More Draft Night Thoughts

by TKB Staff on June 27th, 2008 at 10:13 am

Greg Hutchins of the Garden Grasp had this to add after reading my take on the draft. Of course Greg was at the WaMu center and sat in on the Danilo Gallinari press conference after he was picked. Here was Greg’s take:

With optimism at a fever pitch heading into the 6th pick, David Stern’s announcement that Italy’s
Danilo Gallinari is now the future of the Knicks sucked the gravity out of the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden. Fans who longed for an “engine” to push Mike D’Antoni’s offense, were shocked with the Donnie Walsh’s choice.

As one of the reporters on hand for Gallinari’s first interview, it was clear the 19 year-old SF from Armani Jeans Milano was happy to be drafted by New York, but shocked by the intense reaction of a rabid crowd.

Credit Donnie Walsh for the moxy to make such a unfavorable selection, but clearly the Knicks did not address an area of need. Rather, he added another shoot-first perimeter player.

Tommy Dee says……

Not true. Gallinari has complete and polished offensive skills. He’ll excel on the perimeter, but is not “shoot first” – he’s “lights out.” Big difference.

And trust me Walsh will get his PG….

Gallinari may prove his doubters wrong, but the “Darko” factor is now in play. More shocking was Walsh’s inability to secure a second pick in a deep draft or move a contract. Considering the flurry of deals reported, it’s shocking to see Walsh get shutout.

Draft grade: C-

I am not going to give the Knicks that low of a grade since I think they took “one of the best available players that was left”. That is debatable but to give the Knicks that low of a grade might be a bit harsh. I think this pick is one that needs to be judged in a year or two before we can accurately assess its impact.
  • krumbledkookie

    That seems a fair grade, to me. I won’t kill Donnie on the Gallinari pick; I’d like to at least give the kid a chance. But as Greg said, the failure to add a second pick (or at least get rid of a bad contract) was most glaring, and now there’s another warm body on the bench that we’re clearly going to have to wait to see play up to his ability.

    DJ Augustin would have been nice – I think he’s going to be a very good NBA point guard.

  • Grandmama

    is there a chance that Gallinari isn’t allowed to leave his Italian team for a year or two? How come nobody is talking about this?

  • hot stove chef

    “shoot first perimeter player”? This guy is anything but that. Just because his highlight reel has a lot of shots of him scoring both inside and outside, doesn’t mean he’s Jamal Crawford.

    The scouting report I read says “beautiful passer”. If he can be a point forward and get the ball to Z-Bo and Curry in the low post, this team is going to get a whole lot better (well at least a few wins better)

  • hot stove chef

    From an interview in March

    “I’m under contract for two more years with Olimpia Milano”, Gallinari says, “but I have a clause that allows me to get out for free this year if want to leave for the NBA”.

  • theghostofwillisreed

    fair grade, agreed wholeheartedly with krumbled kookie.

    grandmama touched on something big as well. there was talk of giorgio armani looking to lock danilo up. is danilo free and clear to leave italy? that’s a major detail to have ironed out because if not, the draft goes from a c- to an “f” in a hurry.

  • InGodsHands

    From the Post on June 13 …

    Gallinari, who will work out for the Knicks today, did not discuss any financial matters, but he has two-years remaining on his deal in Milan. He has an opt out clause, which apparently he will use if he feels he’s headed to the Nets or Knicks. If not, he can go back to Italy.

    “We have to evaluate everything. We will finish this week, and before the 16th of June we will evaluate everything and we will decide,” said Gallinari, who averaged 17.5 points and 5.7 rebounds for Armani Jeans Milano in the Italian A-1 League. “We have a real good feeling about New York and New Jersey, that’s all we have now.”

  • vino

    I have to think that Donnie Walsh would not pick this kid unless he was 120% sure that he was going to come to the Knicks for this year’s summer league and beyond. If not, then I must say that the Knicks organization has a stupidity curse that haunts the organization, and even worse the fans.

