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By MARC BERMAN

LAS VEGAS – You can make the case tonight was the most important development the Knicks will have in July.

A slimmed-down, more-limber Eddy Curry joined the Knicks summer league team on the practice court, dunked with ease and moved with grace at Valley High School.

According to Donnie Walsh, Curry has lost 30 pounds. You see it in his face first – a taught jaw reminiscent of his Bulls rookie year.

There is now legitimate hope that Curry will be a genuine part of this Knicks’ team. At the very least he could be a tradeable commodity if Walsh has to open up more cap space for 2010.

“It’s definitely different,” Curry said after the practice in which he did not scrimmage. “My body just reacts a lot faster. Before everything I did was real calculated. Now it’s instant.”

“I just want to make the best of the situation,” Curry said. “I want to salvage this. “The last two years I want to show the fans in New York and the organization what they brought me here for.”

Curry knows he could be still dealt because of his contract that could help open more 2010 cap space. “I’m going to be ready, no matter what, whether here, whatever,” Curry said. “I’m going to be ready.”

Curry’s regimen at Oakland University in Detroit has included pool work, lifting weights and strict eating schedules. He’s still got a few more weeks on the program. So far, so very good.