SI: Knicks’ Best Asset

by Tommy Dee on December 3rd, 2009 at 6:36 am

Via SI’ Ian Thomsen:

“…Instead of drafting Jennings to fill their need for a leader at point guard, the Knicks used the No. 8 pick on power forward Jordan Hill, who is so raw he has earned no more than 7.8 minutes in nine games for 4-14 New York. The Knicks’ choice created gasps of relief in Milwaukee, where the Bucks used the No. 10 pick on Jennings, who was the top player on their board. The 20-year old has turned out better than even the Bucks envisioned while averaging 21.8 points, 5.7 assists and 1.2 steals to lift them to a surprising 9-7 start.

This was not a franchise-killing mistake by the Knicks. Jennings may cool down after his hot start, and Hill may yet learn to fulfill his athletic potential.

The decision to pass on Jennings is above all an example of how Walsh is steadily attempting to transform his franchise without resorting to quick fixes. For one thing, he has continued to rely on a scouting staff assembled by predecessor Isiah Thomas. “When I come in anywhere, I don’t fire everybody,” said Walsh. “I wanted to give the scouts, the front office people, the opportunity to show me what they can do. So I just haven’t [replaced them]…”

…More important to Walsh was his 2008 hiring of coach Mike D’Antoni, who had won 232 games over four full seasons with Phoenix. D’Antoni remains the Knicks’ biggest asset as they move toward free agency with cap space for one max player this summer in addition to a second free agent who can be paid more than the mid-level exception. Walsh has noticed that opposing stars personally greet D’Antoni on the sideline before playing against his Knicks. “Oh yeah, every one of them,” said Walsh. “I think a lot of it had to do with the Olympic team (which D’Antoni served as assistant). The word got around about the way he plays, the way he coaches, and people have liked it… more”

  • itzyung1

    How hard can it be to get Devin Harris right now?

  • BiggieSmalls

    Give it a break..PLayaers always greet coaches who they have had a relationship with. Most old school players like Clyde have spoken about how this is a strong departure from previous years when that would NEVER happen.

    And the decision to pas of Jennings was an example of Donnie not doing his homework before the draft. Even he admits this. There were 9 other teams that passed on him.. not “a lot” as his revisionist history is spinning in this puff piece.

    This hillbilly is out greatest asset? What a joke on this franchise. No wonder the players have tuned him out. The quote about players all having the idea they are not here long term is partly on the coach and partly on the GM for making such ridiculous statements in the media.

    What happens when the hillbilly says that they are all playing for a contract? They hit the club get VIP bottle service?

    How many more losses and guffawing press conferences do we have to see to realize this coach is no good for New York

  • Wheres The D

    Biggie,

    First off, stop with the Hillbilly horseshit. Grow up!!!!

    Secondly, Coach D’Antoni knows what he is doing, he just does not have the horses to get it done right now b/c he has a roster of players that know they are not part of the future and are probably bitter and really do not care about this organization right now. The system works and it did last year when the Knicks were 6-3 before Z-Bo and Crawford were traded and it still works in Phoenix where the Suns are 14-6. When you have a roster of bench players, thats right bench players (we dont have one player on our team that would start on a good team including Lee and AL) this is what you get, a 4-15 mess. When Walsh came in here, he said we need to get under the cap for 2010 and that tbe next 2 years would be a struggle as they move to do that. Everyone knew this would happen and yet you are still upset by it, but you’ll be the first one on here singing praises if we get LeBron or Wade or any combo of star FA’s this offseason. Wait until training camp of next year before you wanna fire anyone. See what the finished product looks like first.

  • Heri

    I’m very critical of D, but it’s too early to give him the boot.

  • JASONHAYES

    @ Where’s the D, you are 1000% correct. I been saying the same thing. The players are no good for this team. I don’t care who you bring in here as coach, the results will be the same, so everyone needs to get off Coach D’s case. Not one player would start on a good team, not even Coward Lee! Lets judge him and Donnie in the summer of 2010.

