Wally Szczerbiak makes no bones about it: The Knicks are the team he wants to play for. And if he is not afforded a maximum contract extension this summer by Minnesota and becomes a restricted free agent next year, the 6-7 Long Island swingman has the Knicks No. 1 on his list.
The Knicks would have to pull off a sign-and-trade with Timberwolves GM Kevin McHale, no easy task but not impossible next summer if the Wolves believe they’d lose Szczerbiak to another team without compensation.
Szczerbiak, who just bought a house in Manhasset, spent the afternoon in the Knick neighborhood yesterday, signing autographs for 250 kids at the “Gatorade New York Knicks Summer Basketball Camp” at Chelsea Piers’ Basketball City.
GM Scott Layden loves his fundamentally sound game, shooting ability, toughness and intelligence. He broke into a big smile yesterday when told Layden has made attempts to trade for him this summer.
“It’s great, man,” Szczerbiak told The Post. “I can’t lie. This is where I’ve always been drawn too, even when I went to Miami of Ohio. I always came back in summer, telling the coaches, ‘Don’t expect to see me at all.’ It’s the same way with Minnesota.
“During the summer, I want to go home to the Long Island beaches. Minnesota is where I play, but New York is always my home. I’ve always been a big Knick fan. They’ve always been a team I loved to watch as a kid. It’s a very intriguing place for me to play. Playing at home would be great.”
McHale has rebuffed all Layden inquiries. He has no desire to take on Latrell Sprewell, he said, “because of his contract and other things.” Indeed, the market for Sprewell has dried up, evidenced further by the Sixers refusing to take him in any deal for Dikembe Mutombo. Missing that April shootaround in Miami and sleeping to 4 p.m. apparently has rekindled Sprewell’s past among some GMs.
A TV report in mid-July stating the Knicks discussed a three-team trade with Detroit in which Layden would land Szczerbiak was inaccurate, according to two Piston officials and T-wolves director of personnel Rob Babcock.
The All-Star Szczerbiak said that his agent Gary Wichard is embroiled in extension talks with McHale and – yes – he is seeking a maximum extension.
“Seeing [Shawn] Marion get it, [Baron] Davis get it, I feel like I’m there with those two guys,” Szczerbiak said. “I want to be paid fairly. You look at the way I play against the Ray Allens, Sprewells, the Houstons, Michael Finleys. You stack up the numbers, I just want to be compensated accordingly.”
Without an extension, the 25-year-old sharpshooter is ready to bolt next summer. McHale said in mid-July he’s not dealing him, but next summer enough teams will have cap room to sign Szczerbiak outright. That’s where the Knicks’ bargaining position improves to force a sign-and-trade.
“Obviously it’s a big compliment they don’t want to part with me and really want me to be back,” he said. “I feel comfortable there, too. But you never know what to expect. In this business, you always have to keep an open mind. New York is a very intriguing place.
“Minnesota’s great, but it’s pretty darn cold in the winter. There are a lot of intriguing places to play in the NBA, and no question the Knicks are one of them. If the extension gets done this summer, the extension gets done. But there’s no question in my mind I’m not locked into Minnesota by any means.”