NEW YORK, July 8, 2006-- Stylistically, the Knicks are going to be a different team under Isiah Thomas. At times that might include playing at a faster pace, but according to the Knicks President and new mentor the changes are really going to amount to more than that.

“We want to be efficient,” said Thomas. ”On both ends of the floor, offensively and defensively. We are not so much interested in pace as we are in being efficient. We want to be good on both sides of the ball. We want good execution so when we’re going to call a play we go out and do it -- and if we don’t do it there is a penalty for that. We want to be able to execute defensively. So if our defense is able to get us out into some kind of transition to move the basketball up court in a quicker fashion, we will do that.”

“We are not looking to create pace. We are looking to become a good basketball team again on both sides of the ball.”

With draft choices Renaldo Balkman and Mardy Collins both extremely versatile, but first and foremost defensive, players, a new emphasis on defense is surely to be expected. “I wouldn’t say we don’t have defenders,” said Thomas. “I would say that we have to give them a scheme that they feel comfortable in playing defense. I’m not going to let the players off the hook by saying ’hey, you are not a good defender’. I’m from Indiana University where I played under Bob Knight. I played in Detroit where we started James Edwards at center and Bill Laimbeer at power forward -- and they became good defenders. So we are going to be better on defense. And the guys are not going to get a free pass. Players will decide their own playing time. And to play, you’ve got to defend.”

Knicks 2006 Draft Pick Mardy Collins. Garrett Ellwood/NBAE/Getty Images

“The guys we have, we’ll make them better,” said Thomas. “We’ve got a job to do. I do like our guys. My job now is to get their confidence back. I believe that they can perform at a higher level than they did last year.”

Thomas mentioned the possibility of super-talented sophomore big Channing Frye receiving some playing time at center. “I will say this much; players in their second year often come back bigger, stronger and more confident,” he said. “So it depends on what I’ll see from him. We’ll see.”

Frye, who at the end of last season weighed 245 pounds, put on 15 pounds of muscle under the supervision of Knicks workout coach Greg Brittenham, and is now at 260.

Thomas expressed great hopes for the non-stop energizer Balkman. “When we looked at him, it was evident that, with his unique engine out there, he has something that we don’t currently have.” Another thing Balkman may have is a hidden upside. “I only began to play organized basketball in prep school,” the rookie forward said. “Then I had just three years of college. So, in terms of basketball, I’m really just a baby. I know that I can, and will, get so much better. I haven’t even scratched my ultimate potential, not yet.”