Danilo Gallinari's career has been treated as a urinal mint after one summer league performance, a sore back and the anonymous whispers of agenda-driven people with little say and even less credibility.
The fact that WFAN perpetuated the theory floated by Starberman that Gallinari is a fragile dud with no hope in having an impact this season is even more disturbing. Fixers, these people need our help. They have yet to discover the ways of the Fix.
We are a growing nation. But there are still those out there who aren't hearing the message of trust and accountability.
I blame myself, I guess, for not feeling it necessary to waste precious Newsday real estate by writing a mid-summer assessment of Gallinari, as we've seen elsewhere, off one summer league game and a couple of practices. I can understand Starberman regurgitating a terribly inaccurate smear campaign from someone who had his ear in Vegas and said Gallinari was always injured in Italy -- if you did the homework, you'd see that Gallo played in 29 of 34 regular season games this past season for AJ Milan and also played in all 11 games of the Euroleague playoffs and he led his team in minutes with 33.9 per game in the Italian League and 31.6 in the Euro...one scout informed me that Gallo missed the first five games of the season with a muscle pull but nothing else and the season before he played in all but two regular season games and played the entire playoffs.
I've noticed most of you in Fixer Nation have already been able to filter what you read from other sources outside of your Newsday fix. So this non-story becomes a story at someone else's whim and now I'm supposed to check it out for accuracy (I'm starting to keep record and the percentages are heavily in favor of most of these things being quite innacurate). So I did.
I talked to a few people -- scouts, an agent who has several European players and knows Gallinari well (but doesn't represent him), a well-informed European reporter, a current Knick who is working out with Gallinari and a person deep within the Knick braintrust -- and this is what I've come up with:
- Braintrust guy on the suggestion that the Knicks already know they won't be able to count on Gallinari this season: "That is as far from the truth as you can get."
- Agent (who usually have agendas because it's not their player): "This kid's got a chance to be special . . . What people don't get with Danilo is he's a good-looking kid and people think he's a pretty boy. He's a tough kid. He won't back down."
- Scout: "He's 19 years old. What we've got to understand is this: if Derrick Rose was in Milan, he would have played half a game. These are men that they're playing against. Danilo Gallinari was a leading scorer and he was doing that at 18 years old."
- Reporter: "The assumption that Gallinari is injury prone is absurd, at least at this stage of his career."
- Current Knick: "Great kid. Really works hard and can shoot the s--t out of it. Definitely a 3."
The Knicks would love for him to rest a bit and then prepare for training camp, but even the braintrust guy says he expects Gallinari will play for Italy in that Olympic qualifying tournament next month because he wants to. And let me remind you all here that this tournament has nothing to do with the Beijing Games. Italy did not quality for the Games this summer so this tournament is a qualifyer for 2012. It is not a critical tournament and Italy should win easily, which is why Bargnani and Belinelli aren't expected to play and Gallinari doesn't have to play if he doesn't want to.
The decision to draft Gallinari over Jerryd Bayless or DJ Augustin or Joe Alexander or whomever else is not even near the forefront of any debate with Donnie Walsh. If you ask around the league, his decision to throw the full MLE at Chris Duhon is one of the biggest head-scratchers of the summer.
Comments (37)
I heard Francesa trying to promote this idea the other day. He's just trying to get his shots in while he still can. Unfortunately for him he's burned his bridges with the Knicks and he knows that when they return to prominence he won't be welcome to be a part of it the way he was in the 90's.
Or maybe he's just pissed that he might have to start watching basketball again?
Thank you Alan, Duhon is terrible. We could have picked up a shotblocker and a PG with the money we threw at that career underachiever. At least we didn't give him the years we gave Jeffries and James though. I really think the people talking about how great Duhon is haven't seen him play the past couple of seasons.
