Via the Daily News

“…(Donnie) Walsh respects Thomas, particularly his ability to evaluate young talent. Three of Thomas’ former first-round picks, David Lee, Nate Robinson and Wilson Chandler, are starting for Mike D’Antoni and are enjoying their best seasons.

Thomas’ first draft pick as Knicks’ president was Trevor Ariza, who was selected 43rd overall in the 2004 draft. Ariza is a top reserve for the Lakers and scored a career-high 26 points in Sunday’s win over Dallas.

Thomas scouted Danilo Gallinari, Walsh’s first draft pick with the Knicks, but it is believed that Thomas favored Indiana shooting guard Eric Gordon, who was selected seventh by the Clippers after the Knicks drafted Gallinari with the sixth pick.

As the Knicks make their push toward the playoffs, Gallinari is becoming less of a factor. He played just six minutes in Sunday’s loss to Cleveland. Gordon is averaging 15.5 points.

The Knicks are 28-38 and don’t play again until tomorrow against the Nets, who return from the West Coast and will be playing their third game in four days. Of the Knicks’ last 16 games, eight are against teams with losing records

“There’s not any must games,” D’Antoni said. “They’re all games that we have to get to (have) 36, 37, 38 wins to really have a legitimate shot…”

As I wrote in the comments section yesterday, I had Eric Gordon ahead of O.J. Mayo on my board last year and behind Rose and Westbrook. Walsh told me himself how much he loved Mayo and I heard several times that he was in love with Westbrook’s athleticism and overall ability.

Think about this. Had Walsh drafted Gordon he would have sat in the beginning of the year. They still sign Chris Duhon as a pass-first and you had Q and Nate in that mix as well, along with Jamal Crawford. So those who wanted Nate to get the most looks should be thankful that Walsh didn’t add another guard to the mix. I think they are happy, relatively speaking based on Gallo”s status, that they got to fully evaluate Nate.

Hahn has implemented this live chat stuff, and we think it’s great. He discusses several scenarios including Monte Ellis, Duhon, David Lee and Zach Randolph.

Ellis not be my ideal PG either, but who cares if he fits with Crawford. If we get Ellis we should move JCraw, stat. Ellis is a long shot at best, so it doesn’t really matter. That said, I’m somewhat excited to see what Crawford can do off the ball in D’Antoni’s system.

Luis Fernandez, the European talent evaluator for draftexpress.com, has the following take on Gallinari.

The connection between D’Antoni and Gallinari has been generously voiced: the Knicks coach shared team with Danilo’s father, Vittorio, back in the eighties, when Olimpia Milano dominated Europe (the great Bob McAdoo joined them too).

Now, many can think this is a sentimental pick, or something similar.

Wrong.

Gallinari is for real, an excellent basketball player– talented, skilled and competitive. He’s a good kid, a good teammate and a winner. You know, the kind of assets the Knicks are overloaded with, right?

Besides, looking around the draft reviews, it’s worth mentioning that Danilo’s defense is significantly underrated at this point. He’s not the quickest player around, but he enjoys better lateral quickness than he’s given credit for. This past season, officiating as the team’s go-to anchor, Gallinari didn’t put much emphasis on defense, but the previous campaign he proved capable of staying in front of most wings, even significantly smaller ones than him.

Of course we might end up finding better players picked after the Italian, but he brings very nice value at the sixth spot.

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

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

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

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

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

Honk Honk.

Off the bat we knew the Augustin pick made no sense for the Bobcats. But that doesn’t mean, apparently, that Ray Felton is going to be shipped. We speculated Lee and a player, but GM Rod Higgins shot that down today.

Charlotte Bobcats general manager Rod Higgins says drafting D.J. Augustin isn’t intended to supplant Raymond Felton as the team’s starting point guard.

Specifically, Higgins said, there’s “no truth” to a report out of New York that the Bobcats might trade Felton to the Knicks for power forward David Lee.

