Johnson: Ewing Hurt the Knicks

Larry Johnson admitted he and other New York Knick players thought they would have been better off without Patrick Ewing last season.

“[We]. . .probably would have wanted to see our team at times without Patrick on the floor, especially if he wasn’t 100%,” Johnson said. “To see how we would go against Indiana . . . a quicker team.”

Johnson quickly emphasized that the team still would have needed Ewing, traded to the Seattle SuperSonics last month, especially if they had advanced to the NBA finals and played the Lakers.

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The Boston Celtics will acquire guards Chris Herren and Bryant Stith from the Denver Nuggets for swingman Calbert Cheaney and guard Robert Pack, a source close to the deal said.

Any trade involving Pack must take place at least 60 days after he was traded by the Dallas Mavericks to Boston, so the transaction won’t be official until Oct. 16.

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New York signed free-agent center Felton Spencer and rookies Lavor Postell and Pete Mickeal. . . . The New Jersey Nets signed veteran guard Kevin Ollie to replace Lucious Harris, scheduled for hernia surgery. . . . Boston signed free agents Rodney Elliott of the IBL and Michael Jordan of the University of Pennsylvania.

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Philadelphia 76er center Matt Geiger tore cartilage and sprained ligaments in his left knee, on the first day of training camp. The team did not say how long he would be sidelined. . . . Atlanta Hawk guard Dion Glover could be sidelined several weeks because of a stress fracture in his left foot.. . .Washington Wizard forward Lorenzo Williams will have knee surgery Thursday and will miss training camp.. . .Chris Gatling, traded by the Miami Heat to Cleveland, did not show up for the Cavaliers’ practice.