  • Heri

    I hate a seven man rotation. Rookies should play over Jeffries and Duhon. It took two to tango in the Marbury fiasco.

    The season brings high and lows. It’s easy to criticize after the facts. It’s way too early to fire D.

  • BiggieSmalls

    I love how we are now critical of the players when pre season everyone thought we had the pieces to compete for a playoff spot.

    Just more excuses.

    I am not impressed by what I’ve see from the hillbilly carpetbagger (he is from West Virginia in case you didnt know)

    I can assure you I am fully grown and have slept on this and the feeling are the same.

    The players have given up on the coach and the coach has given up on the year.

    This is Your New York Knicks

    Declare.

  • BiggieSmalls

    7 man rotation isnt changing. That is a hall mark of this coaches sytle.

    Burn out the horses until they fall apart in the playoffs.

    Another brick in the wall.

  • BiggieSmalls

    where were you guys on the pre season evaluations?

    just curious.

  • Heri

    D hasn’t been sticking to a seven rotation. He may recently been wanting to improve the record.

  • Heri

    With the decent youth on the bench, the mid point until the end, shouldn’t be a seven rotation. It won’t be.

  • Bob go knicks

    not me! i never,ever thought that this roster was worth a hill of shit,and you can go back to my posts in july and check.everyone on this site was overating players like DUHON AND CHANDLER,while i was saying “what are you talking about”?

  • BiggieSmalls

    he had a short rotation in Phoenix and has said many many times that his goal is to have a short rotation.

    The 8th man MAY play a few minutes.. but this coach plays a very short rotation. Incredibly short given the pave that he wants to play at.

    that was one of my Beefs with the guy when he was hired. I had hoped he would moderate that and figure out that you cant play 7 guys 40 minutes a game and be successful in a deep play off run..

  • Bob go knicks

    i still think though that D’ANTONI isnt the right coach for this rebuilding project.i always thought you rebuilt with defense.and plus ,just cuz im old school,i find this running up n down court,hoisting up threes is boring.id much rather watch “TOUGH” defensive oriented basketball.plus i kinda think D’antoni is kinda phony.hes kinda like a high school coach i had where he loved some guys to a fault(PETS) others he didnt even pay any attention to

  • The_Guy

    This is disgraceful. Now Donnie Walsh is throwing his scouts under the bus for passing on Brandon Jennings? Wow.

    And this stuff about other teams passing on him is stupid. Who cares. WE passed on him. That’s the problem in every damn draft. There’s always a star in every draft and we always seem to pick someone else.

    Walsh can’t even get it right in free agency. His one free agent signing since he got here was Chris Duhon. How’s that working out? I’d like to see him blame the scouts for that one.

  • Heri

    I agree, but it hasn’t been a problem this season yet, and I don’t expect it to be due the youth on the bench and trades.

  • BiggieSmalls

    you’ve been spot on with respect to this coach since day One Bob.

  • Wheres The D

    I thought at best that they would be around where they were last year, give or take a few wins.

    Unfortunately I wasnt posting on here, so I have no proof for you guys, but take my word on it.

  • BiggieSmalls

    he blames D’Antoni for that one as the hillbilly recommended him on after talking to Coach K at Duke.

    That’s why this coach continues to play a fatally flawed player — He is one of D’Antoni’s guys./

    playing favorites is par for the course with this imbecile.

  • JASONHAYES

    “KNICKS ARE FED UP WITH LOSING!”
    http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=14545

  • Wheres The D

    First off, so what if he is from West Virginia, but that is neither here nor there.

    Secondly, I never ever thought we had the pieces to make a playoff run, it was essentially the same team as last year. An extra year of experience was not going to be enough to make this team a playoff team.

  • BiggieSmalls

    so with 4 wins after 20% of the season has passed this coach gets a complete pass?

    its all on the players? the same “young core” and “d’Antoni players” that you underestimated by 50%?

