The Knicks Fix

Could this be a blessing in disguise, perhaps? A chance to squeeze something else out of LA, say our missing 2010 draft pick?

No, this could be the worst thing ever. We get Randolph and his fat contract back, see Mobley and Thomas's expiring contracts go back to LA, not have a shooting guard, and say byebye to Lebron....

I would waive the Physical and take him in even if its for cap relief. We took Eddie with a heart problem. Mobley is just another pawn in our cap relief for Lebron sweepstakes.

This has the potential to be pretty bad but, like Alan mentioned, it is EXTREMELY likely that Donnie will waive Mobley's physical. That could prove good for two reasons that no one seems to have mentioned yet:

1) Although it's already been said, Zach Randolph's fat as- er... contract... stays off our books and we have cap space to make our obligatory LeBron Run in 2010.

2) That creates a free roster spot. I seem to recall a certain Jr. who we didn't have space on the bench for but has been hanging around the practice facilities. Hmm...

So, you see, there are multiple reasons to waive the physical.

Unnecessary drama, the trade will go through.

I have to give credit to Peaceman here. I mocked you for saying that DJ Augustine should be our pick right before the draft. He is looking like a real player down there in Charlotte although I still maintain having him and Nate on the same team would be counterproductive. But he would still be far and away a better selection than what we ended up with. For all saynig wait and see on Gallo based on Oden's very early success in Portland . . .Gallarini is no Oden. And even more importantly, back issues (the full extent of which the Knicks won't even release to us) are the most serious thing that can happen to a young athlete. Look at poor Q Rich. Luckily, he wasn't needed this year because we already had so many forwards (which again makes the pick so asinine) and our goal is a superstar forward in 2010 so hopefully it ends up being a wash.

We won't suck enough to get Rubio this year but at least we can get a shotblocking Center. I believe J. Rose when he says we'll get James and Bosh in 2010, thus our priority should be: (1) a Center who blocks shots (2) a tough defensive minded shooting guard like Bruce Bowen or Raja Bell and (3) a PG who can consistently knock down a perimeter jump shot. If we can get Nash for the mid-level exception that would be a great start.

Whoops... got my waivers mixed up. Apparently waiving the physical would keep Mobley on the team but ignore his condition. My bad... I agree with Knicks4Life, though. The trade will still go through. The drama is unnecessary.

Another note: I'll be at the game tonight. I plan on starting a "We want James" chant every time the King takes a seat on the bench. Any and all help with this chant would be appreciated.

:)

Hmmm... this is very interesting.

This deal won't break down, if anything if may get larger. Knicks had wanted Camby, I read today that the Clippers are talking to the Bobcats in a Kaman for Jason Richardson trade.

Remember the Bobcats also had interest in Curry. Just dreaming I guess.

The knicks need to just waive the physical
and let mobley ball
he has had this condition for his whole career
and he is rarely hurt

they can try and tweak LA for a pick
but don't go crazy and void the trade
who cares about mobley-he is just a pawn
for a much bigger prize

@Knicks4life

i agree with you on that point

yeah...i thought DJ Augustine's size
would hurt against bigger guards
but that kid is balling
and he is deadly from 3 point range

woulda,shoulda,coulda...lol

you guys are nuts. i agree that augustine looks good right now after a couple of good performances. however, a 6'10" guy (they say he might even reach 7') who can shoot the lights out, dribble, pass and plays with heart and hustle is way too good to pass up. most of nyc has been looking to bash this pick since the day he got booed on draft night. you guys have all been just looking for him to fail. the kid's 19 and has a bulging disk (not a herniated one... learn the difference because it's a big one... Q Rich=herniated, Gallo=bulging), so his youth makes us think he'll recover. nyc need to show a little patience. donnie has made good decisions so far, so i'm confident gallo will be a good one too.

@ K4L - You're right, Gallo is no Oden!

In fact, he has way more potential upside (I sound like ESPN analysts on draft night!). Oden is a couple blocked shots, rebounding, glorified dunker...and that's IF he sees the ball in/around the post.

Where Gallo can handle, shoot the 3, etc. You can't call him abust until you give him a year to prove it...that's the point.

I hope we can continue the trade and enrich it a bit as compensation for information not shared.

@Bobby C I'm getting redundant on this point, but LBJ needs to experience fans supporting their team not fans practicing PR! A chant like "We want James" is silly and is also insulting to the team we have. Please tell me you're kidding.

Damn, league pass isn't showing the Cleveland game. Now I remember
why it is so overpriced. Guess I will have to find out from you guys what
happened.

