If Isiah Thomas the coach brings the same results as Isiah Thomas the general manager, the New York Knicks might embark on the first winless season in NBA history.

Not that this team is devoid of talent. It's just that it is like a jigsaw puzzle with no interlocking pieces. Nothing seems to fit. And no one seems to care. Don't bet a week's wages on that changing this year.

Perhaps Thomas can succeed developing a strong chemistry, at which Larry Brown failed miserably last season. But it appears this is just a discombobulated collection of high-priced players, many of whom seem more interested in their own statistics than increasing the number on the left side of the won-lost column.

The most glaring members of The Me-First Club are guards Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis, one-time NBA stars who would be buried in obscurity if they weren't performing in the Big Apple.

Players such as Marbury, Francis, promising Channing Frye, Jamal Crawford, Eddy Curry, Jared Jeffries, Nate Robinson and Jalen Rose have enough ability to form a respectable club. But nothing in recent history indicates the Knicks will meld into a cohesive, team-oriented unit.

Key additions:  F Jeffries

Key subtractions: F Qyntel Woods

Player to watch: Marbury is capable of hitting from the outside and breaking down defenses off the dribble. But it remains to be seen if he's capable of playing unselfishly enough to involve his teammates in the offense and bring energy to the other side of the floor. Perhaps Thomas, arguably one of the top three pure point guards in NBA history, can instill in Marbury a sense of team. Marbury must raise the level of play of those around him for the Knicks to be successful. But he can only accomplish that through a selfless attitude.

Outlook: Aside from the lack of a pure rebounder, the Knicks boast enough talent in all areas of the game to make a run at respectability. Eight of their players averaged eight points a game or more last season. Marbury is capable of being one of the top assist men in the game and still get his points, but has also proven too self-centered to think pass first. The 6-foot-11 Curry has yet to show he can rebound like a player of his size should. And until they prove they can jell as a unit offensively and, particularly, on the defensive end, this is still a last-place team and the most disjointed group in the NBA. The drafting of defensive specialists Renaldo Balkman and Mardy Collins might eventually make an impact, but certainly not early in the season.

---