  • Wheres The D

    Who do you expect him to sign when all he has to throw at players is the mid-level exception and last year he wasnt giving more than a two year deal and this past year he wasnt giving more than a one year deal so he could keep his cap space…so tell which star player was gonna jump for a deal like that…NO ONE!

    Your type of thinking was shared by isiah Thomas and thats what got us into this mess anyway.

    We finally have a GM that thinks about our future and all you guys that are complaining are whining “What about this year?” Its that type of fan mentality that makes people say its impossible to re-build in NY and that is what Walsh is doing…REBUILDING!!!!! FINALLY!!!!

  • JASONHAYES

    We had big expectations that we should have had. We won 32 games last year, and lost 18 games by 5 points or less. We competed last year, who knew that the players would regress. I figured they would learn from that and improve. Was anyone bashing D’antoni last season……”hell no”. Most of you guys were just as excited about the new regime because you were tired of Isiah. So stop complaining the coach now.

    Big. I don’t see no one in the NBA going to hug Doc Rivers, George Karl, Phil Jackson, etc, before the games.

  • BiggieSmalls

    i dint think we were a playoff team either.

    But i thought we were more than a 20 win team and i thought the players would come out and compete for the coach that they supposedly all “loved playing for” and they all “wanted to be a part of what was going on here” blah blah blah..

    wel the players checked out after 10 games and the coach has checked out on the season.

    awful job of 1. managing expectations (saying we were a playoff team before the season) 2. getting the most out of the assets given to him. 3. developing the young players 4. adapting the philosophy to the situation.

    if you saw the press conference last nite he looked like a deer in the headlights. “It says here it was a coaches decision” what a moron.

  • bockersORbriefs

    So stamina is not a problem yet, huh? Breen kept saying last night that the Knicks had “tired legs” because of the back to back. And this after a game that was a blow-out without the:7 players or less” logging huge minutes. They’re 0-5 in back to backs so far this year !

  • illsun

    “When the draft room opens up, you’ve got to tell me what you think and don’t play politics with it,” he said, while acknowledging that he must differentiate the boldly-opinionated scouts from the fence-sitters who bend with the prevailing opinion. “Unfortunately, every scouting room does do that — they check out where the coach is, you know, and they try to align themselves. I knew who they were in Indiana; here I didn’t quite know.

    LOVE THIS QUOTE… great inside info.

    great article.

  • illsun

    the above quote is from donnie walsh

  • BiggieSmalls

    i love how the article mentions Orlando’s “goofy and fun” locker room atmosphere as an asset but a “goofy and fun” player such as Nate is considered a detriment to “winning”/..

    what a joke.

  • Wheres The D

    D’Antoni players? The only D’Antoni players on this team are Gallo, TD, Landry and Hill. Everyone else is either an Isiah player (Jared “I Left my game at Indiana” Jeffries, Eddy “I Eat Everything But” Curry, No D-Lee, Nate-I Hate and Will the Shill), a guy that was brought in here to help clear cap space (AL Fuckits, Larry P-Hughes) or roster filler (Duhon-estly Sux and Darko).

    Next Year’s roster will be D’Antoni’s players, Biggie.

  • BiggieSmalls

    Seven players or less… well played.

  • illsun

    More off the cuff quotes from a very honest Donnie Walsh.
    i love his honesty. hes so forthcoming.

    “If a younger guy took this job, the pressures on him [would] be tremendous to do something to make this team better this year,” said Walsh from his courtside seat Tuesday during the pregame warmups. “I’m not there anymore. In fact, a couple of young GMs called me up (after the Knicks hired him in April 2008) and said, ‘Congratulations on New York … but boy, you’ve got a tough job.’

    “I said, ‘Let me tell you something. If you’re going to take a job like this, make sure it’s your last job. Because if you’re trying to build your reputation it might be harder on a (young) guy. I’ve had my day in the sun and all that.”

