D’Antoni: “Gallo can be a top-level player”

Been thinking this for over a year now:

Why was Cleveland allowed to play TRACTOR TRAYLOR in a summer league where everyone else is an 18-22yo? That stupid decision risked Gallo’s entire career. Ok, he comes across people that size once he’s in the NBA (in fact, in his own training sessions), after some time strengthening, playing initially sporadic minutes etc. But the guy, after only a few summer league training sessions, comes across a grossly overweight version of one of the biggest guys in NBA history? And when he fakes, Traylor goes for it and lands on him while he’s leaning forward?

I’ve never had back problems, but I’m guessing that my back wouldn’t stand up to that either. Seriously, what was he doing there?

i think he could be.he’s got the kinda swagger that translates positively on a team.the kid is a pro, and god willing, will be an all star some day.

That 2008 draft was a pretty strong one..how disappointing would it be if we were the team that drafted the bust..

I do think he’ll be a pretty good shooter in this league, being bout to net 20 points any given night..but im not sure if hes our franchise player

Hes the only thing we can look forward to next season, so i hope he lives up to his sky high potential

Even as a rookie, Gallinari helped the Knicks to a 14-14 (.500) record in the 28 games he played. The Knicks were 18-36 (.333) in the games he missed.

Besides Gallo, we can also look forward to the continued development of Wilson Chandler. I think Toney Douglas will also surprise a lot of people. I think he’ll especially be noticed by those who care about defense.

don’t forget Jordan Hill. He will also suprise a lot of people this season.

I think Hill has a bright future. However, he is currently buried by Lee, Curry, Jeffries, Harrington and Milicic. We’ll see how many minutes Coach gives him…

Tommy, it’s time to stick a fork in you. You’ve been running this clip ad nauseum, and since Walsh is running scared and has no clue what he’s doing, you run back to this Gallo hype. Go back to sleep, Tommy.

I hope they give a lot of playing time so he can develope his playing abilities.

It’s amazing that pure boredom alone can make people angry that we didn’t pull 4 million out of the 2010 wallet to sign a decent point guard; like sessions was going to turn this franchise around or something. At this point in his career, he’s not even any better than duhon. We didn’t absolutely need him and he clearly was deemed to be not important or good enough to warrent the 4 million, and i can’t complain.

A lot of you guys have complained about ever single guy that signed somewhere who we DIDNT get. I don’t think any great opportunites came along so i am happy we finally had a responsible summer.

Galo won’t start this year but i hope he can play all year so we can see what he can really do.

Is Patrick Ewing jr still in the knicks team?
Anybody.

no ,patrick ewing jr was supposed to play summer league but had an “injury”,i have no idea of what became of him.and jeff we did need sessions,how can you say hes not better than duhon.wont even argue that,…one player ofsessions caliber will not turn any franchise around,its the parts you add,piece by piece that make a team good.it would have been a step in the right direction

I love Gallinari. Rooster is my favorite player on the Knicks by far. The sky is the limit for this kid. I am also very excited to see curry. hopefully he will be back to his days of manhandling d howard. remember in the post, eddy is one of few people are unstoppable. on the defensive end he is another story but hopefully the weight loss will make him more agile on defense. i really feel like sessions was a key piece though and i am still shocked why donnie didnt do it, because it would have been so easy to trade him if needed but he knows talent better than i do so i guess he doesnt think sessions is all that gifted. im still not sure where he is going to get us a pg of the future… but im sure he will. if dlee and nate dont stay i will be extremley shocked and disapointed i want them both back badly.

agree with bob. duhon was not good for most of the second half. he was worn out and they figured out his game. he is a backup.

So what position does Gallo play this year?

For how long per game?

Who does he take minutes from?

Does he start or come off the bench?

He trying to divert attention away from the Uncle Donnie bashing.

Question…. Is there any idea of who Donnie thinks can be our pg of the future? Is it Douglas or will it come from another team or a future draft?

when Donnie gets up from his nap maybe someone will ask him instead of worshiping the ground he walks on..

Agree totally, Bigs. Donnie has shot his stuff a long time ago. The game has passed him by. It’s only a matter of time until he’s run outta town like Zeke.

I figure he will mainly play the 3 this year….most 2 guards will blow right by him and you probly don’t want him guarding to many post 4′s for fear of his back…our starting 3 right now is either chandler or harrington depending on how you set the lineup…i figure harrington will get minutes off the bench as a 3-4 and chandler will get starters minutes as a 3 and 2. that leaves gallo around 20 mins a game if you cut into hughes mins and move chandler to the 2 for part of his playing time in my opinion

When he’s not outright deleting it.

not sure he gets run outta town Zeke style — Dolan is so pathetic I dont see him firing Donnie Walsh anytime. Donnie will likely retire long before Guitar Jimmy thinks about a change.. He should sell the team but that is another topic.

Lets remember that Uncle Donnie was in effect retired in Indiana before Stern talked the young Dolan into hiring him as a way to save face for the league

To Tommy’s comments in the main piece –

So we are to believe we will improve with
> a second year player coming off major back surgery
> a young player in Chandler who was laid up all off season due to surgery
> two rookies who have a lot to learn and prove
> two enigmas who have been complete wash outs in their pro career (Curry/Darko)

If this is reason of optimism then pass the Kool Aid.

Donnie thnks Toney Douglas can be our pg of the future. Is he sure? No Do we need a pg of the future. Yes. Duhon is a great back up. If Toney Douglas turns out to be the sg of the future, hopefully one of the current roster gets traded for the pg of the future.

You know you are optimistic! Pass the cool aid!! How long have we been saying “wait for next year”

If Donnie signs LeBron in 2010 none of you are allowed to say you were in favor of Donnie’s plan.

Hey BiggieSmalls. Are you a Knick fan at all? Do you percieve our future to be that bleak that if DW doesnt make your acquisition wishes come true that he is totally incompetent and that any one of the Knick fans that are pulling for their team to succeed with what they have are just fools? That brings me back to the first question. Are you a Knicks fan? You dont sound like one. No disrespect intended Biggie. I find alot of people on these NY based blogs just here to bash NY squads. The Sessions thing is a done deal. Get over it. Duhon is a scrub. We already know. If your a Knicks fan your gonna watch anyway even if they start Danny Woodhead at PG so just hang in there. Knick fans watched broke back LJ, and Kiki V play with hope so why not Gallo!! Placing blame doesnt make you the bigger person or the smarter person, just one of the many NY haters that thrive off our slow yet consistant progression. Almost Skip Bayless like(LOL). One Love Knick Fans.

