Sam Smith is a Clown…but we Already Knew that

by Tommy Dee on June 29th, 2008 at 11:20 am

Leave it to an out of town clown, er, “writer” to sum up Chicago’s feelings on the Knicks’ pick of Gallinari.

DRAFT GRADE: D
New York Knicks. It didn’t take the New York fans at the draft long to start booing. Welcome to New York, Donnie Walsh and Mike D’Antoni. They said it would take awhile, but New Yorkers aren’t that patient. They booed loudly and often as Italian forward Danilo Gallinari walked across the stage. The question is if LeBron James wants to play with him. Anyone seen Frederic Weis? Ouch.
Sam Smith

Last year I had a long e-mail exchange with Smith who admitted to me that he was trying to razz Knick fans. Here is another example of Smitty trying to placate Knick fans, the one’s who booed the pick other night.

I can’t really blame him, those dopey Knick fans gave him the ammo. But, to relate the kid to Weis shows equal ignorance, meaning he’s never seen him play.

But hey Sammy, why let facts get in the way of a good story, right? A “D” is way off base here, which means whatever credibility you had just drove off in your clown car.

Honk Honk.
  • Kyle I.

    Look, I’m not against Gallinari like some people, but I’m certainly not going to start praising him just because of widespread bashing. (In fact, I’ve seen more support from him on message boards and blogs than I’ve seen otherwise) I’m happy to have a guy who can drive to the hoop, shoot with range, and contribute on the offensive side of the ball, but this guy isn’t all that. First, he has no real post game. I know that’s not what he’s about, but I think after he faces up his man again and again and shoots 41% we’ll start wishing he had some back to the basket moves. Plus, it’s not like this team doesn’t have enough chuckers to begin with..

    Secondly, as everyone knows he can’t play a lick of D. I’m having nightmares of this guy at the 4 spot getting isolated on the block and getting eaten alive. If our front court wasn’t already hilarious we haven’t even begun to see how funny it’ll get. Plus, does anyone really think this guy is going to pull down more than 5 or 6 rebounds a game. (Assuming he gets the needed playing time to do so)

    Hey, I’m not saying there was a much better choice. That and I’m rooting for him to be a major contributor. However, if you made me giveup a prediction I’m going to say we have …another… player who can fill up the box score with points and shot attempts… and that’s it. I hate D’Antoini style basketball.

  • vino

    D’Antoni style basketball? You mean winning? Is that the style you don’t like?

    No one has seen this kid play unless they snuck into Isiah’s suitcase when he went to go scout him. Gallinari doesn’t play any defense? How do you know? How does “everyone” know that? The kid is 19 years old. He does not sound as though he is completely matured physically either. When he grows into his body, then let’s see if he can defend.

    I am not saying he is going to be a stud, but what makes him less attractive to play with than any other rookie this year? Beasley doesn’t play defense either, but he is going to be a star from the start.

    Let’s not get on D’Antoni or this kid until we see them.

  • Kyle I.

    I think just about anyone would infer I meant the run and gun, seven seconds or less, outscore your opponent style of basketball when talking about D’Antoni style basketball. Not winning. It’s a no brainer as a Knicks fan who posts here I would like the Knicks to win.

    I also didn’t take a dump on this kid. I was just pointing out he is worthy of some criticism, which is legit, in the face of a ton of posts by people who are getting sensitive over him being booed. Anyone who wants to find the holes in Gallinari is not automatically wrong.

    Concerning his D: Besides the tons of scouting reports out there on him, and I am fairly certain a great many of them mention his poor defense, his own coach (some guy named D’Antoni) agrees he needs a ton of work in that area. Yea.

    Speaking of defense, “growing into your body” might help, but the primary ingredients are effort and focus. He’s going to get devoured at the 4 spot. Mark my words.

    I’ll repeat: I’m more than willing to give this kid a chance. However, to me and what I have seen (Yes, I even did some research) he looks like another one dimensional player that 1) This team is loaded with from the Isiah era OR 2) Can hide his weaknesses and play to his strengths should D’Antoni replicate his Phoenix system here. I want him to prove me wrong, but he’s a potentially efficient scoring role player in my mind.

  • headbishop

    I’d love to make comments about DG’s defense or his heart, or his graet range, but face it gentlemen… no one is going to know a single thing about this kid until October when he laces them up against the best in the world.

    For the time being, lets find an admirable PG who can distribute better than staarbury, and get on with the 2008-2009 season because their is not much to see here.

    NY Knicks marketing department should be havign some fun with the italian night lined up for next season… free meatball wedges if we get down by 25.

  • vino

    Kyle I- I can agree with you on one thing, the primary ingredients to defense are “effort and focus.” But how do you know that he oes not have either of those? I guess that we have to just wait and see.

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