"Maybe things turn out differently for the Knicks if only James Dolan had invited one of LeBron James' confidants to sit with him before LeBron became a free agent.

Seeing Maverick Carter, LeBron's BFF, seated next to Dolan, the Madison Square Garden chairman, at Thursday's loss to the Chicago Bulls doesn't do the Knicks, their fans or Mike D'Antoni any good now. Unless Mr. Carter can play point guard, that is.

Come to think of it, the Knicks aren't nearly as intriguing on the court as they are along the baseline, adjacent to their bench. Last week, Isiah Thomas occupied a similar seat in Miami. This time it was the media-shy boss and one of LeBron's guys. And you just can't help but think this is all somehow connected.

We know that Isiah wasn't a proponent of cutting Chauncey Billups in order to sign Tyson Chandler. The Hall of Fame point guard understands the importance of the position and appreciated Billups' leadership on the court and in the locker room. And lest we forget that Dolan once told us, via a press release, that Thomas will always be his friend and that he will "continue to solicit his views." Obviously, Dolan didn't follow the advice of his unpaid adviser in early December.

Who knows what or who Maverick is trying to get Dolan to buy. I seem to remember Maverick being close to Cavs owner Dan Gilbert once upon a time. And we all know how that worked out.

But let's try to remain optimistic and believe that while watching Bulls point guard Derrick Rose run circles around the Knicks, Carter turned to Dolan and said something along the lines of "veteran playmaker." D'Antoni seconds that.

The Knicks have gone too long — one-third of the season, in fact — without competent point guard play. Mike Bibby is a pro's pro but his best days are behind him. Toney Douglas is a backup who has struggled in his first season post-shoulder surgery. And rookie Iman Shumpert is a combo small forward/shooting guard. But not a point guard."