Donnie Walsh's summer-long quest to trade Zach Randolph's cap-killing contract is back on full tilt with serious talks with Memphis in a proposal that would save the Knicks $10 million in the critical LeBron James' free-agent summer of 2010.
Nothing is imminent, sources said, but Walsh and the Grizzlies discussed a deal that would send Randolph to Memphis for Serbian center Darko Milicic and Marko Jaric, Europeans who have not lived up to their billings.
But because Milicic's contract expires after the 2009-10 season and Jaric makes just $7.6 million in 2010, this has to intrigue Walsh, who repeatedly has said he wants to be far enough under the 2010 salary cap to sign a player such as King James.
"I think there's a chance something might happen," Milicic's agent, Marc Cornstein, told The Post at the U.S. Open yesterday. "It's up to the two teams. If he stays in Memphis, it's a good situation for him. But if he could come to New York, we're big fans of Mike D'Antoni. He's a phenomenal coach and [Milicic would] fit in very well with that system. Mike understands the European mentality."
Randolph is due to make $17 million in 2010 and stopped the offense like a clock in his first season as a Knick, failing to mesh with Eddy Curry. Walsh already rejected a deal with the Clippers in July because LA wanted a first-round pick and wasn't willing to give up a rotation player.
A source said the Knicks would use Milicic prominently in a three-man rotation that would have Curry and David Lee starting up front and Milicic as first big man off the bench.