Duhon:
PPG:
04-05: 5.9
05-06: 8.7
06-07: 7.2
07-08: 5.8
Min:
04-05: 26.5
05-06: 29.1
06-07: 24.4
07-08: 22.6
Reb:
04-05: 2.6
05-06: 3.0
06-07: 2.2
07-08 1.8
Asts: T/O
04-05: 4.9 1.5
05-06: 5.0 1.6
06-07: 4.0 1.3
07-08: 4.0 1.1
STL:
04-05: 1.9
05-06: .9
06-07: .9
07-08: .7
FG%:
04-05: .352
05-06: .400
06-07: .408
07-08: .387
A backup at best. Billups would eat this dude's lunch and have him scared to cough at recess.
Alan what does Berman/the NY Post gain from targeting this young kid and trying to turn people against him? What did Danilo ever do to Berman?
I saw yesterday the Post Web editor put another blog out full of Clyde quotes that questioned Danilo. Only problem is Clyde said all those things before he ever saw Danilo play a single game in person. By the way who is the Post blogs web editor? Is that just Berman putting out more garbage but not wanting his name tied to it?
well done!
Thanks for the info Alan
i hope Gallo becomes a star.
i wish he would not play in
that useless qualifying tournament
geez...he is knicks property now
and he should not do anything to
wear himself down.
the knicks should demand that he not play
what if he gets hurt or something
i don't want him doing anything to jepordize
his Knicks 08 season
he needs rest
i wanted Bayless and but i hope
Gallo proves me wrong
giving Duhon the full mid level
makes me think that they want to
buy out starbury
i don't think duhon is worth
the full mid level
he is a back up PG at best
I think the reason they gave him the full MLE was because it is only for two years. He already had a longer deal. That, and Coach K gave the thumbs up. It's also not hard to believe that Scott Skiles' constant nagging broke the young lad's spirit. Just look at what the rest of the team did. Coach D'An has a different approach to treating his players. Maybe he responds better.
Thanks for the info Alan.
I mentioned on the last thread that Berman is a troublemaker who is trying to create controversy (when he not jocking Marbury, that is), but it sounds like that is the way the Post does things.
For what it's worth, Charley Rosen (ducking my head to avoid flying objects) thinks Duhon will do well under D'Antoni - he's unselfish and he defends, two things we haven't seen from a Knicks point guard in many a moon.
like the Roosta'. He's going to be Big. You can tell by his shoulders, he will be strong by the time he's 24. That's 4 years away!
He's got skills. Just have to hope that the current poison doesn;t get to him and spoil his growth.
I don't put it past Clyde who has a huge ego.
Duhon is just a temporary solution. So what if the Don spent the MLE on him? He is only here for two years to prove himself worthy enough to be on the roster on 2010. Heck it can encourage him to work his ass off and we may end up with a solid player when his contract is up.
alan, thanks for the great info about gallo.
@nyc4life. you're misery level is way too high dude, give it a break. you are down on just about everything walsh says or does. you've been freaking out on the gallo pick for the past month and his injury for the past week, and the minute alan basically tells you you've got it all wrong, you change horses and whip up on duhon (again).
chill brother, no one thinks duhon is the second coming of billups. he's a decent pg with some upside, and if nothing else, he does have the motor to run d'antoni's system. as for the stats you post for him trying to illustrate the declining spiral of his career, in point of fact they display incredible consistency in his average stat's per minute.
a little additional perspective needs to be added here: he played for a coach who may well be the biggest jerk in the league (now that isiah is gone). everybody seems to hate skiles, at least within a year of getting to know the little fascist. we're talking abut a guy who gets fired wherever he goes, and who actually forced ben wallace to sit out games because he wanted to wear a headband (oy!). this guy makes carlesimo look like the dalai lama. i can not think of one player that ever got better playing for skiles, and yes, that includes duhon. but frankly i will trust the judgement of coaches K and D before i will measure a player's performance under skiles.
walsh made the right move by signing duhon. he a capable point who will take care of and distribute the rock, he is a great physical specimen who will run 24/7, he will d-up, he shoots a respectable 36% from the arc, and his contract is short (if not fat).
more importantly, the signing releases the pressure on the poisonbury valve. i believe it is a prerequisite that marbury not take the floor for this team on opening night, and i am pretty confident that it is walsh's and coach D's intent to insure that that doesn't happen. chris duhon will be the starting guard for the knicks next november, he will do a very credible job, a new chapter in the franchise history will begin, and marbury will be nowhere to be seen. thank god.