Questioning moves of an NBA executive doesnt make anyone less of a fan. that is silly.

Something was put out there in an article and everyone has a right to agree or disagree with it or just march along like drones and wave a flag.

you can choose to drink the Kool Aid if you want. Asking questions and debating moves is part of being a fan. If you are all “In Donnie we trust” then godspeed to you and keep reading.

Agreed.

Joe, pass the Guyana juice, but watch the back flow, please.

Thanks for the civilized reply BiggieSmalls. I realize that you are a fan of the game(so is Skip) and that obviously you are dissappointed with DW’s action & inactions. How about the last few GM’s(Layden, Thomas, Grunfeld). Were they worthy of your kudos? Lastly, what do you foresee DW doing in the immediate future (before camp starts) versus what would you like to see. Oh yeah what do you think about Alley I?

Oh Yeah, my bad. All basketball fans are not Knick fans. All baseball fans are not Yankee fans. No football fans outside of the tri-state are Jets fans. Harsh world we live in Biggie.

In all seriousness you people need to go somewhere your Tommy and Donnie bashing is uncalled for and completely idiotic. There was no one worth rushing to sign this offseason other than J Kidd.
Donnie’s playing it safe this off season so we can compete MAJORLY in next off season.
Also Tommy explained to you that he deleted your comment because your comment had profanity in it.

Camp,
Biggie is a Nets fan from NJ.

Biggie is from NJ and he also hates David Lee.

…in addition to hating Walsh and the Knicks.

I dont hate Lee and Im not from Jersey.

I dont think Lee is worth 9 plus mil a year and the whole NBA agrees with me.

Im not sure DW does anything before camp starts. Other than sign Lee and Nate to one year deals.

What? you cant question authority? Everyone has to walk lock step into the garden and not say anything bad about Uncle Donnie our savior?

that is just plain ridiculous. HaS didnt use profanity in his comment — but Ive seen profanity fo unchecked here and I could care less about it.

Everyone has an opinion and an ability to express it. Its all good. If you dont like the opinion debate it civilly without insulting the commenter or trying to be personal about things you know nothing about.

dude,, put down the pom poms and come up with a real reply.

Or sit and in the back of the class, listen and learn.

brown noser!

being italian,gallo is my fave also.and i love guys with dead-on shots like gallo,allan houston ,ray allen

if gallo is healthy and doesnt show signs of a bad back hell play at least 30 minutes per and it doesnt matter who minutes he takes cuz he’ll be better than anyone whos on the bench

its a fans job to get on those who are in charge,.for gods sake,everyone in the universe knew we needed a good young point guard,even donnie,for him to let sessions pass is a sin,for you to just except it,and continue to praise the G.M.is zombie like.of course we’ll watch the games,we are after all KNICKS FANS.but as fans,it is our god given right to criticize the ineptness of the general manager

This blog is turning into the Bush administration.

If you criticsize President Walsh, then you must be un-American (a/k/a not a Knick fan).

Back to the topic. I think Gallo’s getting major minutes if he’s healthy. I honestly can picture him avg 17pts 6rbs & 4assists a game.

I think Gallo’s more of a scorer than a distributing Point-Forward type player.

There was no profanity in my comment, so speak on what you know. I have never left a profanity laced message in a thread. There was a drug reference yes, but nothing any worse than anything anyone has said about another player or even fellow commenter.

I feel like Walsh shouldn’t get special treatment (deleted comments) and should be open territory for the same fodder we toss at any other NBA personnel.

Also, I am all for rebuilding, but it is pretty much LeBron or bust. If it turns out to be bust and not LeBron, it’s not going to be pretty.

all i asked is Patrick Ewing jr,I did not say anything about Session or Duhon and I am NOT Jeff.

BWAHAHAHA!!!! “Bush Administration” Good one.

Dude, you must be the only one in here with any kind of reading comprehension skills, seriously.

Thanks for the backup.

Everyone else chooses to ignore what I’ve said, Including Tommy. It’s easier to ignore it than to admit you’re wrong I guess.

If I had said what I said about Donnie about anyone else it would still be there for everyone’s reading pleasure.

That is a very generous line. I would be emphatic if he could average something like 15, 5 and 2 or 3 assists at a good field goal percentage. He’s kind of a project, and i think we are supposed to expect him to develop into a special player over the course of a few seasons.

If anyone cared to read the article even the Author is skeptical of our chances given what we’ve done this off season

Even if Lee and Robinson re-sign and Gallinari quickly turns into a productive rotation player, the Knicks aren’t contending for anything unless they hit the free agency jackpot next summer. But that’s their plan and they’re sticking to it.

EQ1217 I think those are reasonable numbers to expect from a healthy Gallo. But can we expect that right from Saratoga? Probably not. They will likely take it easy with him early on.

All I am dong is questioning Donnie’s lack of moves this off season when there were opportunities to at least add to the quality young players and potentially make a larger move with players who can just walk away in a year.
NO one can deny there were moves left on the table and Donnie’s off season has had some puzzling inactivity.

Doesnt mean we wont root for the players and hope to get Lebron in the first round so we can beat him into coming to NYC.

Is a healthy Gallo enough to get anyone excited about this year? Sure, If he is healthy I’d like to see what he can do.

But like I said earlier — 2 rookies, a 2nd year player coming off back surgery and 2 enigmas is not enough for me to be jumping for joy that Donnie did anything to help this team get to the playoffs.

Cause if we dont compete this year for a playoff spot you know the Lebron to Broadway story is gonna be harder for us to sell. And without Lebron how can Donnie get anything but an F?

Tommie,

Yes the Knicks are improved over last year, but in terms of success on the basketball court, improvement is relative. You have to ask yourself whether other teams in the East improved less, as much, or more than the Knicks. By that standard, I think we may be worse. Several other teams also have players coming back from injuries last year, drafted well, or upgraded with trades.

The only team in the east we beat last year was Washington and they are very likely to be better than us barring major injuries give their moves an returning players. Toronto is probably improved. NJ lost Carter, but they also have a young improving squad and could be competitive with us. So who can we beat? The Bucks? That’s about it.

The above comment is directed at BiggieSmalls.