    As for the grade, so be it. That is his own opinion. No one knows who is going to pan out and who is not. Even if college ball is better than pro Italian ball, there is something to be said about the fact that Gallo’s former teammates may have been 10 years older than him.

    My problem was not with that pick, but rather with watching teams buy picks from other teams. If for nothing else, the Knicks need some fresh faces to move beyond where we are right now. If there is one thing that the Knicks clearly have, it is money. Is Knicks’ cash less valuable than other teams’ cash? The Knicks, had they bought the NO pick, could have taken either 1) Mario Chalmers to either start at point or be a great backup, 2) Darrell Arthur who is an athletic forward, 3) Joey Dorsey who is a physical, defensive minded big, or even 4) take a shot with DeAndre Jordan. He has as much upside as anyone in the draft. And the Clippers got him at 35. Where was Donnie last night? He went to sleep without completing his job last night. Buying picks would not be stupid and would never come back to hurt them.

    Remember, this is only the morning after. There is a long off-season ahead of us. Not everything happens on draft night.

  • TAYJONES

    I hate this pick and Walsh picked the one guy that would absolutely make me ashamed to be a Knick fan. Im sorry but the need was at point guard and was there to be addressed with Bayless or even Augustin. These type of players play with a toughness that these European players dont. Obvious examples Dirk (soft), Manu (cry baby soft), Pau, the list keeps going. Not to mention the comment of “Gallinari being good in a few years”, and “we think he will get bigger as he gets older.” All things that you cant control and these European players being a hit or miss does not go well with me. How about taking a player out of college that you know more about and decrease the odds of him being an absolute bust. I dont want my players to be a mystery but that the Knicks for you. God help Walsh if hes an absolute bust.

  • theghostofwillisreed

    manu and tony parker want you to count their rings…

  • TAYJONES

    MY GRADE: F

    Another great point what about buying a pick. Dont tell me they dont have money because Jerome James is stealing the Knicks money. How about cutting Jerome and taking the hit in money. Then buy a pick and draft a Dorsey, Arthur, Chalmers. Because jerome sitting on the Knicks bench he is acting like a cancer because he is taking up space and hurting the team. There could be another player like a kid out of college using that spot to hustle and contribute to the team. Instead the Knicks stay put and are happy with a bust. I would have come out of that draft happier if we got one of those three players. There grade then maybe would be a C but hopefully that Felton rumor is true. But the way i look at it we could have had Ray Ray, Gallinari, and another player to start a youth, new look movement to get this organization turned around.

  • TAYJONES

    i never brought up parker and manu can thank duncan and parker for those rings because when they needed manu to step up because Duncan is getting older he couldnt do it against the Lakers. Only one game he did well what a surprise so he can think about how he has to elevate his game.

  • hot stove chef

    From Chad Ford:

    Grade: A-

    Analysis: With the Knicks’ three favorite backcourt players gone — Derrick Rose, O.J. Mayo and Russell Westbrook — new Knicks president Donnie Walsh did the right thing.

    Gallinari is a talent and one of the few guys in the draft who could really be special someday. Those who are bashing the pick because Gallinari is a project should do their homework. Gallinari was the team leader on an Italian Euroleague team — and the Euroleague is much more competitive than the NCAA. Euroleague teams scrimmage NBA teams in the preseason and beat them from time to time. The fact that Gallinari has starred there at such a young age suggests that he’s more ready than most of the freshmen rushing into the league. And with Mike D’Antoni coaching him, you can bet the Knicks will play to his strengths.

    Gallinari has weaknesses — he has so-so lateral quickness and lacks muscle. I’m not sure he’ll ever turn into Dirk Nowitzki, to whom he’s been compared. And the Knicks still have a long way to go in the rebuilding process.

    But this was a good start for the Knicks. If they can use David Lee to get a legit young point guard, they’ll keep moving in the right direction.