  • JASONHAYES

    I understand the point there making. Orlando has the best record in the East, they can afford to be “goofy and fun”, but when you’ve been losing all your career, there is nothing to be “goofy and fun” about. When the knicks start winning, it will be good to be goofy.

  • joetheknick

    Biggie: it is clear you have lost confidence in D’Antoni (if you ever had confidence in him) but what is this “failure to manage expectations” stuff. D’Antoni has consistently said he expects to win every game. Have you ever heard a head coach say ” I expect to lose the next — games” Get serious please.

  • BiggieSmalls

    Jared is supposedly a D’Antoni favorite and he has been mentioned as the type of player that can “excel in this system”

    Same with Lee.

    When Coach came here he talked about Nate being just the type of player he looks for.

    Duhon was a person choice of D;Antoni’s to run his system and that is ALL on him.

    Buckets and Hughes were also thought o be able to “excel in this system”

    I love how now all these players who were supposed to be “fits for the system” are now useless scrubs that are just taking up roster spots.

    NO blamne on the coach AT ALL for this mess?

    What’s with the “Where’s the D” alias? Where IS the D? good question. Guess that isnt on the coach either.

  • Heri

    I agree with Dee, not drafting Jennings isn’t a franchise killing mistake. He started out hot and should be good, but only time will tell, and who will the Knicks have at the point? Walsh must have it in mind when the draft was deep in points and not one drafted. I think I know who he had in mind to play the point and is on the things to do list.

  • BiggieSmalls

    MDA said he thought he had a 40 win team that could compete for the 8 slot.

    Ive heard coaches say we dont have very much talent but we are going to compete hard every night and put on a good show for the fans by giving them something they can be proud of and the record will take care of itself

    that is managing expectations.

    If he thought he had a 40 win team before the season what changed and what is he doing to fix it? looks like nothing.

  • Wheres The D

    I thought we would be better than 20 as well, but I feared having this many players on one year contracts as they all knew they were going to be gone after this year (Lee and Nate realize it too as they were only given one-year “thanks for all you have done for the Knicks” pity contracts).

    Managing expectations? What did you want him to say? Oh yeah, we are not that good and uh we’d be lucky to win as many as last year? Of course he is gonna say we have a shot at the playoffs.

    He got the most out of his assets last year, this year the players know they are out after this year, the read it in the papers every day, the hear it on the radio and they see it on TV. They know everybody is waiting for LeBron, Wade or Bosh to come here next season and they are probably sick of it and probably jealous of it. Thats why they quit.

    Developing young players is starting to happen, plays are being run for Gallo, TD has taken Nate’s minutes and Hill got a whole quarter of playing time last night. D’Antoni wanted to give his vets a chance to win this year whiling earning a contract next year whether from the Knicks or someone else and how do they respond – BY QUITTING! (and he has to play Curry and Jeffries to build up trade value and I do believe a playoff contender will take on Jeffries b/c he does do the little things and Curry should man up and realize he has done nothing for this organization in the last three years and not exercise his option, but we know that wont happen).

    Deer in Headlights? What are you talking about? He took the media by the throat and said in nice terms, I am not bashing my players to you guys and that it is an in-house matter and to leave it at that. Thats how it should be and the media and fans should not be privy to that information. Isiah ran his mouth and the organization turned into a circus under his tenure…I for one am glad D’Antoni is doing the opposite of Isiah.

    He is not going to adapt b/c he wants the players that are going to be here after this year to know his system going forward. Where this falls on Walsh, is that this roster should have a few more players that can play Mike’s way, but I am sure that he fixes that this upcoming offseason now that he has cap space.

  • illsun

    umm.. an 8 seed. is not that high of an expectation.
    its borderline playoffs.