Galo’s operation was minor as far as back surgeries go.

And just because I don’t equate inaction with bad moves does NOT means I’m drinking Kool-aid. I know impatient bashing is the trendy New York fan thing to do and has been for decades for all sports, but can you blame Donnie for doing what he’s said all along? Creating cap flexibility through 2010. And now people are calling for Donnie to be fired? This is ridiculous.

I know a lot of people are pissed that Sessions fell through, but if we get a juicier PG mid season or dump JJ/Curry, everyone will sing a different tune.

Jeff,

We will have to agree to disagree about Sessions relative to Duhon.

I like Duhon and think he’ll be better this year if he’s not worked to death, but IMO sessions is already better. Even if he’s not, he’s younger and has more upside. At 4M, how is that not a great deal when we need PG help and are already paying Duhon more than that?

I understand the 2010 plan and am very long term oriented, but there are lot of flip side risks that are not being weighed properly.

1. None of the major free agents may jump ship

2. If one does jump ship, he may jump to where another already plays (like Bosh to Miami or Cleveland)

3. We are so darn bad this year that even if one of them would have considered jumping, they are unwilling to do so given that the Knicks are still such a project.

4. We trade Curry or Jeffries during the year and Session’s 4M becomes irrelevant.

5. Douglas is a pleasant surprise and Sessions is not needed, but at 4M he is easily traded.

There are so many scenarios where there was no downside to signing Sessions, it’s almost like we are betting the franchise on a very low probability outcome longshot of signing Wade or James .

IMO, that’s a crazy way to do business. The idea to is improve cap space, but not at the expense of everything else. This team needed a PG of the future or at least some quality help at PG in case Douglas can’t give us much for awhile. Sessions was the perfect fit because he has upside and could be both.

I can’t see how anything could be happy with this off season.

I will speak on what I know you won’t say what was in the Comment and Tommy said he doesn’t want this site to become a cesspool so obviously you did something uncalled for.

Good post italian stallion but…

The Bobcats did not improve more than we did, Chicago doesn’t have Ben Gordon anymore, NJ doesn’t have Vince Carter anymore (the addition of Williams and Lee will not fill the void), Milwaukee doesn’t have Ramon Sessions and Charlie Villanueva anymore, Detroit doesn’t have a true point guard and they are small and Philly will have to play without Andre Miller.

Indiana is an x factor (I like Tyler Hanbrough, Brandon Rush and Dunleavy’s coming back) but the Wizards are overrated in my opinion – Will Arenas be a factor? Will Mike Miller and Randy Foye (who never led the Timberwolves anywhere) really have a significant impact on the win/loss column?

Only the Raptors are clearly better than the Knicks in my opinion (on paper).

Not the Bush Admin, but the Van Jones/Obama administration with comments like 9/11 was an inside job, Walsh lied, people died, yada, yada, that’s what people like Biggie sound like on here and it is a fact that he dislikes Lee.

Biggie,

What flavor Cool Aid would you like? I’ll drop it off when you get thirsty.

Campbana, I can guarantee that BiggieSmalls is as passionate and die hard a fan/poster as anyone here. In fact, that’s the singular thread that binds us all together — our love of our men in blue and orange.

Though I disagree with him often, I always look forward to his comments because they are well thought out (most of the time lol), come from the heart, and I sometimes learn something new form reading them. Can’t ask more than that. From time to time he is even correct (when he and I agree, of course imao). Even Berman has a moment.

Never forget that this is a blog. It’s fun and entertaining, not anything more. Anyone that believes they know more than the worst gm (Kahn), is delusional. Lighten up and enjoy. Whatever our position, we are all just blowing smoke out of our asses any way. We are basing our opinions on conjecture, hearsay, wishful thinking posing as fact and, worst of all, the integrity of sports reporters to tell us the truth, man, and only the truth. That’s like arguing the future of our economy based on a conversation you’ve had with a third grader over dinner. Of course, most of us are far smarter than the average reporter, so the posts are more interesting.

“Tommy said…” lol is he your daddy? Are any statements made in frustration toward any other NBA figures “called for”?

Like I said the statement I made was nothing compared to what many have written here and it did not contain any profanity. The only difference is it was directed at Donnie “In God We Trust” Walsh. Period.

So like I said, you don’t know what was said, so how can you chime in without knowing what was deleted?

Tommy is a big boy he can take care of himself.

I WAS ANSWERING 2 DIFF QUEST AT ONCE

Is there something wrong if a fan dislikes a certain player? Let’s say for a moment he really does dislike Lee, so what? That would be his opinion. What I think Big is saying is he doesn’t feel like _avi_ is worth what he has been reportedly holding out for.

I was a fan of _avi_ at one time, I have not liked his 180 degree turnaround on his “I’d play for NY for a discount” statement. That said, I do not “dislike” Lee, I wish he would take more pride in his defense and I know he is not worth 9, 10 or 12 million a year. He is not a perfect player, he has flaws in his game and he is not above being disliked by anyone if that is their choice.

Does anyone even read the comments? Or take the time to comprehend what is being conveyed? I swear it’s like talking to a wall. So may of you guys read one line and run with it, rather than acknowledge each comment as a whole and in its entirety. To simplify an entire thought which takes a paragraph to express into a 1 line statement is immature and inept.

You are completely missing the point. You can’t change the past if He doesn’t like whats going on right now he can change that though. Stop using that as an excuse for you to be an asshole.

Now for your points Biggie:

Chandler came off ankle surgery. not minor, but not microfracture surgery either. He was restricted from doing basketball related activities, not all activities. He has been going to the gym for a while now. He’s been a hard worker (unlike Eddie) and very coachable in the past. No reason to believe he will not be in basketball shape by season’s start. I am optimistic that he will show great improvement (if not traded for Rubio). This is a make or break year for him and he knows it. If he doesn’t show marked improvement, he will likely not be part of this team’s future.

Gallo — his back is a concern. thus he is a gamble. Still, a 6’11″ kid with his court vision, ball skills, team concept, range, shooting ability and instincts, has a very good chance of becoming a star. That he’s “a better defender than most people think” may very well be true. Most people don’t think much of his defense. Well phrased Donnie.

That our two rookies have a lot to learn is indisputable. Douglas is more NBA ready than Hill (for now), but all they have to prove is that they can improve steadily throughout the season. The trajectory of their growth is the key to their season.

