The Knicks Fix

alan

i give credit where credit is due
isiah did a good job drafting that kid chandler

i always thought he had potential
and he is gettiing better
his jump shot was smooth and
he looked confident shooting it

isiah's biggest mistake was waiting so long to play him
q-rich was awful last year and chandler should have been
getting his minutes

now we need to find a shot blocking 4 or 5

being a big east guy i was glad chandler landed with tha knicks. he was a force in the league but was still always under tha radar. isiah always has an eye for talent we have to give him that.

p.s - get da rooster in the weight room ASAP. if tractor-traylor is laying him out, what are the real athletic 3's and 4's in the league gonna do...i can see lebron, vince, tmac, iguodala & gerald wallace for starters lickin' their chops now...

Lol Have u ever seen Tractor taylor,,he got the nickname for a reason...Id say he is one of the bigger players Gallo will be getting fouled by..

I thought Gallo after that dunk was real good,he got that little swagger going..He only gets better from here..

MY lineup I want is..DUHON,CRAWFORD,CHANDLER,GALLO,LEE..I think that a good young exciting group,the knicks could win some games with..

Gallinari
He's soft. he ain't gonna last mang!

There's a difference between being soft and being young, a little weak, and new to NBA ball.

Gallo is certainly not avoiding contact, even though he was getting banged around a bit. I like that.

Obviously, it's way too early to really tell, but I liked what I saw. I think he's got good tools.

Will tha Thrill though... I know we've been saying it on this blog a lot --- kid's got a chance to do big things. Too bad Isiah wasted him for most of the season last year on the bench. As long as he could keep his knee healthy, I'm pretty excited about what he could do...

Gallinari has the best stroke on the jumper from a Knick since Allan Houston.

Tractor Taylor is a freaking brick wall, heck my back is hurting just from watching him.

Gallo really impressed me once he got going, the kid has a sweet shot, can knock down free throws, and is very good at handling the ball. As he was struggling for most of the first quarters he was still looking for his team mates, very unselfish player.

Let's keep in mind, he's only 19, playing in the states for the first time. As this kid grows, and puts on some pounds ... I think he can be exactly what the Knick brass think he can be "special".

As far as Chander ... this youngster is developing right before our eyes.

Shame we couldn't trade for that 5th pick, and with our 6th pick bagged Mayo and Gallo.

That would have been some core of young guns. Not that we might have a few already, in Gallo, Chandler, Lee, and Duhon.

I like the direction we headed.

Chandler's only 21, Gallinari's 19 - It's awesome to have talented young prospects to watch develop.

The key word being develop.

Renaldo Balkman will be headed out of town. He may be packaged with Zach to the Clippers for something.

Who knows but I do like our direction.
Man if we can get another young prospect like Gordon or Mayo by packaging Lee and Zach...how sweet would that be?

Best thing about it is the salaries don't have to match up because the Clippers are so far under the cap.

Make it happen Donnie....I think it's safe to say now, NY has your back!!!!!!

Peaceman will never let his homey D. Nichols go away LMAO!!!

Peaceman is a real ride or die fan.........

Change in 08!!!!!!!!!

@ WILLIS... coming from someone who clearly has a good b-ball mind, your review of the roosters release really makes my ears perk up. i also remember seeing him go both left and right in the youtube clips i saw before the draft, did he show this ability off today?

i won't be able to see the games this week, but it is comforting to know that i can rely on the fixers to provide incredibly astute observations.

Connect the Dots!

Just speculating really but I read several articles about Lee being aware of his situation as highly coveted trade bait and magic pill to help that Z-Bo contract swallow more pleasantly. I also read somewhere that Eric Gordon announced that he wouldn't be participating in any further summer league games. That is Eric Gordon the rookie 7th pick from the Los Angeles Clippers?

So while the Knicks and Clippers play a game of poker two names of some prominence in both franchises names appear in reports as Walsh looks to up the anti and avoid trading Z-Bo for a bag of chips.

Is it possible that Eric Gordon may be a player that Donnie Walsh is looking to pry from the Clippers hands?

Why was Mike Dunleavy, he of a weary heart and the gas face fresh of an Elton Brand Philly Sixers style diss, sitting in the stands watching Knicks 2nd and third year players in a meaningless summer league game?

Connect the dots try some conjecture. Me I'd prefer to pry Jordan from the Clippers hands if we are to slip them Clips Lee and Randolph because common sense says the Curry alone will not be able to pick up that rebounding load, and the three's may get worked against beefier lineups.

We should try to get Jordan back if we are too lose Lee and Randolph. Curry is not a strong rebounder or shot blocker. We need to make up for the loss of production on the boards from Z-Bo and Lee.

I agree with the consensus on Gallinari.

The first half he looked trepidatious, and like he was feeling the game out.

