But now with a returned New Yorker (Donnie Walsh), a new coach (Mike D’Antoni), and a new forward (rookie Danilo Gallinari), Lee’s Knicks have been able to “do the right thing” and give the storied franchise optimism again.

“This will be my third coach,” said Knicks guard Nate Robinson. “It’s another start, but hopefully it’s going to be a good look and move for us if we keep playing as a team and get better. We’re just trying to make the playoffs.”

This past season, the Knicks missed the playoffs for the fourth straight year and had only 23 wins. Walsh became president of basketball operations in April and fired Thomas after the season, believing there would strong interest in the job elsewhere from quality candidates.

Walsh was right, and he hired D’Antoni to become the seventh Knicks coach since 2001. D’Antoni averaged 58 wins over his last four seasons in Phoenix with the most exciting up-tempo offense in the NBA, led by Steve Nash throwing alley-oops to Amare Stoudemire. While there is a talented guard (Jamal Crawford) and big man (David Lee) that will flourish in his offense, there is no Nash or Stoudemire with the Knicks.

“It will take some time,” said D’Antoni, who is in Beijing as a USA Basketball assistant. “We want to get the most out of the players. We’ll be up and down and we’ll be exciting. But it will be tweaked.

“It won’t be Steve Nash, it will be someone else. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

D’Antoni’s challenge will be a roster that pales in comparison to those of Atlantic Division rivals such as the NBA champion Celtics and the improved Raptors (adding Jermaine O’Neal) and Sixers (adding Elton Brand). The Knicks’ key returners include Crawford, Lee, slimmed-down swingman Quentin Richardson, hopefully slimmed-down big men Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry, and forward Jared Jeffries. Point guard Chris Duhon was New York’s key offseason signee. Talented but troubled guard Stephon Marbury, however, has played his last day in a Knicks uniform, according to an NBA source. more.