One enigma one piece of garbage. Darko has proved that he is not flexible enough to play in any system. He has shown great abilities playing in a European style. His skillset are ideally suited to those of D’s system. He too knows that this is likely his last chance to remain in the NBA. If he fails to succeed in a system that accents his skills, bye-bye NBA.

We also have Nate and David, and their last auditions, and who knows who else.

Throw in visions of 2010 and the light and the end of the tunnel and yes, I am optimistic.

Need a drink?

Biggie, don’t you dare give up questioning authority when it’s called for. I’d lose the respect for you that you have already accrued, if you did.

I am, however, shocked that I have sided with authority this long. I’ll have to rethink my positions.

EQ1217,

Are you suggesting that we censure or impeach Tommy? His crimes, though repugnant, are nowhere near as treasonous as our previous administration (oh, they got away with it too).

Perhaps if he shot a lawyer in the face. (No, that didn’t work either.)

I really feel D’antoni is going to run Gallo out there for major minutes this year from the get go.

I feel Donnie & D’antoni think he might be the sidekick to LeBron.

I like Donnie’s restraint. There were no players out there that he believed would significantly better the team going forward, so why not keep flexibility for in season trades or next summer. If he finds his man, he’ll spend the money. Ramon wasn’t that man obviously. If THE MAN, or the deal, came along, and we’d already spent the money, we would all regret not being players for the real thing.

flexibility is key to bettering the team. If the right player comes available at the right value, flexibility become irrelevant. You’ve got what you needed the flex for. As long as you don’t spend LBJ money.

You already stated (correctly in my opinion) that LeBron is looking stability and direction throughout the organization (or something like that). That is why I would trade a player like Will for Rubio 2011 version. If our youngs show promise, our organization shows stability and a real plan for the future, and LeBron knows that Rubio, our #1 and lots of cap money to draw players to him (JJ&EC and higher cap allowance) are coming in 2011, he will be interested.

Let’s get along allready,Donnie is doing a great job,Sessions is nothing to get excited about DAnt brother coached him if he was anything special we would have a read on it he’s not,Donnie got us in the Lebron sweepstakes and that alone is great news for us Knick fans to undermind that move is stupid,David Lee defense sucks but his game besides defense is awesome and is a good guy,that being said he worth 7 to 8 million tops.Donnie is trying now to get Rubio attacking Minny at a time of weakness,I think we have a great GM and coach and alot of young talent with some great draft picks from Isiah and Donnie who will panout,the Darko move was a great risk reward pickup.The young guys like Gallo,Hill,Chandler and Douglas all have a promising careers with Darko as a sleeper we have alot to look forward too,Duhon with help will be alot better than Sesions I can’t wait to play Minny.Once Donnie trades JJ and Curry he will give David a contract and David will get help Defense from Darko and Hill at the center position so David should be allright going forward.Lebron in 2010 is real thanks to Donnie everyone should relax and learn how to deal with having a patient GM .

A lot of yall are buggin
Donnie is just sticking to his 2010 plan.

I do like session an also think he could of been great in this system
heyy look how the back up duhon played in this system
but we didn’t lose out.

As for gallo the kid can shoot an got an ok handle an that’s facts everything else is yet to be proven
Rite now chandler is better overall.

IVERSON IS ALMOST AT 33RD STREET.
CAN’T WAIT TO BUY HIS KNICK JERSEY.
IT’S GOING TO BE THE #1 selling knick jersey this season an top 5 in the nba in jersey sales…

HEY WILL,ARROGANTLY TWISTING THE STERILE CANVAS SNOOT OF A FULLY CHARGED ICING ANNOINTMENT UTENSIL,HE POOTS FORTH A QUARTER OUNCE GREEN ROSETTE,NEAR THE SUMMIT OF A DENSE BUT RADIANT MUFFIN OF HIS OWN DESIGN

IF NATE AND DLEE have really great seasons ,i dont think we can afford them the year after cuz once we pay lebron(yeah ,like thats gonna happen)we cant afford anyone else ….seriously if lbj and wade dont come here,nobody on the rest of the list ,sans bosh,woulda been a better deal than RAMON SESSIONS

YEAH,WHAT KIND OF BLOG,HAS A NO GRIPE AGAINST MANAGMENT RULE?

JUSTB CUZ DONNIE DIDNT sign sessions,didnt mean he wouldnt of helped.and if the knicks suck this year we aint in no lebron sweepstakes,hill and douglas do not have promising careers,and duhon on his best day isnt better than sessions

TOMMIE, CAN YOU HEAR ME!

I was going to respond a few days ago when you said “Shaquille O’Neal, who at this point in his career is comparable to a healthy Curry” but I only had two hours to devote and time expired before I could stop laughing enough to type. Since you referred to Eddie as an addition, I have to call you out this time.

Let me rephrase your statement. Eddie Curry, who at this point in his career is comparable to a lamppost…. At least the lamppost, if placed properly on the court, could deter some teams from driving down the lane. On Eddie’s side, he can jump better than the lamppost (though never attempted, I still maintain EC could jump 2 or 3 inches if motivated).

This man has no work ethic, no pride, no professionalism. Some might say that forgetting his sneakers was no big deal. Wrong. You don’t go to work without the tools of your trade, period. It’s unprofessional and negligent! If I came to work without my glasses, I’d be useless; just like Eddie, and sent home. The idiot was trying to show his bosses his worth, and doesn’t pack something so essential.

He may surprise and come to camp in shape and healthy physically (with his work ethic in the past, I wouldn’t bet on it), but he showed you that his head is nowhere near game ready.

Tommie, if you just finished going through your wedding ceremony and noticed the photographer sitting in the second row. he tells you that the wife was screaming, kids crying, his car wouldn’t start so he forgot his lenses in the garage… but he’ll come back tomorrow and everyone can do it all over again for him. Would forgetful pop into your mind?

His trade value: Best case scenario, Minny ownership takes so much heat for the Rubio fiasco and are force to fire Kahn or lose ad money. No one wants the job so ownership reaches down south and plucks a coach from the bench of a small florida college. Then there’s possibilities.

Worse case: Eddie being Eddie

Most likely: we get cap room in 2011

It’s been over 2 years, over 1 million burgers, and countless hours of sitting on the couch playing video games and tweeting, since EC was an offensive force. A svelte 325 lbs would still be higher than his playing weight then. If anyone is counting on more than a handful of layups and 6 hard elbows to opponents, you will be disappointed. Anymore, great. Just don’t expect it.

