With his long-awaited New York arrival expected yesterday, Frederic Weis, the Knicks’ 1999 first-round draft pick, missed his flight from France.

Bringing the Statue of Liberty from France to New York

wasn’t this much trouble.

“He was a no-show today and I have no idea why,” Weis’ agent Frank Catapano said last night.

Knick spokesperson Lori Hamamoto said that the team had not been able to get in contact with the 7-foot-2 Weis last night.

Knick GM Scott Layden was unavailable for comment.

Weis, the 23-year old mysterious Frenchman, was supposed to practice with the Knicks’ summer-league team from last Wednesday through yesterday at Fairfield University. However, he delayed his trip, claiming to be with his sick father.

After Knick practice yesterday, Layden seemed confident that Weis would be arriving in New York later. He had said that Weis would then undergo a team physical before joining the Knicks today in Boston for the Pro Summer League.

Before Weis missed his flight, Knick coach Jeff Van Gundy had said that even if Weis showed up, he would not play tonight when the club faces Milwaukee at 8 o’clock in the summer league opener at the University of Massachusetts at Boston.

“I’m not thinking about him,” Van Gundy told The Post yesterday. “I’ve only been thinking about the guys that are here. If he shows up we’ll see where he’s at.”

Van Gundy said he has not watched Weis play since last summer’s Knick practice sessions, when the plodding center was clearly unprepared for the NBA. With Weis’ latest absence, the coach remains unsure if he could even make the club.

“This is a setback for us in terms of evaluating him,” Van Gundy said.

Coming off his fifth season with Limoges, a professional French League club, Weis was hardly dominating while averaging 8.1 points and 6.2 rebounds on 60.6 percent shooting.

“His stats aren’t overwhelming,” Van Gundy said. “He’ll have to make significant improvement.”

By taking Weis with the 15th overall pick of the draft, the Knicks may always regret not choosing former St. John’s star Ron Artest, who was selected one pick later by the Bulls. While Artest had an impressive rookie season, Weis may not play for the Knicks for the second straight season.

And he may never arrive in New York.

*

The Knicks made three cuts yesterday, including Queens-native Shaheen Holloway, which brings their summer league roster to 14. The 5-foot-10 former Seton Hall star was still overcoming an ankle injury, and was not expected to make the Knicks.

Other cuts were 7-0 Kip Christianson (St. John’s of Minnesota) and 6-3 Marcus Wilson (Evansville).

Van Gundy said that with point guard Rick Brunson playing most of the minutes on the club’s summer league team, Holloway would be better off trying out for another team.

“There was nothing he didn’t do,” Van Gundy said of Holloway. “I thought he played well.”

In regard to the Knicks’ on-going efforts to sign Portland forward Brian Grant, Layden said there was “nothing to report.”

During his recruiting trip to New York last week, Grant said that he wanted to play for the Knicks. Layden is trying to work out a deal with the Blazers, currently offering a package that includes Marcus Camby.

Van Gundy said the Knicks practiced at Fairfield instead of Purchase College because its gym has air conditioning.