Gallinari Update

by Myles A. Mills on July 12th, 2009 at 3:41 am

Nice piece by Howard Beck on Danilo Gallinari potentially being the most intriguing Knick in 2010 for free agents.   We all saw Gallinari’s potential, but the worries arise on the injury front, and things appear to be positive.  First I heard no pain and now he’s saying minimal pain, but he should be pain free come training camp.  Hopefully Gallinari can play a full NBA season for the Knicks and show potential free agents what they could be playing with in a few years.  Beck talked about just that, noting that the Knicks young core has to have a good season in 09-10 for the team to be big players in the free agent market.

“…So when the time comes next July for LeBron James to consider a new home and new teammates, the Knicks’ sales pitch might well begin with the 20-year-old Gallinari, the most intriguing player on their roster.

“I think a lot of it depends on Gallo,” Coach Mike D’Antoni said Saturday morning, when the Knicks held their first summer league practice.

D’Antoni later mentioned Wilson Chandler and the still-unsigned David Lee as additional selling points for wandering free-agent superstars. But Gallinari possesses the greater skills and the most star potential, provided he is healthy.”

No Nate Robinson?  Gallinari was asked how he felt just a few weeks removed from back surgery:

“I feel good,” Gallinari said after doing some core conditioning work with the team trainers. “Not pain-free completely, but I feel good. Nothing compared with what I was feeling when I was injured.”

Again, he just had back surgery weeks ago so it is understandable that he still has some pain.  Considering that Gallinari did everything he did his rookie year not at 100%, or 90% really, exhibits his potential.  If he can remain healthy, he’s going to be a great player for this team.  The Knicks have a great duo in Chandler and Gallinari, and Lee if he is resigned.  Adding Hill and Toney Douglas furthermore adds to the youth movement.  With only 10 players under contract through 2010 on the current roster, the players in the Knicks future plans need to show that with the aid of a star they can compete for a championship.

“Donnie Walsh, the team president, has cleared enough salary-cap room to make a run at James, Dwyane Wade and other top stars next summer. But the Knicks need to present a respectable supporting cast, and Gallinari is one of only six players under contract in 2010-11.”

“We have to show, hey, Gallo’s a budding star, or Wilson’s a budding star, or whoever,” D’Antoni said.”

About Myles A. Mills

Myles is a sophomore at The Browning School, an all-boys private school on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. He's been a Knick fan as long as he can remember, and 02-03 was the last season he could remember in entirety. He hopes to one day see the Knicks in the playoffs. Myles is also fond of the Mets, and follows them vehemently, but his the bulk of his time goes to the Knicks. Myles wants to be a radio hosts on WFAN or ESPN 1050 radio, and he hopes to write for theknicksblog.com for years to come. View all posts by Myles A. Mills →
  • bob go knicks

    ok GALLO LOOKS GOOD,DOUGLAS looks good lets start the season.i just want a pro who can run the point

  • danisrob

    I still want to know what positions we expect these guys to play once Lebron gets here. Can Gallo, Chandler and James share the 2,3,4? And where does that leave Lee and Hill?

    Lebron playing the Matrix PF role, he is strong enough (and would be a handful for oppositions to defend) and then having Gallo, Chandler and our PG on the perimeter shooting the 3 ball. Could be great if their improve like we all expect/pray.

  • CircleLimit4

    This is precisely why I’m so anxious to see Galo this season. If he comes back healthy, I think it’s a reall possibility that he possesses the skills and power to play the 4 as well as the 3. Even with the bad back and playing “60%-80%” he showed a few flashes of the muscle he could wield in the pain.

    If he pans out down low along with his outside shot, he could be the PERFECT compliment to LBJ offensively. Lebron, also with some range could weave seamlessly between the 3 and the 4 with Galo creating matchup nightmares. LBJ’s help defense is so fantastic that an opposing moose would be a non-factor when you also consider Galo’s length. Both can handle the range-y 4′s and tweeners with their perimeter defense and length too. The only weakness would be a twin-tower tandem in the front court ala Duncan/Robinson, but that’s why we got Hill, right?