Perhaps we could put an orange and blue floor length skirt on Eddie so that scouts won’t notice that his feet never leave the court, should he accidentally find himself in rebounding position.

I’m not apathetic to his personal tragedy. The story bothered me greatly. As someone who has lived through great tragedy in a short period of time, I know there are two paths you can travel after something so heartbreaking. You can go into depression, seek help and work out the pain over time. Had he said that he was too bereft to continue his career at this juncture, I would respect that. We can’t always control how we respond to tragedy. The Knicks could have applied for cap relief, gotten insurance payments. Eddie could have had the opportunity to get his life in order while not having to worry about fiscal constraints.

Or he could have used the sadness to grow up, refocus his energies, decide what is most important in his life and put his full energy into that pursuit. Eddie found a third path.

Good luck Eddie. I sincerely hope you find peace in your next occupation.

Tommy,

My apologies for mispelling your name. Don’t know what I was thinking.

Eddie’s giving me brain lock!

what excuse are you using?

Wow…we are in the dolldrums of summer. Training camp needs to start soon because the posters here are starting to go after each other like a football team going through 2 a days and scrimmaging against each other for too long.

My take is I’m not a Donnie supporter or Anti-Donnie. I’m reserving judgement since he came up with a plan so let’s see how it turns out. I will disagree with everyone who says that having cap space for 2010 means “Lebron or Bust”. Those who say that if Lebron doesn’t sign then having all of this cap space is suddenly a bad thing. Cap space can also lead to us trading for an elite player if Lebron doesn’t sign. There will be teams looking to make salary dumps even if it’s a great player. In free agency the current economy works against the Knicks, but in the trade market it helps the Knicks. It’s an option that most seem to overlook.

I like the patience being practiced. …but is it too much patience?

Maybe, but we’ve all seen too many quick fixes for too many years.

Is Ramon Sessions a good player with potential? Yes.

Is he capable of being the point guard of the future for an NBA team. Maybe.

In any other scenario a reasonable 4mil a year would be an acceptable risk to find out. But since there is a plan in place that has been committed to, then “maybe” isn’t good enough on limiting your options on a sure thing type player (Lebron or someone else) with the flexibility that comes in 2010. Someone really good will sign, if not someone really good will be traded for.

Cap Space = Money + Flexibility (Options)

Having Money and Flexibility is a great position to be in for any team. It’s a position the team last held when the team signed Houston, LJ, and Childs.

hey i dislike chandler,i think he cant dribble,step on the end line out of bounda all the time,cant pass…imo hes gonna be a big stiff……i cant say that?im not a real knicks fan?BULLSHIT!

IVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE knicks LONGER THAN WILSON CHANDLER HAS

How am I being an a**hole? And why are you using profanity?

You chose to take a side in a matter that you have nothing do with and don’t have all the information on. That is my point. Which maybe you missed.

Unfortunately, no back surgery is minor. That doesn’t mean he can’t have a very successful career.

You’re not alone in wanting to wait to see if Donnie can pull off his plan. None of us are privy to it so some are anxious. No Donnie bashing from me either.

Donnie has been active. He hasn’t bought because he didn’t find what he needed at the right price. If you go shopping and don’t find what you want, better to hold on to your money than spend it on the best thing on the shelf, if it doesn’t fit your needs.

I do think that the economy and Isiah have conspired to push Donnie’s 2010 plan back one year. He needs to make big improvement before summer 2010 ends. Then finish the job in 2011.

Definitely agree with Has on this one… Half of you dont fully read the blog or the comments and attack lines that you take issue with… Since when is it wrong to hate any player whether it be Lee, Nate, Eddy or Gallo… And Big never even said that… Some of you say disparaging remarks about players that really are unwarranted and insensitive but its cool because its your opinion… But when someone thinks contrary to that opinion the recklessness comes out…

I personally disagree with Has and Big about Donnie’s summer but they have the right to express their gripes… I just dont think we missed out on anything really significant this summer… And non-trades or signings doesnt mean that Walsh has been inactive just means he hasnt made a move… We made more trades last year than any team outside of maybe the Bobcats so its not like Donnie hasnt done anything in the year he has been here… Yes… Donnie isnt perfect he has made some mistakes, like every GM… But, sometimes a team can benefit from not making moves…

Trades made us very unstable last year, along with injuries… I feel that Hughes and Harrington should be better with a full training camp… Darko brings the shotblocking we lacked… Nate and Lee if signed should better know their roles and the system… Gallo if healthy should make an impact… And I expect Chandler with have more confidence and is poised for a big year… Not to mention that Curry, no matter what you may think is a gifted offensive player who will be in good shape for the 1st time in his career… I am excited to see what he brings to the table, he was close to being an all-star when he was out of shape… Its Mike Dans job to make the Curry thing work… This doesnt make the Knicks a great team but they could surprise… Thats all I’m saying… Sessions would have been nice but, he’s not a savior…

Tommy, is more Bill O’reilly or anyone from Fox News, case in point…

Tommy’s 9/4 story on “what’s the rotation?” he mentions 2 groups – The fans who praise patience and the impatience folks. Why can’t inpatient folks be the fans also? See either with us or against us.

BTW, I’m just kidding with this stuff. I’m just waiting for this season to start, so the Knicks can shock the NBA & go 52-30 this year. Hey, as of today were tied for first, so let’s keep it up!!

HaS,

I’d like to give my take on the whole Tommy cencorship deal. Many people think that blogs are public forums protected by free speech and in reality this is not the case. Blogs such as this one are private entities that open themselves up for the public to post editorial. The owner of the site (in this case Tommy) reserves the right to moderate the content that is published to his blog.

I was extremely happy to find this blog after trying in vain to have intelligent Knicks related conversation on another blog that belonged to a NY local newspaper. The blog had denigrated basically to the posters insulting each other, making racist charges and comments, and bragging when they chased posters away from the forum. It was the only time in my life I was embarrased to be associated with other Knick Fans.