  • bockersORbriefs

    The SI piece is so bogus … How can they imply that taking Brandon Jennings would have been a “quick fix” ?!?! OK, taking a 20 year old at a position that the team & this coach’s offense desperately need is a QUICK FIX ? Give me a freekin break …. And the garbage about “alot of other gms passed on him” is also garbage. At least 4 of the teams in front of our pick didn’t NEED a PG, including Golden State ! So, D-Walsh is being “candid & open” about scouting & drafting and all … but he’s also being disingenuous about how many other gms “failed” to do their homework on BJ. That part of the article is laughable!

  • The_Guy

    @ – Where’s the D – REBUILDING? Is that what you call this? You don’t seem to know what rebuilding is. What Oklahoma City is doing is rebuilding.

    They have a young superstar in Kevin Durant, a stud PG in Russell Westbrook, a brilliant young GM in Sam Presti, and a ton of cap room next year.

    That’s how you rebuild.

    That’s how winning teams do it. Get it right in the draft. Alot of people thought Westbrook was a reach at # 4 a few yrs ago, but Presti didn’t care. He was their man, and he was dead on. Why? Because he did his homework on him.

    Last year, 30 teams knew Nenad Kristic was available after leaving his Euroleague team, but Presti pulled the trigger. Where was Donnie Walsh? You mean to tell me the Knicks couldn’t use a good young Center?

    Walsh’s big free agent signing was Chris “Worst PG in the league” Duhon.

    But it’s ok to have a team with 8 free agents, no star, no draft pick, no PG, because we’re all holding out for the hope that maybe a star might come and save us. Maybe we’ll find some team stupid enough to trade for Jared Jeffries or Eddy Curry so we can MAYBE sign 2 stars.That’ll excuse the blown draft picks and FA signings.

    Yeah, keep drinking that Kool Aid buddy. Have another cup.

  • Boots

    Biggie,
    I respectyour B-Ball knowledge and opinions, but the “Hillbilly” stuff is beneath you. It doesn’t matter where he’s from. It does matter how he’s doing his job. Knock that, but not his origin.

    Not everybody from a rural state is a hillbilly. it is an insulting comment to those of us who have country backgrounds.

    How would it go down if the Knicks had hired Mark Jackson, for example, and because he has a city origin, we refer to him as the “Ghetto Skell” or some such ad hominum attack. Same level of insult.

    I prefer TKB because people actually discuss basketball. The name-calling around here is starting to turn it into a snarky place for guys trying to be clever with a player or coach’s name rather than sticking to what the point is here – Knicks Basketball. If it is about name-calling, we could all hang out on the boards dominated by 14 and 15 year olds.

    No disrespect to you, but let your highly-respected knowledge and opinion do the talking, not the name-calling. That’s all I’m asking.

  • illsun

    gawd, youre so annoying.

    hilbilly ? how old are you ?

  • Wheres The D

    Its different to be goofy and fun in the locker room and being goofy on the court…Nate pounding his chest and show-boating to the fans last Sunday while scoring his 24 points while still being down 14 is being goofy at the wrong time.

  • Wheres The D

    Where is the full article, I want to read it. Do you have a link?

  • illsun

    wow.. so now he cant compliment a player without that player becoming HIS player.

    Give me a break

    Grow up.

  • BiggieSmalls

    Im not an Isaih apologist but he never “ran his mouth” at players in the media/

    it was Larry Brown who constantly went to the media and complained about players.

    Im glad you agree the players have quit. you blame the players who should be motivated by getting their next contract and not the coach who is not motivated by anything but dreaming about getting a superstar player next year.

    you’d think players would be motivated to play next year for the coach “everyone loves to play for” in a system “everyone loves to play in”

    Knicks lose to Nets on Sunday.. what you wanna bet?

  • BiggieSmalls

    sorry if you were offended.

    When I address the facts I get slamed with plenty of name calling..

    Par for the course on the Internets. yu cant get away from it.

  • illsun

    So since people call you names on the internets, its okay for you to call people names ?
    Does not compute.

  • Heri

    Be bummed out to a certain point, but this is a virgin season. 2010 starts in 28 days. Let the low come and the high follow. 3-4 games out of the playoffs with 69 games to play isn’t the end of the world.