Augustin should get minutes right away, but I’m not buying shifting Felton to the 2 as a combo backcourt. Felton would be a great “engine” for D’Antoni. Lee is the issue, since he can tell a team that he won’t re-sign if he doesn’t like where he ends up.

Now that everyone has heard the analysis and had time to think about the Knicks selection of Danilo Gallinari at #6 here are some Saturday morning tidbits from the papers.

Ken Berger of Newsday discusses how Gallinari’s game will translate in the NBA

Marc Berman outlines some interesting information about the Knicks international scouting

Alan Hahn talks about the next piece to the puzzle and tells fans not to jump off the ledge

Frank Isola thinks that Gallinari could mean the end of David Lee

Like I said with Tommy Dee on Knicksblog Radio yesterday we all need to calm down for a bit. Lets give Mike D’Antoni and Donnie Walsh some time to work their plan. Part of the outcry is that Knicks fans are so use to the Isiah Thomas era where there was no plan. I do not sense, at least at this point, that Donnie Walsh is going down the same road.

Great times last night. Thanks to the folks at Butterfield 8, and the SNY crew for coming together on a terrific night. My thanks to the TKB staff: Andrew, Steve and Mike, the Knicks could use such teamwork, already.

I was very pleased I got the chance to meet some of the fans of the site and posters, all of whom share great love for the Knicks, chicks, and beer.

I have to say that at no point did I take McHale seriously with Mayo, but I thought Love in Memphis was a good fit. Either way, I’m not sold on how aggressively Donnie was trying to trade up.

Now comes the task of getting a point guard, and there are options. Look at the Bobcats, look at Memphis or Steve Blake. Either way, I know we’ll have one in place very soon.

Gallinari playing the 4 in D’Antoni’s system is intriguing since it allows for Wilson Chandler to get minute as well. It also gives the post some much needed space. Not sure how Gallinari would fare in the pick and pop, as he could use a little weight, but it seems like all he needs is slight separation to knock down open shots.

As far as the booing goes, and the “USA” chants that tried to make noise, if you were the same person that cheered Maciej Lampe, then consider yourself a suspect fan.

TKB’s 1st Commandment

Thou shalt not BOO a player you’ve never seen play….and don’t underestimate the level of the European Elite league.

Check out this video of Gallinari verses Maccabi Elite.

Greg Hutchins of the Garden Grasp had this to add after reading my take on the draft. Of course Greg was at the WaMu center and sat in on the Danilo Gallinari press conference after he was picked. Here was Greg’s take:

With optimism at a fever pitch heading into the 6th pick, David Stern’s announcement that Italy’s
Danilo Gallinari is now the future of the Knicks sucked the gravity out of the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden. Fans who longed for an “engine” to push Mike D’Antoni’s offense, were shocked with the Donnie Walsh’s choice.

As one of the reporters on hand for Gallinari’s first interview, it was clear the 19 year-old SF from Armani Jeans Milano was happy to be drafted by New York, but shocked by the intense reaction of a rabid crowd.

Credit Donnie Walsh for the moxy to make such a unfavorable selection, but clearly the Knicks did not address an area of need. Rather, he added another shoot-first perimeter player.

Tommy Dee says……

Not true. Gallinari has complete and polished offensive skills. He’ll excel on the perimeter, but is not “shoot first” – he’s “lights out.” Big difference.

And trust me Walsh will get his PG….

Gallinari may prove his doubters wrong, but the “Darko” factor is now in play. More shocking was Walsh’s inability to secure a second pick in a deep draft or move a contract. Considering the flurry of deals reported, it’s shocking to see Walsh get shutout.

Draft grade: C-

I am not going to give the Knicks that low of a grade since I think they took “one of the best available players that was left”. That is debatable but to give the Knicks that low of a grade might be a bit harsh. I think this pick is one that needs to be judged in a year or two before we can accurately assess its impact.

I had the opportunity to go to the NBA Draft for the first time last night. The experience was interesting with all the “buzz” going on in the WaMu Theater.

