NEW YORK — Hopefully nobody halfway coherent honestly believes Donnie Walsh's hiring of former Nuggets' VP Mark Warkentien as a glorified pro scout for the remainder of this season helps the Knicks in any way, shape or form to get Carmelo Anthony.

For those who do subscribe to that infantile theory and disbelieve Walsh's contention (and mine) to the contrary, allow me to remind you the Nuggets control what team Melo represents for the next 31 games.

What's more, Melo has made it exceedingly clear (privately) to one and all from the get-go that the Knicks are his first choice.