LOS ANGELES (AP) Isiah Thomas made yet another move Sunday in his transformation of the New York Knicks, trading Keith Van Horn to Milwaukee and acquiring Tim Thomas and Nazr Mohammed in a three-way deal that also involved Atlanta.

The Hawks acquired Michael Doleac from the Knicks and Joel Przybilla from Milwaukee. New York also sent a 2005 second-round draft pick to Atlanta.

It's the third trade made by Thomas, who has also changed coaches, since taking over as team president in late December. Only seven players who were with the Knicks then remain on their roster.

This latest deal gives New York a new starting small forward in Tim Thomas, and a new backup center in Mohammed. Both should be in uniform Tuesday night when the Knicks play the Detroit Pistons.

Van Horn was averaging 16.4 points for New York, third on the team behind Stephon Marbury and Allan Houston. Van Horn was acquired last summer in a multi-team deal that sent Latrell Sprewell to Minnesota.

Isiah Thomas gave a strong hint about how he felt about that deal on his first day on the job in New York, saying: ``I wasn't on the watch. What's done is done.''

Van Horn scored 20 or more points in three of the Knicks' final six games before the All-Star break, tying his season high of 30 in a Jan. 31 victory over Phoenix. He was New York's second-leading rebounder, averaging 7.3.

``We wanted to get more athletic and wanted to get tougher from a rebounding standpoint,'' said the Knicks' president, adding that Mohammed was a key to the deal. ``It gives us some insurance in case Kurt Thomas leaves (as a free agent over the summer), if Doleac doesn't come back and because Dikembe (Mutombo) is 38.''

Mutombo will turn 38 in June.

The Bucks will become Van Horn's fourth team since he was the No. 2 overall pick in the 1997 draft. He spent five seasons in New Jersey and one in Philadelphia.

Tim Thomas was averaging 14.1 points and 4.9 rebounds for Milwaukee, where the seventh-year forward spent the past 4{ seasons. This is the second time Van Horn and Thomas have been traded for each other, the previous deal coming on draft night in 1997.

``This is a great addition for us,'' Bucks All-Star guard Michael Redd said. ``Keith is a quality guy, and he's going to stretch the defense out _ maybe more than Tim did.''

Doleac was averaging 5.0 points and 4.1 points as the backup to Mutombo, his role increasing after Lenny Wilkens replaced Don Chaney as coach.

Mohammed was averaging 6.5 points and 5.0 rebounds as the backup in Atlanta, which has undergone its own roster overhaul in the past week. The Hawks dealt Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Theo Ratliff and Dan Dickau to Portland for Rasheed Wallace and Wesley Person.

Przybilla, in his fourth year, appeared in only five games for the Bucks this season, scoring one point.

After the recent moves, Atlanta has only four players under contract beyond this season _ Jason Terry, rookie Boris Diaw, Chris Crawford and Alan Henderson. Those players account for only about $21 million in salary, giving the Hawks _ in the final stages of being sold _ at least $20 million in salary cap room to pursue free agents in the offseason.

``The things that I'm trying to accomplish are things I think will benefit the organization moving forward,'' Atlanta general manager Billy Knight said. ``I feel both of the moves will help us rebuild the team the way we envision it.''

Milwaukee has been one of the surprise teams in the Eastern Conference, going into the All-Star break with a 27-24 record _ fifth-best in the conference. The Knicks (25-29) have climbed into second place in the Atlantic Division, while the Hawks (18-35) are 21 games behind Indiana in the Central Division.

Since taking over the Knicks, Isiah Thomas has acquired Marbury and Penny Hardaway from Phoenix and Moochie Norris from Houston, traded or cut Antonio McDyess, Howard Eisley, Clarence Weatherspoon, Charlie Ward, Slavko Vranes and Maciej Lampe, as well as dealing two future first-round draft picks and the rights to point guard Milos Vujanic.

``I inherited a situation that wasn't good,'' Isiah Thomas said. ``Until we're the best, we're not done.''

Via Associated Press

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