http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/columns/story?columnist=ford_chad&page=Orlandocampnotes-080528


For the second straight time I have Italy's Danilo Gallinari going to the Knicks with the sixth pick in my latest mock draft. It makes a lot of sense. Gallinari's father played with new coach Mike D'Antoni. D'Antoni likes European players and knows how to use them. Gallinari's style of play is perfect for the offense D'Antoni likes to run.


But there's a hitch. A Suns source swore to me Tuesday night that when they showed D'Antoni tape of Gallinari during the year, he wasn't a fan.


"Mike said he's just not sure the kid has what it takes to make it in the NBA," the source said. "He said he'd be very nervous picking him in the mid-first round. I doubt he's become converted since he joined the Knicks."


Another source made an even more compelling argument: "Whether Mike loves him or hates him, Donnie Walsh is making this pick. He's the guy who has to take the heat and he's not going to pass that decision on to anyone else. What matters most is whether Donnie likes him."


Sounds good to me. Don't want Gallinari at all.

Now we just need to get a small clue on who Donnie and D'Antonio Davis do like so we can start Youtubing videos and bandwagoning.

LOL If those truly are D'Antoni's comments then CHECKMATE! I mean the guy didn't watch him with his own eyes he looked at video tape which was probably nothing more than a compilation of Youtube videos strung together.

lol.. somehow I think the videos NBA scouts have available are just a little bit better than what your watching on youtube.

Dude.. how old are you

Posted by TrueBlue:

Now we just need to get a small clue on who Donnie and D'Antonio Davis do like so we can start Youtubing videos and bandwagoning.

LOL If those truly are D'Antoni's comments then CHECKMATE! I mean the guy didn't watch him with his own eyes he looked at video tape which was probably nothing more than a compilation of Youtube videos strung together.

Seriously, what point are you trying to make? Why are you so annoying?

LOL! Fits Of Rage

I'm just being extreme as usual to heighten the entertainment.


The main point if D'Antonio Daniels did make those comments the kid might not be special enough for us Knicks.

Posted by djsunyc:

just an fyi, the source was me...

You sabatoger.

What's it like waking up and getting out of bed with Bargnani every morning?

I don't put any special stock into any of this so early in the game. We all know how much crap is floated leading up to the draft anyway. The player I saw looked like he had some skills to be able to play in the NBA, but really just like any college player, how do you know for sure unless you're talking about an elite talent. Besides he's high on MOST draft boards and that would mean more than just a couple of scouts and analysts believe he's a top talent prospect. Yeah a prospect, at this point and nothing more.

We need so much at this point that it's not a make or break deal IMO. Not at the 6 spot. I'm curious to see what position we end up taking. That would tell us a lot about what Waltoni would be planning for the team.

Here's a quick review of most of the picks since Walsh was in Indy.

87 - Reggie Miller #11
88 - Rik Smits #2
89 - George McCloud #7 (regarded as one of the worst drafts in history - Pervis Ellison went #1)
90 - 2nd rd only - Antonio Davis and Kenny Williams
91 - Dale Davis #13
92 - Malik Sealy #14
93 - Scott Haskin #14
94 - Eric Piatkowski #15
95 - Travis Best #23 - 2nd rd Fred Hoiberg #52
96 - Eric Dampier #10 - 2nd Rd Mark Pope #52
97 - Austin Croshere #12
98 - Al Harrington #25
99 - Vonteego Cummings #26
00 - Primoz Brezec #27
01 - 2n Rd Jamison Brewer #41
02 - Fred Jones #14
03 - 2nd Rd James Jones #49
04 - David Harrison #29
05 - Danny Granger #17
06 - Shawne Williams #17
07 - n/a

Posted by purple012870:

Without digging up what was available at the time, these all were excellent picks:

87 - Reggie Miller #11
88 - Rik Smits #2

90 - 2nd rd only - Antonio Davis
91 - Dale Davis #13

95 - Travis Best #23


98 - Al Harrington #25

05 - Danny Granger #17

Most of those picks were safe in very weak drafts. He did ok. Reggie Miller pick really is what made Walsh if he doesn't pan out then who's to say how people would look at him as a GM.

Posted by purple012870:

You get Al Harrington @ 25 and Danny Granger @ 17 (we should have had him at 8)....that's ain't bad.

That's more of a situation where something falls into your lap vs making it happen. Plus Al Harrington was amongst those early High Schoolers coming into the NBA so you could reason to an extent why GM's passed on him. Although Al and Granger are decent talents it's not like they've brought a ton of wins to the Pacers while playing there.

[Edited by - TrueBlue on 05-28-2008 10:55 AM]

You're something else trueblue. Believe me, I was just as down on the Knicks as you were a few months ago, but we have a new coach and gm with winning experience, and you strike me as trying to find every single reason they will fail, yet they hardly did anything yet. How about, lets see who they draft first, and lets see what their first trade looks like, before you say ANYTHING.

Posted by Allanfan20:

You're something else trueblue. Believe me, I was just as down on the Knicks as you were a few months ago, but we have a new coach and gm with winning experience, and you strike me as trying to find every single reason they will fail, yet they hardly did anything yet. How about, lets see who they draft first, and lets see what their first trade looks like, before you say ANYTHING.

Interesting because I've set my expectations higher than quite a few over the past few yrs. So how is it I'm 100% Doom and Gloom? I'm not someone who is going to find any little thing to skip around and be happy about. Look as far as Walsh is concerned I've always felt he was a safe good hire. You had several here throwing their Spaghettios all over their High Seat over the fact we didn't Hire or give more attention to Colangelo and West. I was the one that said be happy we got somebody and I SAY UGH has been demoted. I don't like the fact Walsh could be a puppet of Dolan's but we'll have to see. Dolan is still a force whether we choose to ignore this or not. I SAY UGH is still around lurking. I don't like the fact Walsh hired D'Antonio Davis. I don't like the fact we didn't tear down and rebuild the way I think we should have and had probably our best chance to do so. I'm not going to recall Donnie Walsh's history and get all Giddy over things he did when his hire is almost 3mos old already and we know what his highs and lows are. Do you see me creating threads bashing all the negative things he did as Pacers GM? Most of my content is centered around being even kill, don't talk someone up too much and of course no need for the endless bashing. Outside of Walsh possibly being a Yes Man and his hire of D'Antonio Mcdyess I haven't bashed Walsh. I have been more critical of D'Antonio Daniels as coach and rightfully so. Defense wins in this league. We tend to do this as Knick Fans, it appears more so than other fans. We've been bad for so long we highlight all the positives we see no matter how small and often times insignificant they are.

Where are all the Mardy Collins threads at?..for example.

Yes I liked Magic, Jordan and Payton yet you don't ever see me creating threads talking about these guys. I rarely if ever talk about them at all. So for someone who was such a fan of these guys, why such limited discussion on them from me? I rarely try to insert them in conversations(may have posted a couple Payton Youtube Highlights), even when discussions tend to be broaden concerning past and present players.


[Edited by - TrueBlue on 05-28-2008 11:56 AM]