SNY.tv: Online Home of All Things Sports

But beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, New York must worry about the immediate task at hand.

The Knicks can begin negotiating with their own restricted free agents, David Lee and Nate Robinson, and they can meet with other team's free agents, such as Dallas point guard Jason Kidd.

According to a report in Wednesday's Daily News, Knicks president Donnie Walsh and head coach Mike D'Antoni will meet with Kidd early Wednesday. Kidd, who led the Nets to two back-to-back NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003, is expected to meet with Dallas officials first to give them the first opportunity to re-sign him.

New York could offer Kidd, 36, the mid-level exception -- about $5.6 million -- which Dallas could easily top, or it could negotiate a sign-and-trade with the Mavericks.

As for Lee and Robinson, the Knicks would like to keep both players but don't intend to break the bank because they want to remain well under the salary cap with an eye toward 2010.

Lee was reportedly seeking about $10 million a year and Robinson wanted $6 million annually. Walsh is reportedly willing to give Lee $7 million per over six years, but several other teams could outbid him.

"The one thing is, if you don't want to, you don't have to lose them, but you might have to pay them a lot more," Walsh told The Associated Press. "That's the decision that we have to make."

"Donnie and I talk all the time," Lee's agent, Mark Bartelstein, said by phone. "I haven't talked to him in the last day or so."

Lee led the NBA with 65 double-doubles and ranked in the top 10 in rebounding and field goal percentage, averaging 16 points and 11.7 boards. Robinson averaged a career-best 17.2 points per game as one of the league's top sixth men.

"Normally a player like him would never get to free agency," Bartelstein said of Lee. "It's a unique set of circumstances.

"It was Donnie's first year with the team last year. He wanted to evaluate things before he jumped into everything and they want to make sure they have money in 2010. Normally you don't get to this point. A guy who is 26 years old and led the league in double-doubles, normally those guys get extended before they ever get to free agency."

On another front, New York remains interested in obtaining Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio, who was chosen with the No. 5 pick in the NBA Draft by Minnesota. Rubio began playing for Spanish club DKV Joventut when he was 14 and is signed until he is 20.

At this point Rubio could end up In Minnesota or another NBA team or he could stay with his current Spanish outfit or play for another European club.

The New York Post reported Sunday that the 18-year Rubio has received offers to play for a club in Turkey and Real Madrid.

The Turkish club would pay him $1 million and would put another $2 million toward buying out Rubio's $6.6 million contract from his current club, according to Tim Shea, the Knicks' former European scout and now one of Rubio's consultants.

Real Madrid is letting go of point guard Raul Lopez, formerly of the Utah Jazz, and is devoting its attention to Rubio.

"Real Madrid is very interested," Shea said by phone from Spain. "Right now we've had e-mails from Greece and calls from Turkey. This situation just happened with Minnesota and Ricky at No. 5. People aren't expecting him to be back on the market.

"It's going to take time."

Rip city: A YouTube video clip shows Milwaukee point guard Brandon Jennings mocking the Knicks for choosing Arizona forward Jordan Hill over him in last week's draft.

'Y'all got Jordan Hill, are you happy with that?" Jennings asked rapper Joe Budden.

The Knicks picked Hill at No. 8 and Jennings went No. 10 to the Bucks.

Bill Duffy, Jennings' agent, said his client had no idea he was being taped, according to the New York Post.

Jennings skipped college last season to play professionally in Italy.