Now, HaS I will not comment on your specific comment or how offensive it may or may not have been. Did it cross the line? I don’t know or claim to. The thing is even if you felt like your comment didn’t cross the line then whether it’s your comment or someone elses then Tommy has to decide “at what point does the line start?” It is possible that your comment did not cross the line but it may ebcourage other posters to “one up” your comment. It’s a slippery slope that only goes downhill and I’d rather debate the merits of signing Ramon Sessions than arguing everyones drug habits, homosexual tendencies and racist attitudes (not saying you did any of this – just where I think it could lead to without moderators).

HaS don’t take it personally. You are an intelligent poster fully capable of arguing your point and being humorous at the same time. And while I think Tommy has many homeristic tendencies towards the team and organization and disagree with him on many topics, I still realize the blog and it’s image are his responsibility. There’s a bigger picture for Tommy in keeping this a smart, funny, informative blog that is worth reading.

point taken DW2010.. Co sign on your Eddy comments as well.

And of course i dont “Hate” D Lee. He didnt get my sister pregnant or beat me up in high school or anything.. We’ve all done the D Lee debate.a million times over.. I side with HaS on the D Lee topic. Just read his words and thats the truth.

Again – Im just judging Donnie on the OFF SEASON (including the draft) NOT the WHOLE Plan.. I was grateful to have him on board for the sole reason that Dolan trusts him and he may be our only hope at this point of getting this ship righted. Largely because of Dolan not because of his skill sets or execution of “the 2010 Plan”

And BTW — If he had a 2010 plan why did he divert from it at the trade deadline by not packaging Lee and JJ to Sacto AND Taking Lee 100% off the market? Bad moves in my humble humble opinion. But water under the bridge. Now they are signed up for one year and can walk with nothing coming back. Such is life.

ALL im saying is the “Stand pat” off season doesnt sound like the right strategy given the importance of the upcoming season. A playoff run is imperative to show free agents (read Lebron) that we have the goods going forward. Yes having the team in place is important and we have a perceived good team in the front office/coaching staff. I can remember Donnie saying that this would be an active off season for the team as it was a crucial one to get to the plan.

Tommy’s comments of “marked signs of improvement” really did not ring true to me. There are some tremendous IFS in those signs of improvement. Hopefully they all play out. The author of the NBA piece (as i pointed out above) really doesnt think our “signs of improvement” are enough to get us to the playoffs this year.

So why be so excited about that? When I think all can agree that a “marked sign of improvement on the court in 2009″ is a necessary piece of the 2010 plan. Along with the stability of the coach and front office.

ALL GOOD GUYS.. GREAT ENTHUSIASM AND COMMENTS..

LETS GO KNICKS.

Fun, isn’t it. I’m a little too old for two a day scrimages though.

LBJ is the ideal fit for success, not the only player who can make the plan work. We do, however, need a franchise player by summer 2011 or the plan, whatever it may be, will be unsuccessful. This is not the time to panic.

The current economy might, ultimately, be in our favor in the long run, even in the free agent market. Financially, we are the haves, the ruling class. If there is an NBA, we will always be able to generate more revenue than most teams. You’re right about the benefits in the trade market. Some pretty good teams don’t have the means to generate income. If the economy continues to hurt them, their fiscal obligations may force them to take desperate actions.

But we may benefit in fa too. Should the cap be set at the lowest projections, teams that have set aside LeBron money, may find the cap has shrunk enough for them to fall short. Less competition. Since complimentary players will be nearly impossible to add to a max, max players might not opt out, and stay until 2011. We can spend our cap on core players in 2010 in this scenario, and have JJ and Curry’s cap space for our franchise player in 2011.

For the country’s sake, let’s hope the economy turns around. But if it doesn’t….

Above comments meant for QAaspec

DANPHONEY will leave before that happens

I cant believe some of you already want Donnie outta town because he passed on Sessions (an dont tell me it’s for something else).

Donnie is a proven GM and THIS FRANCHISE NEEDS STABILITY. Maybe you’re die-hard fans, but the Knicks dont need fans who want the GM fired everytime they take a decision they dont agree with.

I think it all comes down to the fact that you smart guys actually think that you would make a better work that Donnie. Maybe you managed to assemble a roster of all-stars playing at nba 2k9, but believe me you’d probably suck as a Knicks GM.

We finally have a team management we can trust, so let’s support it. Let’s all drink the cool-aid.

qaspec,

Your point is a good one, and one that I thought about posting earlier. (at least the first amendment misunderstanding). HaS and others needed time to vent. That’s OK. Now is the right time to clarify and your post is an excellent one.

HaS’ comments are irrelevant and whether Tommy is right to believe that his comments would escalate into whatever, are too. The point is, Tommy, as owner of a private entity, is the final arbiter. Anyone is free to disagree and object too.

I, too, am fairly new to this blog. I have found few sports blogs, in general, that I enjoy. This place is terrific. Tommy, Chris and Myles have taken heat from posters (I confess) on a regular basis. In fact, they sometimes encourage it. They should be credited for attracting and maintaining an interesting, thoughtful, and provocative group here.

is there anyone here who feels the way i do about max free agent signings?i am an old knickerbocker fan from the mid 60′s.i feel that if the KNICKS give 75million dollars to the best player in the NBA,and the knicks win the whole thing it just seems kind of a hollow victory IMO.i like a team built piece by piece year by year with smart draft picks,small free agent signings and intelligent trades.but this sending sacks full of money to one player to bring prolly one championship just doest do it for me.this is why i would have liked to have signed SESSIONS,this year,next year sign bosh for less than MAX.THE YEAR AFTER MAKE A COUPLE OF SMART SWAPS MAYBE SIGN A 10 MIL FA AND CONTINUE TO BUILD THE TEAM..its fun,its unguarenteed,its what pro sports should be.example:last year yankees end up in 2nd place,this year (WITH ALL THEIR WEALTH N POWER THEY SPEND 200 MILLION,SIGN 3 ALL-STAR POSSIBLE HALL OF FAMERS AND ………..OF COURSE THEY WIN IT ALL BUT ITS ALL HOLLOW EVERYONE KNEW THEY WOULD WIN IT ALL,WHERE IS THE FUN IN THAT.SAME WITH THE CELTICS 2 YEARS AGO,TEAM IS SHITTY GO OUT ,GET RAY ALLEN (hof)AND KEVIN GARNETT(hof) WAS ANYONE SURPRISED? NO …….HOLLOW VICTORY LA LAKERS THEY HAVE KOBE THEY GET PAU GASOL FOR A BAG O POP CORN ANYONE IN BIG SHOCK WHEN THEY WON THE FINALS? DOUBT IT I HOPE THE SMART ONES ,GET MY DRIFT…THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO BUILD A TEAM ,THAT WHEN THEY WIN ITS GREAT!ITS SOMEWHAT OF A SUPRISE ……LITTLE BY LITTLE ,YEAR BY YEAR NOT BY GIVING LEBRON ALL THE MONEY

30? i thought i was optimstic…oh and bob, you were right about sessions…thought id give you credit incase you check back an see this

I had to go back and reread my posts. Thought for a minute that my senility was creeping in.

