Jonathan Bender Tonight on TKB Radio

I don’t think AW has even the slightest idea what he’s talking about in this case. OF COURSE, the waiting for 2010 is going to upset some players. Do we care? Does management care? The Heat, Timberwolves, Nets all doing the same thing…..

Saying Knicks should have took Jennings instead of Hill is 20/20 hinsight at its most hilarious. Jennings was so sure about his high pick status, he didn’t even sit in the green room on draft night. He thought he’d be out of the lottery. But of course, AW knew it all and had a crystal ball.

Everyone likes to berate the Knicks. If Knicks take on long term contracts, they have no patience and are a free spending, big market irresponsible organization. If they show patience and financial restraint, they are p0ssing off players, making a mockery of the game, and of course, no one will EVER come to NYK under these conditions. The media is laughable.

Meanwhile, AW doesn’t mention the Knicks are playing great basketball. That conveniently got thrown out. Doesn’t mention that the STAR players, you know, the ones that matter, LOVE coach Mike and could attract them to play in NY. Doesn’t mention that many of these players, Hughes, Harrington, Darko, Curry (soon) are simply high priced castoffs and won’t be around anyway soon……

To be fair, Coach D DOES seem stubborn. He’s very tight with rotation. Seems to get stuck in his methodology. But ya know what? Many great coaches are. SVG seems like a stubborn guy. I’m sure Riley is. Larry Brown is famous for casting off players. Maybe having an ego isn’t the worst thing……

Just some thoughts…..as a fan, I’m very on board for 2010, and the winning now is simply nice gravy.

D’Antoni made no mistake when he came to New York for fame and fortune. Like many successful people he is driven to win and is a very poor loser. We knick’s fans could do worse than have a coach who hates to lose. You can see D’Antoni’s body language when things are not going well on the court. I have no problem with D’Antoni. He wants players who buy into his system. It is a system that has worked for him. Keep up the good work. I believe history will prove New York was the place to be for MD.

Ok the whole waiting on 2010 for Free Agents upsetting current players is ridiculous. I’m sure they feel that way but they are professional athletes getting paid for this year. If anything these guys with their contracts expiring should be playing harder to get a new contract on the Knicks or elsewhere.
And the Jennings argument, yes its too bad the Knicks did not draft him but I as a Knick fan have no regrets about them not drafting him. I really did not like the kid’s attitude prior to the draft and in my eyes I saw another Stephon Marbury in the making. Last thing this ball club needs is drama because we’ve had it for quite some time and still have some with the whole Nate Robinson situation.
Anyone that has played under D’Antoni knows he’s a good coach and a players coach. If you don’t get along with him its because your not doing what your told to do.
The Knicks are winning right now and I hope this continues….

The timing of this article seems really odd, given the recent winning streak and the fact that D’Antoni is really leaning on some of the veterans with expiring contracts – Hughes and Al, most notably – in an effort to keep everyone playing hard.

The fact that the column doesn’t even mention the Nate Robinson situation leads me to believe that the content was written earlier in the season and shelved…and shelved…and shelved. Why it came out now I have no idea.

Did Stephon Marbury write that article? =)

Sorry, I need to go off topic for a sec… Pryzbilla is now out for the season along with Oden! This can be huge for the Knicks. The Blazers have to get a center from somewhere.. TD, do u think they will be at all interested in JJ or Curry with their current situation? Fellas, what do u think?

Even at the time most people thought D’antoni should have picked chicago over ny. But Walsh convinced him to come here instead. You have to give him credit for that. There aren’t many star coaches in this league that can make decisions without the fear of being fired. That’s what you want from your coach as a fan. It’s too early to criticize the draft picks as failures too. Especially Hill, it’s been what 2 months, come on. How long has this guy been watching the nba really?

Honestly the Blazers could pick up a 7 footer from the d-league who is better and CHEAPER than curry and jeffries. Getting rid of them is going to be a miracle.

I have no problem with a coach letting his players know who the boss is. We have all heard the rumors that at certain points in the last season and a half that MD gave his players too much freedom on both ends of the floor (See Robinson, Nate) which led to too much 1-on-1 play on offense and players out of position on defense.