These are the Knicks so I'm preparing myself for the return of Zach Randolph. :(

@ november.... with league pass you get NBA TV included. the game will be on NBA TV.

Alan, you've gotta get Newsday to fix this security thing. Posting is such a hassle.

Alan have to agree with @ michael posting is just a pain, many times it's so bad that I have to give up because it takes too many tries to post.

Your the best blogger who covers the Knicks, but they need to correct this. Maybe you can see what Walsh can do for you??5

Brook Lopez flourishing is not hindsight nor it requires a crystall ball.

We all saw Brook's upside in the college tourney, the size, length, the IQ, inside presence, etc.

Rooster was simply a 'nepotism' pick. I hope he recovers and can contribute to our team eventually. Bottom line, I would've picked Brook.

pverne:

I'm kidding. But only because you said please :)

Now, seriously: I'm not. And it's not a PR stunt. I'm going to give it a shot because I don't really think it's all that inappropriate.

First, there will be just as many Cleveland #23 jersey's in the house as there will be blue and orange ones (my little brother, who I'm taking to the game, included).

Second, it's not exactly a secret that Knick fans are falling over their own hard-ons at the thought of the King being a lock for their team in two years when anyone who has managed to keep themselves from daydreaming in the midst of this nightmare can see that while there is a chance, it is STILL going to take a lot of hard work and pure brilliance on Donnie Walsh's part to get this done. So why is it so bad to show LeBron the love he could have on 41 nights a year instead of just 2? Money isn't everything. Love conquers all, man! (Kidding there. Seriously.)

Third, it's not like a "We want LeBron" chant would keep anyone from cheering when the Knicks make a basket or if they (gasp!) win the game. Anyone there or watching on tv clearly cares enough to get ecstatic if the Knicks pull a W out of this one. And, quite frankly, it might be the best thing that could happen in our pursuit of him. Hell... even staying competitive with the Cavs, a team that I believe will be within a game of first place by the time 82 have been played, would be a great impression to be making on the league in general.

So yeah. That's my take on it. Besides, it might be comforting for you to know that, of all the sporting events I've attended in my life, I've never successfully gotten a chant going. Odds are pretty good that my streak will continue tonight.

@ mustafa...

brook lopez is averaging 8 points and 6 rebounds. i'm not sure that qualifies as "flourishing". besides, he's pretty much reached his upside.

danillo is higher risk (excluding the back of course since we didn't know that then) but potentially much higher reward. Danillo could turn into Dirk (upside), Kukoc or Turkoglu (more realistic), or possibly Mike Dunleavy Jr (probably the worst case scenario, but still not so bad). Brook Lopez on the other hand is more likely to become Rony Seikaly (worst case) than Chris Kaman (best case). No thanks. I'll take the higher risk and higher reward with gallo. now that his back is injured that might derail this whole thing, but that still doesn;t mean it was the wrong pick.

Thanks Michael, I just found out that have to pay extra with comcast for it despite having the league pass.

Went ahead and ordered the sports tier so I can catch the game and get some other sports channels as well. Its only 5 bucks more a month. Thanks for the heads up on NBA TV.

Where are you getting all this information about how good Danillo is/can be? I've seen him play in one summer league game, briefly during the season, and saw some highlights of him on youtube. Based on that to say he has the potential to be Dirk, is even more speculative then all of us who say he might never live up to being a #6 draft pick based on what we saw and his injury status.

Remember all the hype about how great Fredrick Weiss was, or Marce Lampe, and those are just Knicks draft picks. I actually watched Greg Oden play in college. I actually honestly thought he was overhyped because I thought his offensive game was limited, but I understand the desire to have a legit 7footer who was a beast on defense. He really got after it on D. I don't say this often but I will be shocked if the rooster is a star. And this isn't 20/20, we were all saying this long before the draft. By the way, I have never heard of a "bulging" disc threatening someone's whole season. If you believe that I have some shares in Citibank I could sell ya. You betcha!!

K4L,

If you believe J Rose, I don't understand your 1st priority. Bosh is the "C who blocks shots" that we covet. I agree 100% on your 2nd and 3rd priorities though. Are there alot of good PG's coming out this year ?

@ Michael. In an effort to educate myself as to my ignorance between a bulging and herniated disc and to become as intelligent as you I consulted WebMD:

"A bulging disk is different from a herniated disk in that a bulging disk typically occurs gradually over time rather than suddenly. A herniated disk is often the result of an injury or trauma to the spine. In the majority of patients who experience a bulging disk, there is no pain unless the disk becomes herniated or protrudes into a nerve.