Overall the NBA puts on a great show and knows how to market. There were plenty of stations, both inside and outside the Garden, where fans could be entertained. Additionally, plenty of advertisers had the opportunity to pitch their products (Sprite being the main sponsor of the draft) and give away free goodies.

The interesting part of the draft is that there is not the normal demarcation line between the players and everyone else. There are various “Green Rooms”, but you could easily run into Derrick Rose going to the concession stand as you walked through the building. I actually sat a few rows behind Alexis Ajinca, who went #20 to the Bobcats.

As for the Knicks, I felt bad for Daniilo Gallinari and how he was treated by the fans. It reminded me of how Philadelphia Eagles fans booed Donavan McNabb when he was drafted. I was very unsure of where the Knicks should go this draft. Part of the reason is that the roster was so mis-managed by Isiah that I still don’t know how good (or bad) this team is.

Coach D’Antoni is hoping for Gallinari to be Nowitzki or Kukoc on the high end. If he winds up somewhere in between that is not a bad player. Is this a player that the Knicks could build around? No. But honestly, outside of the first two picks, who really was a building block? How many building blocks are ever taken after the first five picks?

I will talk more about this on today’s draft recap show on Knicksblog Radio, but I hope the fans get over their initial disappointment and support the new regime. Everyone gave Isiah a chance at the beginning so I believe D’Antoni and Walsh deserve the benefit of the doubt.

With that being said, Walsh can’t be wrong on this pick. If Gallinari is anything less then “Kukoc” it could set the franchise back even further. I believe they could get a point guard in a trade that would be as good as a Gorden or Augustin, but with this market who knows.

Give credit to Tommy Dee and the rest of the guys here at Knicksblog for calling Gallinari very early when they found out about New Jersey looking to move up to 5. I had a feeling after Mayo was taken by Minnesota that he would not fall to the Knicks. I knew Gallinari was in the cards once Westbrook went to Seattle. I will be talking more about this trade at 1pm today on Knicksblog Radio Draft Recap.

If you missed the Draft and want a recap click on ESPN’ Draft Recap

We had a chance to listen to Danilo Gallinari speak right after he was selected at the draft. Take a read of the transcript given to us courtesy of ASAP Sports.

Q: Talk about your feelings about being picked.

DG: I’m so excited, I have no words. It’s a dream for me and I really don’t know what to say. I’m so excited and happy to be here

Q: As I am sure you already know for the most part, European players are pretty much hit or mis; can you explain what makes you different then any other European player?

DG: I just don’t know. I like to say to journalist and coaches that say this — I don’t know, I let you say that.

Q: Were you expecting to go to the Knicks?

DG: I didn’t really know where I was going, so to be here, I am so happy, but I didn’t know.

I know this is a dream come true for you, but was it hard to hear the boos when your name was announced and the city you were going to play in?

DG: It’s part of the game, all of the players have go to hear this. Not ever time you can hear good things. So it’s normal here.

Q: Being a foreign-born player, was it important to be in a big city like New York where some players who have wound up in smaller cities say its a harder adjustment; Was that on your mind?

DG: Yes, I think its a good situation for that, and I think New York is similar to Milan and I would like to be here, and it’s nice.

Q: How familiar are you with Coach D’Antoni?

DG: If I met him? Oh, I met him only one time. My father knows him. I don’t know him like my father. So I met him only one time six years ago.

Q: Do you feel it was unfair to get booed since they don’t really know you or your game?

DG: No I feel normal and comfortable with that. I have no problem and it’s my work to prove to everybody that I am a good player

Q: for people that have not seen you play, what NBA player would you say you are most similar to?

DG: I really don’t know. I will try to bring my European game. Mike D’Antoni played many years in Europe. I played in Europe and now to be here, I don’t really know how to compare me to another player; I don’t know.

Q: How much do you know about the Knicks franchise and the hard times they have fallen on the past few seasons?