Remember how happy everyone was when Pat Riley and JVG were hired in the 90′s? Well I remember how both tenures ended here too. I prefer he be unhappy at first, maybe we’ll all be happy at the end of this story….

wow, that was just a bad article. that is all i have to say.

This is a really odd article. I didn’t know AW was omniscient and could divine why D’antoni chose NY over Chicago! Additionally he appears to be a draft expert-after the fact. I don’t love everything that ahs happened over the last two years but if you have watched this team you can see that their games are elevating and the team is playing well…that’s a combination of coaching and player pride working together…can we say the same about chicago?…that team is going in reverse.

Maybe the tight rotation is a representation of who is on the coaches page…and who is not.

I’m glad that D’A is tight about creating a controlled structure and that he is an ego maniac about his ways. And he has proved me and others wrong — he does care about defense and is doing things pretty well now that the players know how to play together. Yes, they need a better bench and 9 or 10 men in the rotation, but he does not have that now. All great coaches are and need to be ego maniacs and go with their system in order to win and get millionaire athletes to play hard. And to right the disaster that IT left behind it is necessary to have some rigid control. D’A and DW took on the most difficult jobs in all of pro sports considering the expectations for a NYC pro team and I give them kudos for what they seem to be working at. D’A's stress level is humongous. Imagine what he has to deal with . This time next year things might be looking much rosier and most here will be pretty happy. We shall see.

AW seems to be a Chicago guy and he’s pissed off that the Bulls got stuck with Del Negro. First of all, Jordan Hill is not ‘stiff’. Raw, yes, not having an immediate impact obviously – but athletic, energetic, and skilled. D’antoni obviously doesn’t like to trust rookies. Jennings is obviously a good player but it’s a little early, and also a baseless assumption that Jennings was the guy D’antoni wanted.

Meanwhile, the Bulls let Ben Gordon go. Their management has always undervalued him and they let him sign elsewhere… why did they do that? Because they gave Hinrich too much money? Speaking of money, why didn’t they offer D’antoni as much as the Knicks did?

And really, I mean, when the Knicks were 1-9 it made sense to write this article – but, hello! The Knicks have been playing very well lately. And the Bulls have looked like the Knicks did in the first 10 games of the season. The Knicks are getting better – the Bulls are getting worse. D’antoni can bring up his cred because he has some. Del Negro has to build it – and it looks like he isn’t doing that great a job.

Meanwhile, it’s not a myth to say that LeBron and Wade and other star players do like D’antoni. Also, the Knicks have some talent. They have a few unselfish players that know how to develop chemistry with other players – Lee, Gallo, even Duhon. They have guys that care about defense on their team too- Gallo, Chandler, Douglas….

If both teams keep playing the way they’re playing, it is the Bulls that will be the lottery team. Maybe they’ll get the top pick again. Maybe they’ll pick a good player and mismanage the situation some more. Del Negro does not seem to be a genius of a coach, but maybe the Bulls players aren’t so great either. They let the best one, Ben Gordon, go for nothing and then they think that they’re just so great they can just absorb that.

Sour grapes, Woj.

This NY media for you folks even if your winning they won’t to bash the coach and team i bet even if knicks sign lebron and lee back they will find something negative to talk about =(

I don’t read yahoo sports, but I have heard the bloggers on this website praise them for their nba coverage. Half way through the article I honestly thought it was written a month ago. Has this guy been following the knicks or bulls the last month? This is a weak example from yahoo sports. I’m sure most of their stuff is good, but this article is laughable.

AGREED.

Woj is an idiot!

He gets one good scoop from an agent over the summer and earns a level of respect he simply doesn’t deserve.

What idiot FA would go to Chicago at this point instead of NY unless they were simply afraid of the media spotlight?

I usually enjoy reading Woj’s stuff – he is usually poignant, insightful and occasionally humorous but this column just seems baseless and crass. The only point that I agree with is that the Knicks should have taken Jennings over Hill but that point has been echoed for a while now.

