playa2 wrote:

JohnWallace44 wrote:Anyone catch in MikeD's interview that he basically sent a warning shot at Gallo saying something like, "He'd better be ready" because we have all these other guys who can play his positions... I thought that was interesting from a guy who has been Gallo's doing everything he could for two years to get this guy to succeed.

Well the truth be told this is it, either he sack up and play like he did in Europe or sit down. No more mental lapses , the one yr contracts guys are gone, no more deferring to other players Amare is the only one with a long term reputation on the team now.

If I didn't know any better I would never guess that the player you are commenting on played basically 1 season of NBA basketball.

With that said, there is def comp out there at the forward spots especially with Amare starting at PF. I fully expect Gallo to step up, but if for whatever reason he doesn't Randolph and Chandler are there to eat up mins.

Cosmic wrote:Do we have a star in the making or don't we?

This is the season that will tell us that.

Of all the NBA cliches....one holds true at least 90% of the time: If a player isn't showing you something in his third year then you have what you have.

It's a pretty truthful statement that does seem to hold firm.

By a player's third year they either show you they are on the path to stardom or that they've pretty much peaked in talent and you have what you have - barring just added experience as time goes on. The skill level is what it is by then for at least 9 out of 10 players - if not more.

Just a thought....but this is a BIG season for Gallo. By mid-season we will know what we got here.

Gus and Hahn were going at on MSG it about him being over in Europe instead of being with the team right now. So far he hasn't welcomed the new additions in person yet supposedly leadership may be in expectation from himself.

I agree big year because the roster is loaded with competition. We're going to learn a lot about last year by taking in this season. Some will be refined and hardened by fire and some may melt away.

Paladin55 wrote:

nixluva wrote:Playa Gallo was a decent defender in our system. I think he actually proved to be tougher than many players expected when they tried to take him. On offense I expect he will be improved. My guess is 18/7 this yr.

You are right about Gallo's D...not sure what some folks were watching last year, or if they actually were.

I was going to make a scoring prediction, but then realized we have a much different roster this year than last, and you just don't know how things will end up as far as point distribution. I think that the only player on the team who averages 20+ PPG is Amare, and even that is not etched in stone.

Amare-     21 PPG
Gallo-     17
Felton-    15
Chandler-  15
Randolph-  15
Douglas-   10
Turiaf-     7
Azu-        8
Other?      2

Adds up to 110 PPG for the team, which I doubt we will get (Suns led the league with 110 PPG last year), yet if you look at our individual players without thinking of team performance, I don't think any of you would feel the scoring numbers above, give or take a few points either way, seem totally out of line.

Gallinari has to be more consistent and efficient as a scorer, continue to work on his post-up game to exploit certain SF matchups, and I expect him to average 3 APG and 6/7 RPG.

As for Gallo's D- he was just about as good as anyone in our starting lineup last year- probably better, and he generally matched up against whoever was playing SF, but also had to be on the perimeter guarding PGs because of shoddy D by some of our PGs, and then helping out inside on our zone because MDA had to cover-up for Lee's poor interior D. To say that Gallo was put on the player with the "least amount of offensive threat" seems to be more than just an exaggeration.

If the opportunity acquiring Carmelo means to add Gallo as part of the deal, YOU DO IT!.