  • BiggieSmalls

    do you add anything to the discussion other than snide comments?

  • illsun

    click on the blue letters right below Tommy Dee’s mugshot at the top of the post.

    but here it is also.

    http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ian_thomsen/12/02/knicks/index.html

    alot of great quotes from Donnie.
    I have to admit. Ive been a fan of his from his pacers days just becuase he was always so candid. especialyl on teh podcasts Chad Ford used to do two seasons ago.

    Donnie would talk about everything so honestly for like 45 minutes.
    I geuss people cut the BS when they know theyre approaching deaths door.
    pretty cool.

  • BiggieSmalls

    it happens when people hide behind a keyboard.. like telling people they dont know to “grow up”

  • BiggieSmalls

    another snarky comment that adds nothing.. that’s how many on this thread?

  • illsun

    thats so true.

    winning is the ultimate deoderant. and hte media and popular opinion is a fickle fickle mistress

  • illsun

    scroll down, tough guy.

  • illsun

    also, i was letting you know that just because D’antoni compiments a player does not automatically make them HIS TYPE of player.

    Do you expect him to never say a good thing about any of his players ?

  • Wheres The D

    Its easy to re-build when you have Kevin Durant and how do you get a guy like that in the draft, by sucking the year before and having the luck of a ping pong ball – thats how. The Knicks have drafted no higher than six over the last four times that they have been in the lottery and the one time they would have been #2, Isiah traded the pick for EDDY CURRY. Also remember that Isiah Thomas also did not strike gold when he had the #8 pick either, he picked Channing Frye and passed on Andrew Bynum and Danny Granger…oh and who picked Granger later in that draft…DONNIE WALSH.

    With regards to Westbrook, Walsh would have taken him over Gallo had he fallen to us, that was the guy Donnie wanted, but he cant control who the other GMs take above him – same with the last draft. He was #8 in a 7 player draft, he wanted Stephen Curry or Rubio, not Hill, but took what he thought was the best player on the board at the time in Hill, after is first and second choices were off the board.

    Nenad Kristic is not worth a 3-year deal that would ruin our cap space situation…sorry there buddy…think what you want on that one.

  • Wheres The D

    Also Kristic is getting paid $5 Million Dollars while averaging 8 points and 5 rebounds per game buddy. I am glad your not the GM.

  • illsun

    Just a side note, The Knicks had westbrook at the top of their draftboard as well.

    I remember reading an article about that.

  • Wheres The D

    LOL…didnt realize you were posting quoted from Tommy’s link. Sorry about that. Thanks for re-posting.

  • The_Guy

    That’s right. OKC got Durant because they sucked the year before. and the Knicks didn’t? I remember the last 2 yrs, the Knicks being UNWATCHABLE but yet having only a 6th and an 8th pick to show for it.

    I remember them winning meaningless games at the end of the last 2 seasons, when other teams were resting their starters, when they should’ve been tanking. If you’re gonna play to win, play to win a championship. Don’t play to have the best record of all the teams in the lottery that’s just stupid.

    That’s why this team is stuck in the limbo that it is. They’re not good enough to win, and they’re not bad enough to win the lottery. Donnie Walsh can talk all he wants about how he wanted Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook, but yet his team missed out on drafting the by only a couple of wins.

    The irony here is that they just may win the lottery in next year’s draft. Too bad Utah’s getting our pick.

    As for Kristic, who said we had to give him a 3 yr deal? We could’ve signed him for 2 yrs the way we did Duhon. He played in NJ so I’m sure he’s already quite familiar with NY, so I’m sure he would’ve taken a 2 yr deal to play here instead of OKC.

  • Wheres The D

    Biggie,

    We can go back and forth all day about who quit and why. Bottom line I am willing to wait until next year before I jump on the fire D’Antoni bandwagon.

    To be honest, was he my first choice as head coach…no…I love defensive teams so I wanted that type of coach, but Walsh thought otherwise. Now I have seen what D’Antoni’s system do when he has the players. He just doesnt have them here.