Just reading the article again, it seems the flow and structure is off. It looks like he had a good idea for an article – namely that the Bulls blew the hire and D’Antoni chased the money and potential cache of NY (which is only half true – he also wanted to work for a GM that he could trust and would empower him, something Kerr didn’t do and the Bulls would not do.) However, in the process of crafting the article the Knicks started winning – “That was two months ago and this is now. New York has a Garden winning streak of six games, and New York isn’t on his case for the holidays.” seems like a line that was just thrown in to give some current perspective.

I have my doubts about the system, D’ego and Walsh too. I have no doubt D’antoni is a great basketball mind but does that transfer over to championships? It hasn’t yet even with is 60 win teams….60 wins and no championship….big deal. Walsh has a good track record picking talent but again has never assembled a champ.

Whatever it is I do not like about them means nothing if they win some championships here. So I personally have no problem giving them a few years to get competitive and then see were it goes from there.

Let’s get competitive first. Right now we are playing pretty good basketball even with the GLARING deficiencies at PG and center. But as I wrote in another post people who understand the system should know it’s not predicated on having a PG nor a center. It’s about 5 guys named Moe who all have the skill set to play every position. I don’t think people understand that. ALL 5 players must be able to handle the rock, pass, shoot, drive, play defense and help defense, even block a shot. So the concept of having a true center or even PG is not part of it and not necessary in D’Antoni’s system.

Of course technically D’Antoni is correct, but that’s in a perfect world. Not the specialized one of the NBA. Players like Joe Johnson and Chris Bosh fit D’Antoni’s system better than most and I think THEY are the true targets not Lebron who will demand a 7 foot center, a PG who can run the team in a much more traditional way. That would go against everything D’Antoni is trying to prove.

That’s why LeBron is not coming to the Knicks, not with D’Antoni as a coach. LeBron would never buy into his system completely and D’Antoni would have to compromise, something he won’t do.

+1

yup. agreed

wow.. what are the chances ?
poor blazers

joel p is such a steal.
what a price for that production.

so true, AW seems to be going a weird route with his articles.

I think ill be filing his articles under fiction from now on.
Purely for entertainment purposes.

no shots but if any team has five guys who can handle the rock, pass, shoot, drive, play defense and help defense, even block a shot who the heck needs a coach?

I will add that right now the players on the Knicks who best fit the description of the perfect D’Antoni system player is DLee and OMG should I say his name….no, no, no Jared Jefferies.

Gallo is getting there and Chandler is close. Bender if he works out too would be a good addition and is the type of player that fits the system, that’s why he was signed……I really hope his injury is minor and just from not having played. But it make me wonder if it would have been better to wait with him a bit and work him in slower.

Hughes, Harrington, Curry and so on, are NOT system players, although I can see they are trying now as opposed to the beginning of the season.

I doubt we will ever see Curry play another minute for us along with Nate unless there are injuries.

Exactly my point!!!!!!!

And were is the cap space to sign them since they will al be hall of fame players.

Wow what a hater, I mean wow. This article is incredibly unprofessional, and it doesn’t even make sense :

“He (Mike D’Antoni) let his ego and agent push him out of Phoenix, and let his desire for money over winning pass on Chicago” : The Knicks have a better record.

“His system might have worked well with the Bulls” ROTFL I guess the Bulls have the horses to play in Mike D’Antoni’s system. Joakim Noah, Tyrus Thomas, John Salmons… Yeah these guys know how to knock down open shots and stretch the floor, and they have great passing skills as well. Really. The Bulls only have one player who would blossom under Mike D’Antoni : Derrick Rose.

i read the COMPLETE Woj article.. I twas clearly triggered by the Bulls / Knicks game and a contrasting of their circumstances and their lineage going abck to the D’Antoni drama..

you people really love to shoot the messenger. Woj is a respected NBA columnist and doesnt have any axes to grind. The aricle is mostly about the Bulls missteps and fills in some valid comments about the Coach — A coach who is losing his luster fast than a cheap watch.

I like the wins recently but feel that the short rotation is a fools gold that will come back to haunt this team once we start to play some competition that isnt hampered by second days of back to backs, injury or other drama..

Ive said this was a 35 win team since the start of the season and it still could be..

Jordan Hill is 6’10″. He’s being mentored by Herb Williams. I don’t understand why AW is so down on him. He’ll be a force in 2/3 years which is about the time the Knicks will need him.

what is Herb Williams’s track record for developing big men.. exactly?