I never thought that you hated Lee. I ‘ve read many of your posts and I don’t recall hatred being expressed in any of them. My only comment about David is that I look forward to another year watching he and Nate. Perhaps you have me confused with another on that one.

I understand why some would not want David. If you prioritize defense over all other aspects, it’s logical. David has poor defensive instincts. He does have great instincts to get to the right spot to rebound though.

I would argue with any one that says that either David or Nate doesn’t want to, or try to, improve their games. They both give everything they can, all the time. It’s just that David is lacking those instincts and lateral movement and Nate can’t seem to grasp the concept of 5 on 5 basketball. It’s a shame because both have unique skills that can be a great asset to a winning team. If Darko or Hill provide solid defensive backup to limit David’s flaws and Nate finally gets it, we may surprise a lot of teams.

Perhaps Donnie feels that they are still young and can improve. A one year contract buys time. There may be cap room for them after all. Remember, the $50M cap projection is just guidance, not gospel. It’s etched in jello and not stone. Who the hell can have any idea what revenues will look like in this unstable economy. There might be a 64M cap or teams might be disbanding, unable to generate enough revenue to meet expenses.

BTW — stop insisting that David won’t give a hometown discount or won’t take less than 9 or 10M. These are labor negotiations. Should he have started by saying he’d take 7.5M? That’s suicide. Have you ever been in labor/management negotiations? There is a big difference between hometown discount and half price sale. If you reread that interview with David after he spoke to DW, you will see that David showed great maturity and understanding once explained the organizations approach.

I think it’s a good sign that both Nate and David have been practicing at the Knicks facility instead of on their own, especially during what must be a very disappointing and frustrating negotiation process. Makes me think that they envision themselves as Knicks and not just one year rentals. Makes me think that they really want to be part of the solution and future for this team.

IFs, lot of IFs. That, my friend, comes with the territory. Established players bring a certain amount of certainty, young players just potential. If you want to blow up Isiahville and rebuild with young players, you will always be fraught with ifs. They may never reach their potential or they may exceed expectations. The good news is, when players have not yet proven themselves, prognosticators often underestimate their potential records should they gel. If….

Reasons to be excited — It’s been a long time since we got to watch our youngs develop in our system.

Reasons for improvement — Our kids have one more year’s experience and a year in our system under their belts. Players like Al, Hughes, Gallo and even JJ will have a training camp to assimilate the system and not just learn on the fly. I think Darko may be a big surprise, if his confidence isn’t shot. Not because he comes with a great resume, but because he seems to fit our system so well. At any rate, I think he will do more for us than Richardson. And, of course, Eddie’s back (OK, the pictures not all rosy).

I am a little uncomfortable that it was Dolan who chose and trusts Donnie. I rationalize this knowing that even an idiot gets it right occasionally, if only by coincidence. Let’s hope this is one of those times.

I don’t think that it was as much Donnie standing pat, as it was that there were no real good fits for us out there. You can’t make a market if none exists. I continue to believe that this summer is not our best time to buy. We have better leverage as the season progresses and should get excellent value then. Injuries, financial difficulties and teams desperate to get under the luxury cap threshhold should provide these opportunities. With seven expiring contracts, Mobley’s insurance payments and several youngs who we could trade for even better or more seasoned youngs, we could be major players.

It surprises me that I’m this excited about the next few years. I’m usually more cynic than optimist. I just have a gut feeling on this one. With all the misinformation, poor journalism and outright bullshit coming from the various “news sources”, whose to say that gut feelings are not the most accurate barometer.

By the way, if you feel that I’m singling you out specifically to argue with, you’re right. There are a few posters here that usually have thoughtful, interesting perspectives. I know that if I disagree with you, I will in turn receive an entertaining, if not educational, rebuttal, or more, from you. I was kidding when I said that we rarely agree (or something like that). We agree a lot more than that. In truth, you’re just not much fun to play with when we are in agreement.

Enjoy your holiday. Over here they don’t celebrate labor day and I’ve had a long day of work and blogging.

I go back to the same period as you — mid-60′s.

No, there probably isn’t anyone here who feels the way you do about max free agent signings.

Basketball has a more even playing field. Though not perfect, you can’t outspend all others outrageously like the Yankees.

I’ll take LeBron and several championships. It won’t feel hollow at all to me.

I guess I’m just not one of the smart ones!

I like a few others am very happy to have found this blog. Its full of great Knick Fans who just want to win, i happen to think that Gallo will be a very good player this season and for seasons to come. This team was playing very well last season and i really think if we just sign a backup P.G. to give Duhon a break until douglas is ready we will have a pretty good team. Chandler is really good, Darko is gonna do Good in this system, D.lee and N8 are gonna play with chips on their shoulders and i really like Jordan Hill a lot. We have a hungry young team. Thanks for giving me a great place to read about my favorite team and everyone Have A Great Holiday!!!

If Tommy’s more Bill O’Reilly, we will have to be Keith Oberman and drive him nuts. As I said earlier, he attracts some smart, interesting people to his blog. So I don’t really see him as O’Reilly. O’Reilly attracts none.

I think with the two groups it’s more gramatical error than divisiveness. It can go either way though.

I knew you were kidding as was I. (except for the part about the former administration/criminals).

52-30 sounds about right to me too.

Are you a doctor? If you wanted to completely go down that path you could just say “no surgery is minor.”

Like I said AS FAR AS BACK SURGERIES GO, Galo’s bulging disc is relatively minor. There’s nothing ruptured, just some bone that has to be shaved. I’m not saying it’s nothing to be concerned about, I’m just saying that every outlet has described Galo’s operation as minor, not major.

As far as Donnie and 2010, I completely agree. If LBJ and Wade don’t come to NY, I think improvements have to be made in 2010 to prepare for a big splash in 2011.