  • Wheres The D

    I apologize for telling you to grow up…the hillbilly comments just aggravate me. Bad mouth his coaching style, his sub patterns, etc. Dont trash where someone grew up.

  • Campbana

    I too am offended Biggs. Hillbilly is not accurate and is also demeaing of Coach D. Perhaps “Farmer” would suffice as it eludes to the dumbed down enviornment he is currently cultivating at MSG.

  • Wheres The D

    I agree on that sentiment with regards to tanking for the better pick, but the Gallo draft pick was the draft after Isiah was the coach trying to save his job, off course he was gonna play to win every last game. Nothing Walsh could do there. Last season is on Walsh and D’Antoni to tank…you are 100% right there.

    And not having the pick in the upcoming draft is on Isiah as well, cant blame Walsh there.

    Kristic was still property of the Nets at the time of him signing with OKC and they had the right to match any offer, OKC offered 3 yrs 15 mil – if we offered 2 years at 10 mil – two scenarios would have happened 1. He would have went for more money with OKC or 2. he would have taken our offer and the Nets would have matched because it was probably in line with what they could afford.

  • illsun

    a predraft article*

  • BiggieSmalls

    ok Farmer.. does that make you happy? LMAO..

    Im offended by this coach who .. oh never mind.. im banging my head against the wall..

    ive seen enough of this coach to get off teh fence Ive been on regarding his style, personality and ability to motivate players.

    Im soirry Mike D. we’re breaking up.. time to move on.. no sense trying to convince me otherwise.

    I want my New York Knicks Back. Bring back Jeff Van Gundy for heavens sake.

  • Boots

    Hey don’t knock HS coaches. :-) Most HS coaches know enough to preach defense when they have no offensive talent. Everybody can move his or her feet and hustle on D. In that respect, he isn’t showing the savy that a HS coach rebuilding a program would show.

    When you don’t have the shooters, you live on turnovers, steals and lay-ups afte the steal. PD orSD. Play Defense or Sit Down.

    As for favoritism. That is the fastest way to lose a team and then your job. I still believe that part of the Gallo “freeze-out” that is now thawing a bit, is the result of D’Antoni’s statements about his shooting skills, etc. and seeming favoritism towards Gallo. Sitting Gallo down after a couple of defensive lapses is the best thing that he can do for Gallo’s defensive concentration and making him part of the team.

  • Boots

    “I want my New York Knicks Back. Bring back Jeff Van Gundy for heavens sake.”

    +1

    I too miss JVG.

  • Wheres The D

    I would love for JVG to come back, but hell would have to freeze over before that happened.

  • Rene

    Heri your right on 2010 is that close and Donnie got us there,the Gallo pick could turn into Birdlike,let’s wait abit before we evaluate drafts,I loved Gordan too but Gallo could turnout to be the best pick the last three drafts so before many jump on the Jennings bandwagon he had signs of being a N8 or worst Marlbury out of control dickhead ,so it was fair for the Knicks to pass on him IMO considering they where coming off the worst headcase which will cost them a pick this year and I like Isiah draft scouting so I don’t mind their current staff.If we get one star along with Lebron we would be allright,Gallo can be that star,I’ll Will mental level has been discust and I say give him some more time,coming off an injury could be tough and he might still turnout to be a real good player ,let’s not forget he’s our best defender.Gallo,Lee,Lebron and a recovered Chandler still might be a great nucleus