@secHrow11: Here here!
In fact, the assist/turnover ratio is actually pretty impressive. Last year Steve Nash had an assist to turnover ratio of 3.05, whereas Duhon's was 3.63. Of course, I'm not saying that Duhon is anywhere near the player Nash is, and with increased minutes and increased responsibilities in a system like D'antoni's, I'm sure that number will come down a little, but I think it's safe to say that Duhon knows how to pass the rock with a little bit of discretion. Unlike, say, Nate Robinson.
Great post Alan!
There is something almost sinister to Starberman's writings, and we already know that M&MD have their own nasty agenda's.
I like the fact that you quoted stats . . .games played, minutes, and the like in addition to quotes. Starberman and M&MD just quoted an "un-named source."
Keep the faith fixers!
@Sec11
i think it is good to question the new establishment
Knick4 life is cynical but walsh has given
him reason to be cynical
walsh has been caught several times saying one thing
and doing something else
remember he said that defense was his priority
and then he signs d'antoni who is an offensive
coach.
his 2010 plan viva Lebron
but as alan has pointed out
walsh has increased the payroll
and not decreased payroll
he gets an chance to dump zach
without taking back a bad contract
(and yes they wanted a #1)
but how many salary dumps are you going to get?
plus the guy he drafts #6
gets knocked out of summer league
after the first game with a bad back
and the you start getting reports
(even if untrue)
that Gallo is injury prone
so although i am reserving judgement
walsh has raised some questions
i agree that the Duhon signing
was necessary but i wish
walsh could have split the mid level
and gone after a shot blocker
or defensive pressence
the frontline of Zach and Curry
makes boy scouts laugh
And if you did your homework, Dolan's Messenger, you would've known Gallinari missed 3 Euroleauge games this year. He played in 11 games out of 14.
Nah, I'm joking. I like your blog alot. But stop trying to trash Berman. You're coming out like a dick. Grow up.
Me Again, coming to correct your lack of knowledge. Just because you were dick with Berman.
Italy isn't playing in any Olympic qualifying tournament [Not even for the 2012]. They're playing in qualifying tournament for next year's Eurobasket [European championship] which is the qualifying tournament for the Monda Basket [World Championship] in 2010.
And Italy is going to have alot of problem qualifying to that Eurobasket. They are playing in a group with 3 other teams. One of them is former Wold Champions - Serbia. Only one team of that group qualifying automaticly for the Eurobasket. Tough task. Italy will have zero chance without Gallinari.
@vanessa
dolan's messenger?
coming out like a dick?
grow up?
you're out of your league in here if you're gonna post stuff like that, and you run the risk of suffering the same humiliation as "anonymous" did.
there are some sharp and caustic tongues salivating over the opportunity to lampoon such inanity.
keep it real.
@ Alan,
you are without no question the most unbias of all the commerical
NY Blog/Beat writers... But after these last 4 years of hell being a Knick fan...... Duhon and Gallo will both have to prove their game as I have little faith about stories and Walsh has proven Zero.
Let's let the Bayless opinion slide here for a moment. Walsh could have bought/traded something for a second rounder that would have resulted in either a Chalmers or Dorsey! That is unexcusable period! Not just bloggin
Sup Alan,
Thanks once again for bringing the truth to light. I happened to have followed Gallinari in Euroball so I knew the whispers being heard where crap. If it was the same injury in a meaningful game he would of came back in.
