources have indicated they would look to move up a few notches to get him.
Pleiss played for Brose Baskets Bamberg, averaged 8.3 points and 5.7 rebounds. He needs to get a lot stronger but has some offensive skill around the basket, improving as a finisher. He can rebound and defend.
“Obviously if there’s a guy with size, we’Ve got to look at it,” Donnie Walsh told The Post. “We don’t have a lot of size.”
The good news about Pleiss is he’s not French.
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Point guard Toney Douglas is getting rave reviews for his offseason work ethic, undergoing two-a-days at the Westchester facility. Douglas said he will play on the Knicks summer league team in Las Vegas in two weeks.
Douglas, who spoke at the Knicks kids summer basketball camp yesterday at Trevor Day School in Manhattan, is feeling great about the team’s direction.
“I just feel whoever we get in free agency and in the draft is going to put us among the top teams in the East,” Douglas told The Post. “This year will be our year.”
A year ago, the Knicks shelled out $3 million to buy the Lakers’ first-round pick and the rights to Douglas.
Douglas finished the year as the starting point guard after a spotty first few months when he was in and out of the rotation. Coaches say Douglas has improved his outside shot the past six weeks.
“I’m just getting better,” Douglas said. “I want to be a good basketball player next season. I had a good rookie season because I stayed positive and never gave up.”