Rumors surrounding the Knicks pontential acquisition of Metta World Peace are heating up after the Los Angeles Lakers officially released the New York native on Thursday night through their amnesty clause.

Peace told friends he would retire from professional basketball if the Lakers amnestied him, citing the fact that he didn't want to uproot his children from the Los Angeles area. But Peace's father, Ron Artest Sr., told New York Post his son always wanted to play in the Big Apple.

"I feel it's a big, big possibility,'' Artest Sr. said Thursday night of his son joining the Knicks. "If the Knicks go after Ron, I can't see him turning them down.''

Many also believe Peace won't quit the game and give up the $7.7 million the Lakers owe him next season. In addition to his payday from Los Angeles, the Queensbridge native will make a salary--probably the veteran's minimum of $1.4 million--from the team that claims him when he clears amnesty waivers.

Only teams below the league's mandated salary cap can pursue Peace in the 48 hours it will take fro him to clear the waivers. Charlotte, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Detroit, Orlando, Sacramento, Dallas, Utah, Cleveland and Phoenix are some of the teams in contention.

Knicks head coach Mike Woodson was asked at his team's NBA Summer League practice on Thursday, whether New York had any interest in the volatile small forward.

"[General manager] Glen [Grunwald] is coming up and we'll sit and talk more about him," the coach said. "We don't have to rush to do anything. The core group is intact that won 54 games last year. That player, or two, could slip through the cracks with amnesty or someone waived or bought out. It can happen. We got to sit patiently and wait and keep roster spots open to see if that may happen."

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