He missed 5 games early last season but at the time he wasn't even the starter so they went slow with him like we did with him here in SL . If it was this coming season he would of played day one like I believe he will for our Knicks!!
Glad you find out facts Alan it makes reading this things worth it!! Can we get some facts on Marbury?
@Venessa
i agree with sec 11 on this one:
YOU ARE OUT OF YOUR LEAGUE!
if you want to ride berman's phallus
then stay on the NY Post blog
berman has his hand so far up starbury's Arse
that he could be a Proctologist...LOL
Alan is the most unbias NY knicks blog
of the three papers.
what berman printed about Gallo
was slanted,biased and untrue
he actually said their was a chance Gallo
might not be able to contribute at all for the 08 season
that alone was straight up slander!
so crawl back to the NY Post so
you can get your daily gossip.
and leave the real facts to the Fixers
Alan, Thanks for the info about Danilo. I just liked what little I saw of the kid in the game from the other day. I liked his attitude and versatility. Once he got into his grove, he kept on going and never looked back. I think he has in him to become a superstar and I hope that happens.
As for Duhon, it was a matter of liking him and going after him. Once they decided that they liked him, they made sure that they got him. Orlando was offering a 3 year contract for 12 million, and the only way to match that without going into a 3rd year and to make it more attractive than Orlando's contract, was to give him a 12 million contract for just 2 years. By doing this, at least they have somebody that they like. If they did not get him, they would have given a 2 year contract for 6 million to somebody they may not have liked all that much. I don't think it is that much of a head-scratcher.
And, now that I know Walsh will make trades only if it benefits us, I am hoping that some trades or any trade will happen soon. I come here everyday expecting to see a headline of some Knicks trade going thro'.
@ sec11rowH: c'mon man we don't even have to go there. I can give you a very thorough analysis of why I am down on Duhon and the Gallo pick. You sound more like a cheerleader for a team that hasn't won in ages than a fan who is encouraging his team to make smart prudent moves.
I like the D'Antoni signing. I wished we got Carlisle but I can live with that. Roberson is not a PG but I like the pickup as a poor version of Pargo.
I posted Duhon's entire stat line, good and bad, not to show that his stats were declining but that he was a below average player, a backup PG at best. I could have selectively picked stats (like his pathetic PPG) but I wanted everyone to judge Duhon based on everything. I have to go but so I Can't really break it down but . . . explain why Duhon sucked even worse after Skiles left!!
@Vanessa - Wasn't trashing Starberman. Was trashing what his source told him. Clearly agenda driven falsehoods. This isn't about Marc but about what he writes without fact-checking. I'm personally growing to like him and his animal-style In-N-Out tendencies. As they used to say, we Kool and the Gang.
Don't lecture me on this upcoming tournament in August. I've talked directly with those who cover/scout/follow the European game and that's how it was described to me: a very preliminary tournament that goes toward qualification for 2012.
Respect the blog.
I like that Alan, "respect the blog."
And Venessa, you are out of your league.
On another topic . . .the Atlanta Hawks only have eight players under contract and two are injured. They need to players. Could that team be a landing spot for Zach Randolph? We'd take a lottery protected first round pick.
Thoughts?
Who's the better guard?
Duhon or Dooling is the question we can also put Pargo in it.
@vanessa
you can't say i didn't warn you.. i had a bad feeling about that one.
i like your thinking david
i wonder if the Hawks would do a sign and trade
with the knicks for Zach
the loss of Childress had to sting a bit
(damn he chose a euro team over the hawks)
maybe they might be in the mood for some
wheelin' and dealin'
Zach for Josh Smith is a deal
i would like to see
Alan,
That's for all the excellent reporting. I'm not a big fan of many people in the media, but you are a clear cut exception. I will certainly promote you to my friends that haven't found their way to your articles and blog yet.
You guys need to stop complaining about what Walsh is doing.
There's a reason why he was hired and there's a reason why he's one of the best basketball minds in the league.