One of the worst articles i have ever read.

The knicks are a mess? We have a better record than the bulls… hahah

i love when they say ‘d’antoni’s friends in the league think…” that’s pure horse-sh*t. Completely fabricated.

Rose would not “feast” in this offense, he would not be d’antoni’s “precious PG”. Just because rose is super-athletic for a PG doesn’t mean that. Yea because rose would be able to run the ball and get out on the fast break, and that is all the system is right? Even though we have about one fast break basket over the past 10 games.

God, that article is worse than some of the comments da-gawd has been making over the last couple weeks.

+10

I knew this guy was a fool since he flopped on the TMac story then to further implicate him self he says the Knicks want Ty Thomas for Harrington which everyone shot down.

Verdict = Woj Fail

Jeff:
You’re right on target on all points. A very well thought out response.

A few additional words regarding all this ‘we should have taken Jennings’ crap. Both players were rated highly based on potential, and not necessarily past production. Both were gambles too. Hill was raw. Jennings seemed immature and had the possibility to be a distraction.

1) Jennings has since proved his detractors wrong, to this point. On draft day, without hindsight, would it really have been wise to risk your 2010 plan on a pg with the potential to be a divisive force (having a problem child, representing your future, is not a good selling point), especially after ill advised comments he made to the media (forgiving in Milwaukee, not so in NY)?

2) It is way too early to project the career success of Jennings, nor the failure of Hill, based on a few months observation.

3) Jennings has acquitted himself, playing very well for the Bucks. That does not necessarily translate into the same success under the harsh glare in the fishbowl of NY. I’m not saying he wouldn’t thrive here too, noone realy has that answer. Just saying that it is speculative, not fact, to project success here based on what he’s done in Milwaukee.

4) D’Antoni worked out both players and evaluated them in light of their fit within his system. To imply that DW made the decision to pick Hill without major input from Coach D is but another foolish statement in a poorly crafted, and poorly researched, article.

For the record, Hill is far from a stiff forward, as this article implies. He is athletic and tenacious. If he ultimately fails, it will be because he fails to grasp the finer points of the game.

Unfortunately, josh h is right.

How about he clearly ignores the fact that the draft lottery hadn’t happened yet and the Knicks had one of the best chances to win it, but the Bulls got incredibly lucky. So when he mentions Rose he makes it seem like the Bulls had him already, when in fact the Knicks had one of the best chances to get him

I hope he does but I got to agree with Biggie, when did Herb Williams, a perennial backup center, become qualified to mentor someone?

If you think you don’t need a 1 in D’Antoni’s system, you don’t know the system. You want Wil running the pick and roll at the top of the key with Al rolling? Have at it.

Big Daddy:

Your point about D’s system relying on versatile, athletic, multidimentional players, more than stars, is an accurate one, in my opinion.

I strongly disagree with you, however, regarding the statement that his system is not predicated on having a top level point guard with a specific skillset. To the contrary, his system is driven by a speedy point guard who can lead the break, make quick, intelligent decisions on the run, drive to the basket and dish or finish strongly, as circumstances dictate. His pg needs to be a good 3 pt. shooter too, in order to keep the defenses from clogging the paint, thus opening up the lanes for his athletic wingmen to move through. That is precisely what is at the heart of his 7 second offense. Defense, at the point, is far less important, as his success with Nash at point proved.

Agreed that Johnson and Bosh are well-suited for D’Antoni’s system and are, in all likelihood, high on DW’s wish list. But LeBron is the ideal fit for D’Antoni’s system. He is the most versatile player in the game: he can do it all. D’Antoni drools at the thought of LJ running his system. I would be astonished if he were not the top 2010 target on DW and MD’s list. Additionally, LeBron is familiar with MD’s style of play and has stated that he enjoyed playing within the system.

LeBron’s only goal is to win multiple championships and wouldn’t care if he did it with 4 guards on the floor, if need be. D’Antoni has a proven track record of success and a hunger and strong motivation to reach that final step to champion.

If LeBron isn’t a Knick next year, it won’t be because he doesn’t want to play for D’Antoni.

ROTFL with you.