In many cases, a bulging disk may be diagnosed as a condition secondary to another problem. Because a bulging disk does not always cause pain, it may only be found during a routine or diagnostic imaging test such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Typically, a bulging disk is not a problem unless it begins to cause pain, becomes herniated or ruptures.

Treatment for a bulging disk or even a herniated disk is relatively conservative in most cases. Rest and lifting restrictions are common, and a doctor may recommend a combination of heat and ice therapy and anti-inflammatory medications or cortisone injections. Medication may be prescribed to deal with any associated pain.

Though usually a condition affecting the lower back, occasionally, a bulging disk may occur in the neck area. Usually, pain that radiates to the shoulders and arms indicates that a nerve in the neck may be pinched or pushed upon. In the lower back, pain may sometimes radiate to the legs.

A physical examination by your doctor will help determine where your discomfort may be coming from and whether the problem arose gradually or suddenly. In most cases, conservative treatment relieves the problem. Back surgery, though not as common, can relieve severe pain caused by compression on the nerves from a bulging disk that becomes herniated."

Specifically on a herniated disc:

"Herniated disc, which usually gets better within a month or two"

The Laser Spine Institute has a procedure which can fully treat the symptoms and pain from a bulging disc within 5 days.

Yet, our Rooster has been out for almost five months with a "bulging disc". Hmmm. I may not be that bright but it would seem to me that his injury is much more severe (a herniated disc perhaps) than is being reported. But my ignorance calls me to question what is being reported and to actually search for the truth. Wait a minute . . . that isn't ignorance at all, that is intelligence. Using independent thought despite the media spin put on a story. Oh man, I done did it now, I thought for myself.

@ John Q: Bosh isn't a center which is why Toronto traded for Jermaine O'neal in the offseason. Bosh is more of a face up type than a back to the basket player and if you remember the playoffs last year can't handle a big center like Dwight Howard who abuses him down low.

From what I've read and seen thus far (although I'm not that familiar with the international prospects) the PG depth in this draft seems great at the top but when we draft (12-20) it won't be that deep.

the reason why potential to reach dirk's skills can be in the discussion is because they have similar styles. gallo also shoots the ball remarkably well (watch tapes of the italian league games... really impressive). he also has a high basketball IQ and can pass (he used to play point guard). does he have the skills to be as good as dirk? i have no idea. will it happen? i have no idea. but it certainly is not out of the realm of possibility based on his basic skills. brook however, does not have the same basic skill set.

as for bulging disk, i appreciate your concerns and the stock you'd like to sell me. that said, i'll stick with what i've heard from my wife (she's a dr.) who says that considering the type of schedule that he's kept, considering that he already had the injury before summer league and that the summer league collision with traylor aggravated it 10 fold, and that he aggravated it again by trying to come back to early , all makes sense for the timetable for him to be out indefinitely. until you rest and get off your feet there's no way to improve. she said she has some small concerns about gallinari (yes, my mrs. is also a knick fan and yes i know how lucky that makes me), those concerns are just loosely based on the fact that back injuries in general are tough. however, she said that at 19 she doesn't see this being a huge issue. take or leave it, but i'll take that explanation from a pro over one of pure speculation without basis in fact.

one note, regarding "pure speculation without basis in fact", i do realize that the upside comment i made about gallo's ceiling being dirk is just that. but again, i'd be pretty psyched if he turned out to be kokuc or turkoglu.

michael the fact that you married a doctor and a Knicks fan makes me give you a pass and I won't break down your comment line by line. You are living my dream my friend.

But that wasn't speculation, I'm personally really familiar with medical injuries based on my line of work and I consulted more than one website before posting. His injury is troubling and if what you said is true, the Knicks knew about it before the summer league and probably before they drafted him!!!!

thanks for the free pass. sometimes i need to pinch myself. usually i pinch myself when Q hits a three and i look at my mrs on the couch bumping her fists to her forehead.

as for the injury, i'm not sure if the knicks knew or not. all i had heard was that the injury from the collision was an aggravation of something he had. that he had simply played through it in the past. not sure beyond that.

K4L,

I know he's not a back to the basket center but this is not a half court team. If Chandler is a PF in this system, then I think Bosh would be considered center material in the run and gun, no ?

maybe they want to play Danillo when they're done showcasing people for trades and they know thier roster is set. No sense getting use to players your not gonna play with and it makes no sense to take shots away from guys your showcasing.
and maybe like " Lebrain James" earlier in his career had back problems due to the fact that he was still growing....maybe Danillo is still growing..everone that played with him says he's the real deal, lets wait and see how the drama unfolds.

