ORLANDO, Fla. — When Steve Mills was Knicks president for a five-month stint during the 2013-14 season, he made a bid to trade for Syracuse product Dion Waiters, who then was with the Cavaliers.

Nothing materialized as Waiters struggled through a troubling season. Last summer, the Knicks again made a lukewarm bid for Waiters when he became a free agent, but they signed Courtney Lee instead. Waiters signed a one-year deal with the Heat.

Now Waiters, coming off a career year despite injuries, is on the market again and a lot more expensive — and the Knicks have reached out again, according to a source.

Waiters averaged 15.8 points on 39.5 percent shooting and dished out 4.3 assists per game for Miami. No longer are the Knicks and acting president Mills worried as to whether Waiters can conform to the triangle offense, with Phil Jackson ousted.

If the Knicks renounce the rights to Derrick Rose (who will meet with the Clippers on Wednesday, ESPN reported), they will have $15 million of cap space. Miami, which is big in the hunt to retain Waiters, waived Chris Bosh on Tuesday under the special medical agreement with the NBA that opened up $25 million in cap room.

Waiters also reportedly will meet with the Lakers, whose new general manager, Rob Pelinka, is his former agent.

The Knicks still are trying to make a play as the pickings get slimmer. They are out of the George Hill sweepstakes after Hill signed a three-year, $57 million deal with the Kings. The Knicks would have had to make a salary dump to afford Hill.

Rose is still in play. The Knicks have had only internal discussions about point guard Rajon Rondo and have yet to contact his agent. But they are monitoring the situation, according to a source. They have already contacted the agent for Shelvin Mack, the Jazz’s free-agent point guard. The Knicks are trying to find a veteran to mentor Frank Ntilikina.

The Knicks also reportedly reached out to Spurs forward Jonathon Simmons. They have considered making a trade to fill the cap space they would have.

A Knicks official said it’s “unlikely’’ Ntilikina (knee bruise) will suit up for Wednesday’s summer-league game, meaning he will have missed the first four. It would seem doubtful the club would throw him in just for the finale after not practicing.

In the no-good-deed-goes-unpunished category, Ntilikina’s summer league was ruined by his admirable decision to return to France for the decisive Game 5 of the French league finals. Not only did his team lose, but Ntilikina got hurt, banging his knee on a drive.