I think you overstated your case with that last line. Awful article yes, but…

I read the article too.

The part where he talks about why D’antoni left PHX and why he chose NY is PURE SPECULATION presented as fact. If he had quoted or interviewed D’antoni saying…SHIT YEAH, IMMA GET PAID.” then that would be different. Additonally, How can he KNOW D’antoni would have been better off in CHI? or even that CHI was clearly the better fit? How do you explain those rather concrete assertions AW makes? Is he Nostradamus?

AW doesn’t reference a source, or a close associate of D’antoni…he just makes these statements and we’re supposed to take them as truth.

I’m not shooting the messenger, but one should see it for what it is…an editorial opinion rather than a piece of sports journalism.

Finally…”A coach who is losing his luster fast than a cheap watch.” I am assuming that is Del Negro of which you speak. Correct?

Yes I agree about the PG but the system has no PG the point is all the players can do that. Maybe one is best at it and he does not have to be the PG, the PG can be the 3 like a point forward. Which yes, would be Lerbon.

And I quote:
[To the contrary, his system is driven by a speedy point guard who can lead the break, make quick, intelligent decisions on the run, drive to the basket and dish or finish strongly, as circumstances dictate. His pg needs to be a good 3 pt. shooter too, in order to keep the defenses from clogging the paint, thus opening up the lanes for his athletic wingmen to move through.]

That’s the point you don’t need a point because to varying degrees all 5 Moe’s can be a PG.

Does anybody think LeBron would buy into this? Yeah maybe if Bosh and Johnson joined him….LOL. Add David Lee and who needs a PG, you can use Jefferies on the PG defensively…LMAO.

true. its not a good article Jeff, but let’s not get nasty.

Wow, what a horrible article. The guy just presents opinions and speculation as if it was fact. It reminded me of reading Starberman, although at least he usually gets quotes from an nba insider to back him up. This was just pure speculation.

It’s nothing new. I said it about last week. DA didn’t want nothing to do with the Knicks. Of course, If someone gets more money from somewhere else they will go, but I believe everything the Bulls GM has said. From the way DA answers question to those lame excuses he makes, you could tell he’s a shady guy. period.

Nice winning streak our Knicks are on but we have seen this for the last several years or so.

This team cannot and will not be consistent until we implement and focus on defense period.

Debuss, you’re dead on about the coach! He is similar to Isiah in many ways.

When our team gets a coach that lasys down the law from the start and make defense a must, we will be on our way to being more consistent and attracting better players in their prime.

Until then, we being played like Charlie Brown trying to kick that ball and this will be year that we do it?

“Jordan Hill is 6′10″. He’s being mentored by Herb Williams. I don’t understand why AW is so down on him.”

What I don’t understand is why _’antoni is so down on him. He can’t 5 1st half minutes a night? Just sad. Let the kid develop in the D-League. It’s ridiculous to let him languish on he bench. His body language is starting to look less than good. He has to be wishing he were back at Arizona.

Very shady. Hate this coach. I just hope he can continue to fool everyone long enough to get LeBron to sign a 5 year contract, then dump his ass. Deuces.

A win is a win is a win. But I’d be even happier if the Knicks would go ahead and send Hill down to the D-League. Maybe even Toney D, if they can’t get 5-10 mins a night on average.

LMAO

Clearly you haven’t been watching the games lately because the Knicks are playing defense.

Bulls 81 points
Bobcats 94 points
Clippers 91 points
Bulls 98 points
Bobcats 94
Hornets 96
Blazers 84

So?

Wait, I generally agree with you Jeff but Derrick Rose would be a SUPERSTAR under Mike D’Antoni. A SUPERSTAR.

This article is just bad journalism. I mean BAD.

The fact that many columnists/beatwriters criticize the Knicks doesn’t annoy me. What annoys me is the lack of professionalism, the lack of real information (what I call “watching the games”), biased opinions and contradictory statements.

I agree with Berman every now and then for example (I even gave him credit a couple of times), I’m cool with the fact that he’s critical of the Walsh/D’Antoni regime. But his track record is full of bad and biased articles and he deserves to be criticized for that as well.

agreed, i would like to see hill and douglas getting playng time if not send them to the d league. theres only so much watching and learning from the veterans that could benefit a player…. playing times needed.