DG: I know, I have seen some cassettes in Italy, and I remember the time when Ewing was playing here and New York was doing so well. IN the last two or three year, they didn’t do so well, but I hope in the future that they come back.

Q: Did to talk to Andrea and Mark about this process?

DG: We didn’t talk so much about the process because when we came for the European Championships, everybody was talking about the NBA to them and I didn’t want to rock the boat and talk about the NBA, so we talked about other things.

Rumors swirling about the Knicks talk of selecting Danilo Gallinari. Fans are already booing the pick the Knicks haven’t even selected yet. With countless undesirable draft picks over the years, Knicks fan fear another Fredric Weiss. Gallinari has talent and size but like another other potential pick their move to the NBA cannot be guaranteed. The Knicks have been weak in finding International talent which can transform their game to the NBA. The booing is ringing through the Garden from images of past draft blunders that Knicks fans are still haunted by.

It’s draft night, Knick fans, and due to the regime change, I am actually anticipating a competent, logical draft decision to be made by Knick management tonight. I’m actually excited and looking forward to what happens this time! Wow! I don’t know what to do with myself (beside head down to Butterfields 8, like every good Knick fan should). I don’t think I’ve been this confident and excited for a Knick draft since……………1985?!?!? Good Lord.

A part of me is honestly scared after being subjected to years of trade day blunders. Who can forget lottery picks being used on a Frenchman like Frederick Weis (who ended up never setting foot in the Garden) or a 375-lb. forward like Michael Sweetney (who if memory serves me was scarfing down Popeye’s chicken when he came to the podium)? Who can forget draft day trades for winners like Antonio McDyess and ZBo?

A part of me is waiting for Donnie Walsh to announce that he traded David Lee to Memphis for Kwame Brown, drafted Kostas Koufas at six and then rip his face off to reveal that was Isiah Thomas all along. That can’t happen right? We’re sure Isiah is gone for good?? Butterfields better have fire insurance just in case.

Anyway, leaving out the potential of a trade up using David Lee to get the five pick (which would be awesome) or trading down to unload Zach Randolph (which would be super awesome), here’s who I think the Knicks should draft at the six and who they should avoid like the plague.

I’m Cool With………….

Russell Westbrook, UCLA – My preferred point guard choice. Might not be the ultimate fit for D’Antoni’s system (Chicago’s taking that guy), but he has the motor, skill set and defense to compensate for it until he gets the hang of it. Which I think he will.

Danilo Gallinari, Italy – There will be Knick fans who boo this pick, thinking of the Darkos, Tshikivillis and Weis’s who have bombed, but this kid should be different. His style is perfect for D’Antoni, he knows D’Antoni (his father played with him) and judging from scouting reports and You Tube clips, the kid’s not soft. He’s got some spikes to him. A mean streak. Plus, what a name! Can’t we just call him the Italian Stallion right now?

Jerryd Bayless, Arizona – Least preferred cause he’s a shoot-first point guard and we already have one training up in the mountains of Westchester county. But I trust D’Antoni and his system can use the kid’s abilities to eventually work of those kinks.

I’m Not Cool With……..

Kevin Love, UCLA – Greg Ostertag, 2.0. Please name me the last big, slow, white center that was worth a lottery pick. Chris Kaman?

Eric Gordon, Indiana – How great of a shooter can you be if you make only 33% of your threes (from the college line no less)?

Joe Alexander, West Virginia – Beware the trendy, out-of-nowhere pick. He belongs in the teens, early 20′s, not the six.

PREDICTION: Knicks take Danilo Gallinari (Westbrook will be off the board) and I start running up the steps of the NY Public Library to the Rocky theme in triumph.

I will be at the WAMU Center tonight with Greg Hutchins of the Garden Grasp to cover the NBA draft. I hope to be giving you update posts from my phone if I hear anything. I will also hope to grab some audio to put on the Knicks Blog Radio Show tomorrow. Stay tuned for details on the draft and radio show.