"These are the Knicks so I'm preparing myself for the return of Zach Randolph."

"I'm kidding. But only because you said please"

"Besides, it might be comforting for you to know that, of all the sporting events I've attended in my life, I've never successfully gotten a chant going. Odds are pretty good that my streak will continue tonight."

"By the way, I have never heard of a "bulging" disc threatening someone's whole season. If you believe that I have some shares in Citibank I could sell ya. You betcha!!"

"But my ignorance calls me to question what is being reported and to actually search for the truth. Wait a minute . . . that isn't ignorance at all, that is intelligence. Using independent thought despite the media spin put on a story. Oh man, I done did it now, I thought for myself."

"..take or leave it, but i'll take that explanation from a pro over one of pure speculation without basis in fact."

I see you peeps got the chuckle meter going at full tilt today...and it's still early...oh, baby I love this blog

I follow the Raptors pretty closely, and Bosh is not a center. He could be plugged in at the 5 by D'A (good lord, he has Lee playing center, so anything is possible), and he can run, shoot and play some in the post (not great in the post, but all right) with his slithery moves around the basket and shooting ability, but he'll get utterly destroyed by good centers on the other end. Watching Howard absolutely maul the Raptors bigs, including Bosh in the play-offs last year was a big part of the decision to acquire O'Neal. People compare him to Garnett, which isn't too far off on the offensive end, but there is no comparison between the two on d. He is also not a shotblocker - his career average is barely over 1 per game, and that's playing at a fairly fast pace in Toronto. Nor is he very strong or explosive like Amare.

Ideally Bosh plays the 4 - he's not a tweener or 4/5, and is best suited to play alongside someone who can handle the defensive chores in the post, leaving him free to guard forwards and concentrate on offense. I'd love to see him in NY - he's a heck of a player, but playing him at center will not put him in the position to be most successful.

Your wife does the Q-Rich fist bumps? Oh man whatever you do don't lose that one man. I brought a girl to a Knicks game once. She did her nails and makeup for 3 qtrs. I have never brought one to a game since and probably never will again.

Good point John Q, maybe Bosh could play Center in this system. I don't see us winning a championship with him at center because we would be exposed in the playoffs when the game slows down, but you are right, D'Antoni probably would try it.

I see the Gallo is a bust/Gallo is great debate rages on. I'm going out on a limb and saying its too early to say what sort of career he'll have.

Lopez is doing better than I thought he would, but I thought he'd be a hopeless bust. Let's wait and see if he puts up better that Bryant Reeves numbers this year before anointing him a star.

The hype over Oden is starting to look like just hype - I've seen him on league pass, and he hardly resembles a young Shaq or Robinson. He walks with an ungainly hitch, seems to have little lateral movement, no presence on offense other than the odd dunk and is foul prone. I'm sure he'll improve with time and experience, but usually the all-time greats show you something right away, and I'm not seeing that with Oden.

@Michael,

"brook lopez is averaging 8 points and 6 rebounds."

Fair point and technically you are correct. However, you are looking at his averages per games played. Look at his averages per minutes played. They are more meaningful, IMHO.
Boone was getting more minutes before he went down so Lopez's averages per games played were distorted.

Now look at Brook's stats as a starter. I can guarantee you, they are not 8 and 6.

Danilo Gallinari will be Pat Garrity with that stiff back. If the Draft were held tonight, no team in the 1st Round would have drafted him.

One other thing about Bosh - with the collective bargaining agreement allowing teams to offer considerably more money to their own free agents, Bosh will be taking a pay cut to come here. I also doubt Nike is planning on offering the LeBron sweeteners (if that is true) to every potential free agent. It seems to me that if you are trying to persuade a player to take a smaller deal, telling them they'll be playing out of position every night is probably a bad idea. Especially if there are other teams offering the same money to play the 4.

Michael Kay on ESPN radio says Tim Thomas will play tonight but Cuttino Mobley will not...meaning the trade went through so thats all that matters

At the idea that Danilo's back trouble is a result of him still growing (I'm glad somebody made that point because I almost forgot how young he is): there's a tidbit of information nobody has touched on. When I was reading up on the prospects for this past draft (around this same time last year) they said Danilo had to stop playing for a couple of months due to a growth problem where his lower body was growing at a disproportionate rate to his upper body. I'm not a doctor or married to one (way to go Michael!!!), but I'm glad somebody brought up the fact that he may still be growing because when I read up on him last year that was the one thing in the scouting report that stood out as alarming (or peculiar to say the least) because I've never heard of the "disproportionate growth problem." Who knows, maybe they're related to his back troubles.

http://www.nbadraft.net/players/danilo-gallinari

...they don't go into much detail about it but they touch on the "disproportionate growth" thing

TRADE IS OFFICIAL-NY POST

The Knicks' trade with the Clippers became official today when the club cleared Cuttino Mobley on his physical following a second heart test.