  • ds2488

    I don’t get all the people who come on here and call anyone who tries to be patient with the Knicks Kool-Aid drinkers. DW inherited one of the biggest messes of a roster probably in the history of the league, with no chance to improve in free agency for years to come. He was able to work a miracle and somehow unload Crawfords and Randolph’s contract without givign up any draft picks. Those guys are now a 6th man on a good team and one of the go-to-guys on a terrible team. And Dantoni has no players that fit his system, and people should know that as all these guys are here simply because they have expiring contracts and DW was able to get some talent back in exchange for Craw and Randoplh terrible contracts. And no other team in the lottery needed a pg and passed on Jennings? All those teams suck and need any talent they can get that is a ridiculous argument. And since Jennings “HOF” start he has been playing really poorly. He is shooting around 30% the last week or 2 and getting badly outplayed by Luke Ridnour. To top that off, he kind of got schooled last night by Earl Boykins of all people. People need to relax with these snap judgements about draft picks that haven’t had any time to develop. Let Hill get playing time and then make some useful judgements, these less than a year judgements are pretty unfair. Ok rant over. Ill just go drink my kool-aid now.

  • HaS

    I, for one, didn’t like _’antoni last year. I quickly tired of his penchant for blaming every loss on not “hitting shots” even after giving up 120 pts. Really? Defense couldn’t have helped in a 5 point loss where you gave up 110-120 pts in regulation?

    Who cares if he gets hugs from opposing players? Give me a break.

  • HaS

    That’s his modus operandi Big.

  • The_Guy

    Brandon Jennings’ team has a winning record. And he’s a major reason why. He may be shooting 42% from the field, but he’s shooting 47% from 3. What’ s Chris Duhon shooting? Which PG is helping his team more?

    And better yet, what’s Jordan Hill done for the Knicks this season? And why can’t he crack the rotation but Toney Douglas can? The Knicks drafted 2 backups this year when they could’ve had a star.

    Argument over. Have a second cup.

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    good post..

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    what up heri
    longtime

  • Bob go knicks

    hillbilly is supposed to be demeaning

  • Bob go knicks

    illsun,you gripe about bloggers who call coach d’antoni names ,yet you call everyone on this blog names!

  • Bob go knicks

    decent youth on the bench” is a matter of opinion

  • ds2488

    Haha nice answer The guy. Hill has really had a great chance to show what he can do. Let me say this again: Luke Ridnour is outplaying Jennings as of the moment. Do you understand that? I happen to think Jennings is great and was the guy we should have drafted, but all rookies and young guys are very streaky and inconsistent. Ill have another cup gladly because it seems to be much better than the stuff your drinking. Why don’t you just telling people to drink kool-aid Im sure you could have turned this team around in a second and had them in the finals this year. haha.

  • donnie walsh

    The fact that the coach is the best asset the team has is just a sugar coated way of saying that the players are awful. How can you not see that.

  • BobbyFromBK

    First off, The Knicks record was 6-5 when old man Walsh traded Z-Bo and J-Craw. And second, the guy who wrote this article was probably promised a nice cushy job on 33rd st. It’s all hype.

  • Mucha

    The Sonics/Thunder had :

    2007 : The 2nd pick and 5th pick of a “top-loaded” draft (Knicks 23rd pick)
    2008 : The 4th pick in a great draft (Knicks 6th pick)
    2009 : The 3rd pick with the best shooting guard still on the board (Knicks 8th pick)

    They were always ahead of us. 4 top 5 picks in a row (4!!!), it’s not even fair. They just couldn’t go wrong.

    But the Knicks should have tanked for Blake Griffin or Tyreke Evans last season, I didn’t even care about the record.

  • msm

    This is my first comment on this site. I have been a fan for over 40 years. It’s always the same with b-ball. Defense wins. Defense is provided mainly by big men who have the ability to influence shots which creates transition and generally high % shots. B/C our bigs are undersized and little ability to play D it affects the whole team. It’s the responsibility of management to recognize the talent it takes to win. For Walsh to take Gallinari over Lopez while having an undersized Lee or an out of shape Curry showed me that he doesn’t recognize what it takes to succeed. He did take Hill last year but it looks like he is not the player they thought they were getting although he could develop. When your lottery pick can’t crack the rotation on a team with a bad record, it’s likely you made a mistake. I’m not down on the coach b/c he doesn’t have the talent to compete imo.

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