Gallinari To Have Surgery?

Mar 24, 2009 9:12 AM EST
Marc Berman cites a person familiar with the situation who says that Danilo Gallinari is expected to have "minor surgery" on his back to alleviate the pain resulting from a bulging disc.

The procedure would be much less invasive than most disc surgeries, involving a small shaving down of a nerve on which the disc is putting pressure.

"He'll sit down with the doctors and Donnie and decide what's best for him," Mike D'Antoni said. "Sometime this week they'll make a decision."

There appears to be a consensus among the specialists Gallinari visited, which is that he can continue resting his back or have minor surgery to alleviate the pain.

If he has the surgery, Gallinari would be ready to participate in summer league games in July.

At this point, I dont know how much rest it is going to take for him to be healthy. If a minor surgery is what it takes for him to get better, so be it. But if thats the case, they need to make that happen ASAP so that he can begin his recovery in time to have a full summer experience. That means summer league, training camp and preseason.

If he isnt showing signs of being healthy then, thats the time to start worrying

Please just go through it.

While he's at it he might as well just get a complete backectomy to forestall any future problems with it.

Posted by Bippity10:

Posted by BasketballJones:

While he's at it he might as well just get a complete backectomy to forestall any future problems with it.

I agree, that's the only way to eliminate all chance of future back explosion

Of course you agree. Because I'm right.

My response to this news is to wonder whether or not the Knicks made things worse by having him play when he was less than 100%.

My sense is that he had just rested his back would have healed on its own.


It is ironic that a kid, who some on UK thought "spineless" because he was hesitant to play while still feeling discomfort, might have exacerbated his back injury by playing through the pain.

So it goes.

Posted by Paladin55:

My response to this news is to wonder whether or not the Knicks made things worse by having him play when he was less than 100%.

My sense is that he had just rested his back would have healed on its own.


It is ironic that a kid, who some on UK thought "spineless" because he was hesitant to play while still feeling discomfort, might have exacerbated his back injury by playing through the pain.

So it goes.

baseless speculation.

Get the surgery. Rest did **** for him. Get surgery and try to correct the problem and move on already.

Posted by tkf:

Posted by sebstar:

My thoughts on the 2008 draft...

http://i44.tinypic.com/w17jpj.jpg

LOL..my man Mcnaulty..

That show is one of my all time favorites. I can watch it anytime.

Posted by Cosmic:

Danilo Gallinari talked to the media after three back specialists in Italy agreed that he could either continue resting his back or have minor surgery to relieve the pain that has ailed him this season.

"That's the good thing, that everybody said the same thing," Gallinari said. "I was happy for that because if they all said different things, I'd be more worried."

Gallinari also reflected on his rookie season.

"I think it was a real good experience and real good year," he said. "Without considering surgery and without considering all the games I didn't play, it was a good year. I came here new, and basketball, I liked it a lot. So I'm happy to be here and get experience."

Mike D'Antoni answered a question on how he views Gallinari's first season in the NBA.

"I think the year is with a question mark, but I think the player is no question mark," D'Antoni said. "There’s no doubt he’ll be a good player. Whether he played 28, 40, 80 [games], he’s a very experienced, smart, savvy, great shooter, better defender than what we thought and really the only question mark I had on him was can he defend and he’s shown that.

"The only thing now is to get his back well and get his body built up and instead of him being 20 years old, let’s get him to be 23. So a little bit of patience with him, but I am happy with what he did, what he’s shown and what he’ll do. It’s a pretty solid pick. I’m happy with it."

...Gallo doesn't sound like he's ready to go get surgery.

This is infuriating now. He should have had surgery LAST SUMMER.

DeShawn Stevenson went and got surgery shortly after learning he had the same problem.

You don't heal from a bulging disc by resting for a few months. It takes years and years - and that's only if you're not an athlete and not doing heavy lifting! You do those things it NEVER heals on it's own.

I'm starting to get tired of this guy I really am. Take care of business or work a buyout of your contract for ZERO DOLLARS and go back to Italy and let us build a team.

You do heal from bulging discs and quite often. A bulging disc can easily go back to normal, particularly if you are young. Ruptured discs, which are much worse, also heal (again, better when younger). (BTW I healed from a ruptured disc - got it from 10mm down to too small to operate, so even ruptures heal).

Though we all want the guy to play, it's his back and cutting into it when rest really does usually help bulging discs is a bit extreme at first. In particular with no history of back problems. He probably did the right thing (and it was according to doctors recommendations) in not getting the surgery. We can't do much about it now though.

Now we have to hope for a full recovery. Maybe him being out helps us get that better draft pick this year! (Think about it, he is a glue guy and our best shooter...) You know how hidden blessings work? ;)
We might have another rookie stud (uninjured I hope) next year. Hoping to health.

Posted by Cosmic:

This is infuriating now. He should have had surgery LAST SUMMER.

DeShawn Stevenson went and got surgery shortly after learning he had the same problem.

You don't heal from a bulging disc by resting for a few months. It takes years and years - and that's only if you're not an athlete and not doing heavy lifting! You do those things it NEVER heals on it's own.

I'm starting to get tired of this guy I really am. Take care of business or work a buyout of your contract for ZERO DOLLARS and go back to Italy and let us build a team.

I'm not trying to be funny, but are you a Back Specialist? Do you have any expertise in this field of medicine. Otherwise how can you say that Gallo's specific situation won't heal naturally over the next few months? Even if you are a specialist, do you have access to his scans or test results? I have no problem with the surgery if it's what the doc's suggest is the best course of action, but I can also understand a player not wanting to get cut if they don't have to.

Let's remember that any surgery, no matter how simple can have complications. Tom Brady can tell you all about that. I think if every single doc in the US and Italy that took a look at you said "Rest and Time" was pretty much all he needs, then why take the risk of a surgery? Especially on your spine!