Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News reports: Besides gambling on Antonio McDyess' surgically repaired knees, the Knicks are adding another big man coming off a serious leg injury, agreeing to the $1 million exception yesterday with free-agent backup center Michael Doleac.
The Knicks said last night nothing was finalized, but sources said there could be an announcement as soon as today.

Doleac, 25, missed almost half of last season for Cleveland after suffering a broken left ankle. But that apparently didn't dissuade Knicks president Scott Layden from picking up the 6-11 backup, the first free agent the Knicks contacted on July 1, and a player Layden has tried several times to trade for in the past.

Layden has rolled some big dice on McDyess, who missed all but 10 games last season in Denver. To a lesser extent, he's also taking a gamble on Doleac, who broke the ankle last Nov. 21 and missed 30 games. At least Doleac returned from his injury, in January, but saw limited playing time the rest of the season for the 29-win Cavaliers. In 42 games, he averaged only 4.6 ppg and 4.0 rebounds in 17 minutes a game.

Doleac, who made $2 million last season, is taking a pay cut. Although it's called the $1 million exception, it's actually for slightly more. The 12th overall pick in the 1998 draft by Orlando, Doleac will make $1.4 million this coming season and $1.5 million next season.

Doleac's signing still leaves the Knicks with the $4.5 million exception, but it's doubtful they'll be using it. Like many other players in this watered down free-agent pool, Doleac did not have many suitors. According to league sources, only Memphis and the Knicks had serious interest in signing him. But once the Grizzlies signed Cezary Trybanski, a 7-1 center out of Poland, to a three-year, $4.8 million deal, Doleac was left with only the Knicks' offer.