NEW YORK -- Dealing from weakness, Isiah Thomas was able to obtain Stephon Marbury when the Knicks were sinking out of the standings because he was willing to relinquish draft picks, youth and desirable contracts.

Thomas also had to agree to assume the colossal commitment to Penny Hardaway, who hasn't played this well since Tyra Banks dumped him.

Sometimes you make your own luck. Other times you get leveraged into it.

A month and five days later, Isiah is attempting to deal from strength. His Knicks have victimized five straight opponents (seven of 10 overall) and, for the first time in a couple seasons, the team actually flaunts expendable resources that make the non-refundable long-term salaries owned by Shandon Anderson, Keith Van Horn, Penny and, yes, Allan Houston fairly bearable.

In comparison to Scott Layden's infertile landscape, poetic license permits me to pronounce the Knicks' assets as bulging.

At the very least, they're flexing them, notably Kurt Thomas and Mike Doleac.

As a result of Marbury setting both of them up for countless uncontested jumpers -- which they're knocking down more times than not -- their stock may never be higher.

In other words, it's time to move them while they're in demand and upgrades can be arranged.

You know more than you have to know about Isiah's relentless pursuit of Rashweed Wallace -- now detoured through Atlanta following his trade Monday night to the Hawks along with Wesley Person for Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Theo Ratliff and Dan Dickau.

No doubt it will continue through the Feb. 19 trading deadline into the free agent grab bag of prizes, but logic dictates the Knicks don't have what it takes to get him into uniform until July 15.

Consequently, Isiah has turned his attention in several directions, sources reveal, concentrating on Nazr Mohammed.

Isiah's been making moves on the Hawks' backup center for quite a while.

He almost convinced the Chicago native to sign with the Pacers a couple years ago as a free agent (he re-enlisted with Atlanta instead at $5 million per over four years; two left after this one at $5.2 million and $5.5 million) and made a bid for him as soon as he took over in New York.

It's still pending. Evidently the Hawks are intent on radically reducing their payroll, having already lopped off $50 million (including Terrell Brandon's $12 million) from next year's guaranteed wages.

Obviously, sources underline, the Hawks fervently believe they have more than an outside shot of recruiting Kobe.

Erick Dampier: Why are the Warriors willing to give up a 7-footer churning out Nate Thurmond-like double/doubles?

They have Adonal Foyle as reinforcement and hope to create enough cap space to extend both Jason Richardson and Troy Murphy.

Dampier earns $7.5 million and owns an escape clause at season's end, as does Thomas who banks $5.4 million.

Doleac ($1.54 million) would have to be included for salary cap purposes.

Rodney White: For about the 10th time in the last few weeks, say sources, there was contact yesterday between Isiah and Kiki Vandeweghe regarding the 6-8 scorer.

However, he's been on such a tear of late it's doubtful the Nuggets will trade the rising restricted free agent.

Doleac or Othella Harrington ($2.9 million/$3.1 million) and a pair of second rounders may have tempted Kiki a month ago, but it's unlikely now.

Unless a three-way accord can be reached involving the Hawks; who also have designs on White; the Knicks would get Mohammed, Atlanta would get White and Doleac and Denver would get Harrington.

The Raptors, looking to get Harrington, are trying to bump Denver out of the three-way deal to get involved in a three-way by offering Michael Curry to the Hawks.

Again, the Knicks would get Mohammed and Doleac would end up in Atlanta.

Antoine Walker: This one's a complete long shot.

I'm letting my imagination run amuck, particularly since the Mavericks would have to bear the brunt of Anderson's deal ($30 million over four years) in order to match up with Walker's $13.5 million salary.

But, hey, maybe that's why Isiah was on the team charter when it touched down in Dallas late yesterday afternoon.

During his Pacer tour there was plenty of conversation about acquiring the multidimensional (3-point shooting, post-up, rebounding) forward. Before the Knicks play the Mavs on Tuesday, look for two of Indiana University's elite alumni (Isiah and Mark Cuban) to go one-on-one.

I'm eagerly waiting for the Shawn Kemp All-Star public service program: Breed To Achieve.

Wally Szczerbiak plans to suit up for the first time this season when the T-Wolves entertain the Suns immediately after the All-Star break.

He'll do anything he says to preserve the team's harmonious balance and plans to tell Kevin Garnett just that.

You remember Kevin Garnett.

According to many TV minds and mouths, he's the best player in the NBA.

Yeah, right, the best player never to lead his team out of the first round.

What part of All-Star weekend does Golden State's one bucket brigade (two points in the fourth quarter Sunday at home vs. Raptors) fit into?

Perhaps a new event . . . the 2-Point Shootout?

The scary thing about the wobbly Warriors is they only tied the NBA record for offensive ineptitude.

You mean to tell me this happens regularly?

I love the contest going on between Larry Brown and Sleazy Mark Cuban regarding Olympic participation.

I'm siding with Larry on this one. After all, he goes back to way before they played pros in the Olympics. Hell, he goes back before they played the Olympics.

If the Nets stay undefeated for the remainder of Lawrence Frank's reign, I submit, it'll make a good story.

If Rod Thorn was half the genius he appears to be he would have fired Bye-Ron Scott prior to last year's Finals; the Nets would have swept the Spurs.

The fact the Nets are 7-0 since Lord Bye-Ron's eviction is a damning indictment on both the coach and the players; he totally lost their respect and attention, whereas, they had totally bailed out on him.