I have been a passionate Knick fan for a long long time. It annoys me when the media critcizes the team but honestly, we have been really bad for a long long time. And you know what, this team isn’[t close to .500 yet. If you go back just a couple of weeks on this very blog people were killing this team, management, and calling for D’Antoni to be fired.

Two weeks later Gallo is untouchable for anyone not named Lebron, Bosh, or Wade (maybe for Chris Paul, maybe). Duhon is a suitable starting NBA point guard, Jeffries is a tradeable “asset” and writers criticizing the Knicks don’t know what they are talking about?

Perspective fellas. You don’t turn around a decade of inept play, horrendus managment, and perhaps the worst drafting record in all of sports after a few games won and a 11-17 record. Its not like we are beating the Lakers, Orlando, SA, Dallas, or any teams that are going to legimately compete for the championship this year.

Point is, I love the Knicks but we have earned the criticism, but have not earned the respect yet. Keep playing the way we are playing, beating the teams we should beat, and the respect will come. I’ve seen some articles that are recognizing that we are at least not a laughing stock anymore.

Man wow. Actually as coaches IT and D’Antoni couldn’t be any more different in every way.

I would really, really like to see Tony and Hill start playing sometime soon; especially hill. I’m hoping some sort of trade goes down at some point to open up room for him.

It’s good that JJ’s value has gone so far up this season, but it’s also bad because it’s gotten to the point where it feels like we need him, and won’t trade him until the deadline.

This article is pathetic. I think it was shelved also. I mean, the knicks are one of the hottest teams in the league this month, and he comes out with an article that opens with “the knicks are a mess” and d’antoni’s ‘friends’ know he greatly regrets coming here?? What’s going on? I feel like that article was a stupid thoughtless comment on this blog.

Would anybody in the entire NBA community say that the knicks are a bigger mess than the bulls right now? it just doesn’t make sense that that article was published.

Mucha: I generally agree with you as well… but i;m going to put this out there.

I think Rose is over-rated, plain and simple.

I think he is a slashing SG in a PG’s body. I think he made a huge splash last year because people underestimated him.

i think the bulls are struggling because they thought he could ‘lead’ the team, but he can’t.

he doesn’t have good range, and he hasn’t shown that he is a great passer. I don’t see him as the extension of the coach on the floor. Just a slasher who is being asked to hold the ball for too long.

I think he is a slightly worse version of monta ellis.

He is like Tyreke, but tyreke can actually play SG; I think evans will be (maybe already is) a much better player than rose, because he can do all the same things but he’s bigger, stronger, and faster.

To be a superstar PG under dantoni takes smarts before speed, IMO.

Ok maybe tyreke isn’t faster, but my point remains.

The team started the season with a 1-9 record. When the captain of your team laughs at the free-throw line in a blow-out loss at MSG, when the starting point guard (the same player) racks up more turnovers than points, when Gallinari doesn’t touch the ball after 5 possessions until the Knicks have to give it up to somebody before the shot-clock expires, when Wilson Chandler commits two offensive fouls on 3-on-1 fastbreaks, when Jared Jeffries can’t even catch the ball (and ultimately loses the ball) in a clear path fast-break, when Al Harrington believes that he’s the second coming of Tim Hardaway… the team deserves to be killed, period.

But when the players play well they deserve credit. I don’t know what your point is from that perspective.

The Wojnahjsjfkdf and Bill “whatever his name is” articles were biased and contradictory. This has nothing to do with the Knicks playing well or not, these articles suck, period.

I’m not in the NBA community but I think the Bulls future is brighter than the Knicks IF the Knicks do not land a major free agent next summer.

Bulls coach is a disaster without Del Harris. But this is essentially the same roster that went to the playoffs and took the Celtics to seven exciting games (yeah I know minus KG).

But yeah they absolutely suck and are playing like dogs. We laugh at the Bulls and guess what, they are 10-17 which means they have one less win than us. And that is without Tyrus Thomas.

In Donnie We Trust!!

