One day after Timberwolves president Kevin McHale told The Post he won't trade for Latrell Sprewell "because of his contract and other things," Hawks GM Pete Babcock piled on, indicating that acquiring the Knicks star was still a gamble and was something that has never been discussed.
After Sprewell choked Warriors coach P.J. Carlesimo in 1997, the religious Babcock made the statement Spree would never wear a Hawks jersey.
Babcock's and McHale's sentiments speak to a larger issue about the trouble the Knicks may encounter trading Sprewell this summer for an All-Star point guard such as Andre Miller. Incredibly, Sprewell's past rep is still a factor, but more importantly, league GMs view him only as a shooting guard who will be past his prime in a year when he's making $13.5M.
Since February's trading deadline, the Knicks have attempted to break up the rocky Allan Houston/Sprewell marriage. Layden should've tried harder to do it last summer but Chris Webber didn't call him back and Layden offered Houston a maximum contract, fearing the under-the-cap Pistons would sign him without compensation.
The only legitimate report about a Sprewell deal has been the Bucks offering Glenn Robinson and Ervin Johnson before the draft. Knicks upper management was split on the issue and even coach Don Chaney liked the trade. It's still on the table and Bucks coach George Karl acknowledged his interest in the deal last week at the Boston summer league.