    Offensively though, LBJ/Rooster could be the elite 3/4 combo in the NBA

  • DatNewYorker

    I think Gallo has a long way to go. He did not play much last season and he is really still a rookie. So we will have three rookies most likely playing big minutes. That’s why the Knicks were desperately seeking to sign Kidd. We need an experienced proven point guard to lead this young talented team. Miller would be a good fit and I believe he is the key to making it to the playoffs. A good leader with a high basketball IQ, who will not be pushed around by the better PG of the League. Gallo’s back is a huge concern. He may be a Penny Hardaway or Grant Hill. Only advantage is his age. I dont think his feet are quick enough to guard talented small forwards. But small forwards would have a hard time guarding him. I really wanted to take Brook Lopez at 8, in last years Draft. Good centers are hard to find. Gallo has a lot to prove. If he gets injured again this year, Knick fans wont be so patient. I wish him the best.

  • HaS

    I don’t think Lebron is coming here, BUT if you keep Danilo and Chandler putting Lebron at the 2 would give you a big long lanky lineup if Gallo (who’s 6’11″ and fits the mold of a euro center/power forward in D’antoni’s all offense and no defense system) and Hill get stronger they can fill out the 4 and the 5 positions respectively. With Darko and Lee (if he stays, which I hope he doesn’t.) off the bench.

  • HaS

    Lebron is talented enough to play the 1, 2, 3 and the 4. I’d start him at the 2 and move him around situationally depending on the matchups throughout the game.

    Still don’t think he’s coming, I would love it though.

  • HaS

    That way you can start Chandler at the 3 and Gallo at the 4 once he gets stronger. Danilo can switch between the 3 and the 4, when healthy I can see him guarding the Bosh’s of the league. Not to mention there aren’t many power forwards in the league with a post up game (it’s a lost art.).

  • Mucha

    Al Jefferson and…

    and…

  • Mucha

    When will Gallinari finally be able say “I’m totally pain-free”? I’ll be optimistic about our future then…

    Anyways… he’ll not play the 4 any time soon in my opinion. I see a Dunleavy Jr. Hedo Turkoglu Larry Bird type of player – he’ll have to prove that his back isn’t a problem to bulk up and play against Kenyon Martin, Kevin Garnett, Zach Randolph, Amare Stoudemire or even Blake Griffin and Tyler Hansbrough.

  • Chris3035

    I was wondering the same thing about gallo…I see him as a Keith Van Horn/Tim Thomas type player who can run and shoot, play the 3/4 but not really bang under the basket, hes not a quick slashing 3 but he can still penetrate, hes not a big banging 4 but he will still grab some boards…dont get too high on this guy…think Van Horn/Tim Thomas…i think he plays the 4 by default because Wilson Chandler is just that much better than he is…also note the weak front court we will have with Gallo playing PF and Hill playing C

  • Chris3035

    Please do not compare Gallo to Larry Bird….that would be like comparing Wilson Chandler to MJ…Maybe Turk or Dunleavy…i think Tim Thomas or Keith Van Horn is the comparison…a 3/4 who can run and shoot…a good 3rd or 4th option that in the right system can put up 17pts 7rebs…and i think he is a 4 by default…unless you want him coming off the bench for Chandler who is much more talented and has a much greater upside

  • Chris3035

    I couldnt agree more about Brook Lopez last year…or Anthony Randolph or Eric Gordon or Jerryd Bayless…even Joe Alexander or DJ Augustine…and this year i would have rather had Brandon Jennings(even tho hes a ass) or even Ty Lawson or Jrue Holiday…if i was GM our lineup would be
    PG-Brandon Jennings
    SG-Hughes(’09) Lebron James(’10)
    SF-Wilson Chandler
    PF-David Lee
    C-Brook Lopez

  • Mucha

    I did not compare him to Larry Bird. I said a “Larry Bird TYPE of player” which implies that he could be a poor man’s Larry Bird in my opinion. I said TYPE of player, from a pure basketball standpoint.

  • Chris3035

    Ehhh…I still dont know…Larry was the purest of pure shooters and Larry was also one of the best defenders in the HISTORY of the NBA…Gallo cant guard quicker OR stonger guys…his D is vanilla…worse than Lees

  • Mucha

    Well at least he tried to play defense…

    Anyways Turkoglu is not a great defender neither, if defense is a factor in your opinion then you shouldn’t have said “Maybe Turk” you know what I mean? I think the only thing you don’t like about the Larry Bird comparison is the fact that he’s a HOF and Gallinari’s obviously far from reaching that level. I don’t assume that he’ll ever be able to do that, but his skills are quite comparable (great shooting skills, high basketball IQ, good passing skills, not very athletic, oversized…).

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