I’ve been praising all the Knicks on their improved play and the intensity of their defense. Especially Gallo, Wil, and Lee who I look at as the real catalysts for this run. But, I understand the criticism that we aren’t beating anybody and the team has made these mini runs before and then stunk up the joint. I believe the team will win 32 games, 36 if a trade is made for another PG.

But if the team competes hard every night, win or lose, like those teams in the 90′s, I will be satisfied.

Happy Festivus to all………

They are not even close to the same team, as they lost ben gordon, arguably their best player.

That’s like saying the hawks would be the same team without joe johnson.

You can say they have a brighter future, because they do on paper, but they are clearly a bigger mess then us right now. The knicks are not even a mess, we were one of the best teams of the month. That’s a whole month, not a mini win streak.

It’s ridiculous to say the knicks are a mess, and MD wishes he went to the bulls, when they are worse than us. It just doesn’t fit. The article might have been published by accident, that’s our out of context and odd it was.

Yes I agree but Knicks fans have the right to bash players when they play like drunk ballerinas and show appreciation when they play well.

Gallinari proved that the sky’s the limit for him – and even though he’s not a star by any stretch of the imagination right now – I think there’s already an emotional bond between the fans and Gallo. Who would I objectively trade him for? Kobe, LeBron, Melo, Paul, Durant, Williams… because they are either young but proven NBA stars or All-time greats. But that’s about it because Gallinari’s still in his rookie contract which means that he doesn’t hurt the 2010 capspace.

Gallo Wil and Lee were the catalysts, you’re 100% right

I think Tyreke is a flat-out stud and perhaps already an All-Star. Because he’s better than Rose doesn’t mean that Rose isn’t a special talent.

Look, I don’t think Rose is a smart player. And I think he is overrated as well. But he’s just 21 years old man, he plays with scrubs, his coach is Vinny Del Negro, still he averaged more than 20 points and 6 assists per game in december. He’s just 21 years old!

His midrange game has improved, he’s actually pretty good from midrange. Obviously his range is limited but he has the ability to get into the paint on a continuous basis (the Knicks couldn’t contain him in the 3rd quarter, I mean Duhon, Hughes and Jeffries!) and even though he’s not a good playmaker – he’s not a bad passer either.

I think Rose would be a 20 and 8 guy under Mike D’Antoni.

To each his own though, we’ll see in a couple of years what kind of player Derrick Rose is.

Joe Johnson means so much more to the Hawks then Ben Gordon did to the Bulls. You always go from like 60-100 man.

I have said here many times how stupid it was for the Bulls to let Ben Gordon walk for nothing. It is part of the reason I think they would be smart to trade for Nate. But I think losing Del Harris was a much bigger blow than losing Gordon. The coaching has been just abysmal. That said I think you will see this team play better once Ty Thomas comes back. He is big for them.

If a team has a good month you don’t call that a mini win streak? Do I need to remind you of that month (January) this team had under Larry Brown. Until you win consistently it is considered a “streak”.

Interesting list. So you wouldn’t trade Gallo for Dwight Howard, Amare Stoudamire, Paul Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, Derrick Rose, Joe Johnson, Al Holford, David West, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Dwyane Wade, Carlos Boozer, OJ Mayo, Kevin Love, Al Jefferson, Andre Igudola, Blake Griffen, Tyreke Evans, Brandon Roy, Lamarcus Aldridge, Michael Beasley, Andrew Bogut, Yao Ming, Billups, Nash, Chris Bosh.

Lot of superstar and allstar talent in the league. I threw guys like Blake Griffen and Tyreke Evans in because they are just like Gallo, potential to be future all stars.

Threw in Billups and Nash because they can win you a championship and are the PG studs this team is desperate for and are perfect for this system despite their age.

Brandon Jennings is starting to come down to earth. Still think he was the pick though.

We have to find a way to get Hill some PT. If only the team could hold on to a lead.

Tyreke Evans will win rookie of the year.

how bout ant randol BLOCK PARTY
he had 8 blocks.
just saying thats all

Mr Furious is right…don’t put down the article by comparing it with DaGawd’s Knick hating comments.

as of rite now
yes he is the front runner

i wonder where hill would be ranked if u got starter minutes

well
they focus of jennings now
he doesn’t know what to do with that kind of defensive pressure

he got^

True.. I just think the key, for D’Antoni at least, is that “he’s not a good playmaker”.. (your words, lol).