Im using profanity because you are one.
“Tommy said…” lol is he your daddy?”

Or maybe your too dumb to remember what you posted?
Yea I don’t have all the information all I know is what you and Tommy say and you but all you do is keep wining about it and you wont say what you said and from what Tommy said something inappropriate thats my point….

who said I wanted Donnie fired?

i dont. Dolan would likely give the GM reigns to Herb Williams.

getting work done on a back is far far different than a knee or an ankle.

I think every outlet has said no back surgery is trivial and without long term implications

he had his spine shaved for heavens sake.

I’ll be excited to watch basketball and follow the team during this time of transition and hopefully improvement.

I will be excited to watch Gallo with a hopefully healed up back and see if he is the real deal.

Ill be very excited to see Rookies try to develop their game

Ill even be very excited to see Eddy C and Darko. Who doesnt like a story of rebirth and rising from teh ashes?

But the objective side of me looks at what Donnie said he was going to do this off season and what actually transpired and says there could have and should have been more.

The Playoffs this year needs to be the focus./ Can Donnie make some in season moves? Of Course — even though D’Antoni sounds excited to work with a steady bunch of players all year who are playing for their next contract. I agree with MD that in season moves are disruptive by nature.

Very good comments again . Glad for the banter. Keep up the comments and the optimism.

I never said it was trivial and said it is reason to be concerned. But don’t call it major back surgery when it’s not just because it fits your argument. Shaving bone is not major, spinal fusion is major.

I, too, am a long time Knicks fan and you raise an interesting question. Building a championship team takes time, as you point out and it takes talent to get talent. Back to the glory days it took Bellamy and Komives to get Debushere and then Dave Stallworth to get Earl Monroe and then Cazzie Russell to get Jerry Lucas. Obviously, if we traded each of our current roster for upgrades we would have a better team. Could we win a championship without a super star, probably not. Could one of the members of our current roster, be that super star? maybe? But if that is the case, then do we need to buy a 75 million dollar super star contract? probably not? I have come to the conclusion that winning a championship takes a lot of luck. Go Knicks

Qaspec,

Thanks for responding/commenting like an adult, I could almost accept that reasoning actually. However, that wasn’t the response that Tommy Dee gave me. What he stated in response to my grievance was a cop out. If he admitted his bias, I could begrudgingly accept that, but for him to say he doesn’t want the place to turn into a cesspool? I’m probably the last one he needs to worry about in that department.

At the end of the day,
“it’s his blog and he’ll do what he wants toooo” *singing*

As far as my statement snowballing into worse things with other commenters trying to “one up” my words with their postings, (1) I was commenting on Donnie “In God We Trust” Walsh, so I doubt people would have tried to outdo me there and (2) One would need 20/20 foresight to predict which statement would/could spark a tirade of non-basketball related insults. So, I just don’t buy that this is the sole reason for my comment being obliterated from cyberspace.

As I mentioned before there are people who insult anyone and everyone (players, executives and other posters) here in these threads, admittedly it has never devolved to the level of some other sites and this is not lost on me, but what is good for the goose (players: Marbury, other GMs: Kahn) is good for the gander (Walshie).

Also, how could I not take it personally? It was my comment that was deleted, and I have never heard of anyone else having their statements/comments altered or erased.

I’m not planning on leaving anytime soon, this is still one of the better blogs out there and maybe the best Knicks blog (that I have come across). Although, I initially thought about a boycott, I just may not post as much as I did a while back (these copy and paste Sessions and Rubio stories have stolen my thunder) but there hasn’t been much activity to speak on. So, maybe when there is I’ll be back to my longwinded posts.

For the record I said “coke lines”, that was it, that was the cesspool statement that needed to be “moderated”

I agree with you bob but the pieces the Knicks should have built around got traded for Eddy Curry and Stephon Marbury. How could a team improve “little by little” like you said and be a contender if a GM trades 3 (3!!!) lottery picks for 2 scrubs who are not even good enough to make the playoffs (Eddy Curry and Stephon Marbury)?

The Knicks need LeBron James. ASAP. And I’m not a LeBron fan, I’m more like Skip Bayless (…)

I was reply in full, but you still aren’t reading my full statement, and I keep having to repeat myself to everyone (probably why you think I “keep whining”). I didn’t come at you in a disrespectful way, you initially indirectly called me completely idiotic. “…you people need to go somewhere your Tommy and Donnie bashing is uncalled for and completely idiotic.” I didn’t return your insult then, but when I say you don’t have all the information and shouldn’t comment as if you do, you still are adamant “…Tommy said…” I mean c’mon are you serious? I said it as a joke, he obviously isn’t your daddy, but I apologize.

I said “coke lines” that was the major part of my joke which Tommy took exception to. People have joked about Marbury being on crack, Curry being addicted to cupcakes and every other fattening food. but, whatever I’m dropping it.

Peace and Love.

Once you criticize someone in a public forum, you open yourself up to the opinions of others.
Perhaps you could e-mail Tommy, and resolve the matter privately, therefore putting the issue to sleep.

Don’t go there.

Right on, Van Jones for GM.
After they relocate the team to the former Soviet Republic!

Isiah thought he could get better results in trading draft picks for quality players. Obviously he made some poor choices that were disastrous. We now have a fair number of our own draft picks. Where do we go from here if Lebron does not pan out??

Hey Bob,

um, what, dude?

DR. 2010 here. I’ve got a prescription for you: Seven seconds and smile.

I wasn’t disagreeing with you. As back operations go, it was minor, you misread me. Gallo is young and still growing. In all likelihood he will heal better than an older man. And, as i said, he can still have a successful career.

That being said, my point was that lower back injuries, even nonsurgical ones, have greater long term implications than any other injuries. Chandler will, most likely, have few, if any, limitations from his more major operation. He may be 100% by training camp. Not true with the lower back.

Ask anyone that has had lower back pain and they will tell you that from time to time, the old injury will flair up. There are very few exceptions

Gallo career achievements will hinge on how well he learns to overcome the pain. If it’s minor pain, no problem…it won’t completely disappear. Barkley and LJ thrived despite constant back pain. They pushed through. It did, however, shorten the careers of two very strong, dominant players.

I believe Gallo will have a wonderful career. But his back will forever be an issue. So, it is a different path he travels.

saw you are a musician who likes frank zappa,so am i ,thought you would get that one! SORRY