Are any of you cry babies associated with the league?
Can you lay out your track record and show us fixers what trades you guys have made.
Until you can....I say shut your freaking mouth.
Only a select few actually know what your talking about.
People say Duhon is no good and is a career back up.
Wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Duhon will get a chance to thrive in this system.
In your mouth without a doubt.
I can't deny that I would trade Zach for Josh Smith in a second.
In a millisecond!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alan excellent post ... thanks for doing the homework that surprisingly others either got lazy and failed to check up on ... or even worst that just has it in for anything the Knicks do.
As far as Duhon yes way to much $ for him, however I still think he may be one of the most important moves the Knicks have made so far. Why? We need a Unselfish play maker even if it's just for two years, to rehabilitate these players so we can get some value back for them.
Haven't we learned from past history ... that if you don't want to pass the ball ... please don't apply ... because we don't want you!! :o(
@MJ
homeboy this a blog not a dictatorship
what makes a blog?
difference of opinion
if all us agreed their would be no reason
for a blog
so come down off your highhorse!
as for people criticizing Walsh
we are all entitled...esp those fans
that spend their money on season tickets
me being a season ticket holder i can
question anything i want
without us the fans
buying tickets to the games
their would be no Knicks
so we do have a voice to
talk about what goes on
we are all entitled to our own ideas
and criticisms.
Important to remember fixers, having a plan means one move is not made in a vacuum. One move is made so as to make other moves possible. Duhon makes Marbury expendable. A two year deal for Duhon makes Duhon expendable at the right time. Saying Walsh increased payroll is missing the point! I don't care if the Knicks surpass the Yankee payroll this year or next as long as the plan is to get under the cap significantly by 2010. Not just for Lebron but to be masters of our own destiny! And as 2010 nears, we'll continue to get younger and build with guys like Da Rooster and The Thrill (or is it now The Chill). I'm not a believer in Walsh, (we don't have enough to judge him on yet) but I'm not going to be cynical yet. Heck, it took Isiah two years to turn fans into cynics. Don't judge Walsh though the prism of our Isiah misery. Give the man a fair chance.
LoL
Alan, I know Berman's article was garbage. I just didn't think you need to attack him at your blog and comeout cocky. You had many garbage sources too - Just like in this blog. I corrected your mistakes - Respect your readers. Sometimes they know more than your sources. I invite you to double check what I said. Sometimes your sources are just off... Just like they were on Zach Randolph - Clippers trade nonsence.
I just remember Jameer Nelson, and other PG's having career nights against the Knicks. If Duhon can just run an offense, slow down the other teams PG, and not kiss his sister I'll take that that for two years.
Do we have a female troll?
@ BAZ - I think it's getting crowded under the bridge!
I'd expect someone trying to TROLL to at least spell their name correctly each time...great job!
Ignorance is bliss!
Good AM Fixers!
Alan, great post on Danilo! I defientely appreciate the more balanced analysis and back to basics reporting on our No 1 Draft pick.
I'll leave the whining,crying,and ranting to your new group of Low IQ BBALL Prognosticators...Pathetic
But you Alan, are the real deal when it comes to reporting on our Beloved Knicks! A+! BTW, how is the wife enjoying the new kitchen and how is that baby homie? Blessings Alan!
ONE LOVE!
Keep it POPPIN!
They probably gave Duhon the full MLE because they wouldn't give him the years that other teams would. The $ paid is probably the same that he would have gotten on a 3 or 4 year deal with anyone else.
It is a win win for both parties as the Knicks only had 1 guaranteed spot available anyway and they are not concerned about there cap situation for another 2 years.
For Duhon, he gets the same overall money in only 2 years and gets a chance to show off his wears in a system that may accentuate his talent. For those of us that don't remember, this kid was a major player at Duke, starting as a freshman. The facgt that he played at Duke and is in the NBA at all is a major accomplishment. Let's give the kid a chance as he is better than what we have.