I think that is easily the most important attribute, despite the common (mis)conception that the most important thing is “being able to run the floor.”

For example, i wouldn’t want Ellis as our PG of the future, even though he has incredible talent.

but you are right, he is probably at a level where it doesn’t matter what ‘type’ of player he is; he will be beastly no matter what.

Joe johnson is better then gordon, my point was just that they are both star, scoring shooting guards who can take on the scoring load, put up 30 points regularly, and hit huge shots.

He carried the bulls through that series.

And maybe you are right; this is still a streak; and this might be subjective, but watching this ‘streak’, it looks different than it ever did when we used to play well for a few games. it looks they are really playing differently; together, unselfishly, smartly, and with a lot of effort. I can’t prove it with a stat, but this seems like they are for real.

Hill was really good last year in college, and he has a rare combination of skill and athleticism for a big man, so until i see him play for significant stretches, for a significant amount of games, i will hold judgement; there’s no reason to think that just because the coach isn’t using him, that somehow it means he has failed and is not good.

will *not* hold judgement…

Most coaches would probably give him some minutes, but D’antoni’s our coach and we got to let him to what he wants to do. He has a small group of guys playing well together and over-achieving, so i have to let the Hill DNP’s slide, even though i hate seeing them,.

Having another rookie to be excited about would be very.. exciting.

Randolph is nice….
Only 2 players on the Knicks I wouldn’t trade for him are Gallo and Chandler. I would have to think strongly about trading Lee as well.
I want Lee here for his career. Every year he adds something to his game.

yeah,herb was on of the all-time greats.He turned eddy curry into a top 50 of all time player.

Can I just say Jerryd Bayless is a special player 31pts 7ast in his first start trade for him give up Hill we need a PG.

FESTIVUS FOR THE REST OF US!….and now for the airing of grievences

I forgot some names (Dwight Howard, Brandon Roy, Dwyane Wade) but you’d really trade Gallo for :

Steve Nash who’s a dinosaur?
Yao Ming who’ll be in a wheelchair in a couple of years?
Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Chauncey Billups who are already in their 30′s and have expensive contracts?

Obviously these guys are winners but they won’t be as good as they are now in 2-3 years, and they have huge contracts. The Knicks can’t offer an aging and perhaps overpaid supporting cast that they will have to replace in a couple of years.

Now, I see why you mention great young players like OJ Mayo, Derrick Rose Tyreke Evans… are they better than Gallo? Yes. And obviously the Knicks would love to have Mayo, Rose or Evans. But they are still question marks like Gallinari is. I objectively believe that they’d be more valuable under Mike D’Antoni than Gallinari right now – but I already have an “emotional” bond with Gallo and I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he’ll have a better career than these guys. It’s unlikely though.

I would trade Gallo for Billups. Nash , West and Ming probably not but I would think long and hard about it.

Bosh, Dirk, Andre I, can’t pass up on guys like that.

KG, Pierce and Billups may be in their 30′s and you have a limited window to win with them but: (1) it is not like the LJ trade these guys are still performing at a top level and (2) one of the key things the Knicks are missing is a go to guy, championship winning caliber player to turn around the misery of losing this team has seen for the past decade. Do you think Billups or especially KG would stand for the big pile of crap that is Eddie Curry. You need guys like that but to get them you have to give up something.

My only loyalty is to the Knicks and the Knicks winning a championship. I would trade anybody on the team to achieve that end.

And I don’t think trading Gallo for a 30 year old player would be useful to “achieve that end”. If LeBron signs here it’s to play for a championship team for years, Gallinari will be 26 in 5 years and will be entering his prime. Pierce, Garnett and Billups will be 34 and 35 in 2 years.

And why would you trade Gallinari for Bosh or Nowitzki considering the fact that

1. They could leave next summer for nothing.

2. If they don’t (leave) we wouldn’t have enough money to sign another max FA. Which means that if you trade Gallo for Bosh, you can’t offer LeBron a max contract and you’re stuck with Bosh and become an average playoff contender like the Raptors.

I could see it coming.

Bayless is a stud.

Hopefully he will add defense one year