Mobley failed the Knicks' initial physical Sunday and Monday, holding up the deal and putting the Zach Randolph blockbuster into jeopardy.

Mobley and Tim Thomas were expected to suit up tonight when the Knicks ironically face LeBron James and the Cavaliers. Knicks president Donnie's Walsh's two trades Friday cleared $27.5 million worth of salary cap space for 2010, when James becomes a free agent.

The Clippers claimed Mobley had a pre-existing heart condition that he has played with for both of his former teams, the Rockets and Clippers. Clippers GM/coach Mike Dunleavy claimed Monday night the Knicks were aware of the condition.

The Knicks will receive no further compensation in the deal, if that is what they were trying to do by holding up the trade by 24 hours. The holdup prevented Randolph from making his Clippers debut Monday night against the Hornets.

It's going to take time to see what happens with Gallo... but in the meantime, let's not even put him in the same sentence as Weiss or Lampe is kind of foolish (whoops I just did). This kid is a proven player (meaning had success) in the European league and lived under a pretty big spotlight in Milan. Those other guys were a joke.

Anybody that thinks Gallo is a bust is foolish. Sorry for the name calling but that's the nicest thing I can think of.
Gallo dominated in a league that is superior to NCAA. The European League is leaps and bounds better than the NCAA. You take DJ or Bayless or whoever you want and put them in that league last year...they would become hollow men because nobody would even notice them. This guy was 18 dominating men in the Euro league. If he would've played in the NCAA...he would've averaged 40.
Also, Greg Oden is the truth. This is his first year playing in the league. He was very dominant in college considering he played the entire year with a broke wrist ON HIS SHOOTING HAND. The guy still shot over 60% from the line and he was shooting with his left hand. He is a presence in the lane (BIG TIME). He will pan out to be one of the best centers in the league. You guys have no patience it seems. Take it easy already. Gallo will develop as will Oden. Can anybody here tell me Dirks stats his rookie year?
Since we're all in front of a computer, I'm sure someone will look it up. They were not that impressive and you had no idea Dirk would pan out to be what he is today.
Oh yeah...Lebron is coming to NY. If you think different your foolish (sorry again for the name calling).
People say...."he has to be able to win a championship or at least compete for one". Don't you think if we sign Lebron, Bosh or Amare and have Nash....where else would he have a better shot at winning? I can't wait to hear the reply's to this one.
Just for my fellow fixers...here is something I'm sure we will all love to hear or should I say read.

B.C. native Steve Nash – the finest Canadian basketball player in history – will eventually become a member of the New York Knicks.

That’s the word in and around the NBA, and it’s being spread like wildfire by league sources who know their stuff. They predict Nash will be with the Knicks before 2010.

Makes sense, too. Nash already has an off-season home in New York. He plays in a Manhattan soccer league during the off-season. And he has gone on record as saying New York would satisfy his cultural interests and foster his filmmaking desires.

There’s also the fact that Mike D’Antoni is the new Knicks coach and used to be Nash’s coach in Phoenix, where the point guard and the Suns excelled in a fast-paced system that is being introduced these days in New York.

And, oh yes, the Knicks made two trades last week that cleared $27-million U.S. in their salary cap.

• A Knicks team featuring Nash, of course, likely would make life more miserable for their Eastern Conference rivals, including Canada’s NBA franchise.

Danilo Gallinari will be Pat Garrity with that stiff back. If the Draft were held tonight, no team in the 1st Round would have drafted him.

exactly...kid's a wasted pick..crippling to a rebulding franchise....i dont trust Donnies eye for talent...just like women, sometimes the best of both of them make the ideal woman for you...in this case Donnie and Zeke make the perfect GM cause i trusted Zeke on draft night, don't trust Donnie....

Kandiman
Here you are again kissing Isiah's butt-cheeks.
Didn't you see what Zeke did to to this franchise. I told you that he was a bad hire and a will destroy the Knicks. I've been right on all points about Thomas because I haven't been wrong. But you're still kissing his butt.

But you, you're never wrong about Isiah. Just because you think you're not wrong it does not mean that you are right. Thomas embarrassed himself and the Knicks. I told you that before but you still insist on kissing his ass.