After the throw down, he seemed to assert himself more and more. He drove to the rack, took contact, and showed some nice dribble moves and a really effortless shot.

Also good to see that people give Thomas credit where he was due. He was a solid drafter but seemed to get to close with the more destructive personalities he acquired via trades, and as a result those personalities sabotaged his tenure with the Knicks. But then again, why draft well when you're not going to develop that talent and make the roster so redundant that the draftees don't play till the bitter end of the season or sparingly if at all

sec11rowH - and for those who missed the game or don't have MSG
you could still watch the game online at the NBA site. Click on the Knicks archive. However you have to watch whole game, because it took Gallo nearly three quarters to get going ... but it was worth the wait.

http://www.nba.com/summerleague2008/scoreboard.jsp

@sec11: gallo seemed to prefer taking it to his left where he got into the lane well and drew contact. he runs the floor really well for his height. definitely can see him as a point forward, getting the ball when the 1 is pressured (that looked like his role in milan too). he's not soft, he chases down every loose ball and tip, albeit a little overzealous sometimes (those 4 fouls came quick). on a couple of occasions he hustled back, sprinting the entire length of the court to contest a breakaway (altering one shot, but kinda mucking it the next time around). he's definitely trying to play defense haha, looks pretty awkward and uncomfortable defending the post (he was caught flatfooted and got backed down a fare share). with his shooting i can see him in a dirk nowitzki kind of mold, exploiting mismatches. but gallo has much more than just a high arching fadeaway from the block. he's aggressive. i think that once he gets accustomed to nba rules, and nba speed, he'll look a lot more comfortable, and he'll bring his game, as he did in the second half when he went on that nice 5 for 6, 12 points in 12 mins spree.
by the way, for any old-school fixers interested, there are willis reed throwback jerseys on significant sale at eastbay. not plugging, just blogging.

I am surprised at the tempered enthusiasm about Danilo that I am seeing here. I was very excited after seeing him play. He does everything very well. We should ignore the first half as it was very natural for him to be nervous and was trying to get a feel of the game. Once he started being himself there was no stopping him. He was all over the place. Deflecting, Stealing, getting the ball every which way. He showed some crazy moves, good ball handling skills and popping up J's at will. What a great pick this was for us. Funny, I thought he hit a 3 pointer at the break.

I think the Knicks should find some way of getting Nenad Kristic. He would be excellent at the center for D'Antoni. He seems so available..., I don't get it that his name hasn't even cropped up.

With this kind of talent on the team (Danilo, Chandler, Crawford, Duhon, Lee etc.), we don't need to worry about getting back anything and just dump Zach for beginners. The savings from his salary plus the reduced luxury tax because of the salary gone, should be a good 25-30 millions dollars. That itself should be incentive enough. Plus, once Zach is gone, we will not be under that much pressure to dump more contracts. And so, eventually we can make a good trade involving Curry and that is when we should try to get something significant back.

This year is already looking promising. I know last year looked promising too, but that was simply because of a large collection of talent. But how it would all jell was anybody's guess. This year is more of young talent which can be molded into a system, so that everyone is on the same page and plays a particular style.
I can't wait for the next game.

** REPOST **

I normally temper my enthusiasm until at least training camp. I try not to get too up or down during summer league, but let me tell you guys something...

I like what I'm seeing.

Chandler has picked up where he left off at seasons end, before the injury.

He kinda looks like he feels insulted to be playing in the summer league...really. He kinda reminds me of the kid that had to play on the JV team in HS to be taught a lesson, but clearly should be STARTING for the Varsity.

Roberson is a keeper...the kid could straight up shoot the ball. I believe he'll wind up being Duhon's backup after Steph is exhiled. They just need to do something with Snax so this kid could get a roster spot.

Last, but not least, Gallo is a player. After a shaky start (and a made jumper...lol), you could see the confidence just oozing out of him.

By mid season, you won't even recognize him. He'll be participating in All-Star weekend.......for the rookie team, of course....lol.

However, don't be surprised if you see him playing that Sunday in the near future.

I really hope gallo is the real deal....buts lets remember that Maciej Lampe also did well in summer league and actually was the MVP...you see what that all meant! Heres hoping I am wrong.

@Alfredo

Lampe was mainly a jump shooter

the thing i like about Gallo
is he likes to take it to the hole

and he is more athletic than Lampe
that put back dunk was something

and his jumper is smooth

what if he grows to 6'11
and gets range like dirk?.
i think that is what the knicks are hoping for

... Crawford was speaking in codes, but he clearly wants Steph gone ... Q looked to be in great shape ... Steph looked and sounded good too, but he's too connected to Isiah's legacy, to be allowed to stay ... LeBron's gonna be happy to have JJ Hickson on his squad, he's gonna be a draft sleeper ... Gallinari reminds me of a young Tom Gugliotta ... good start for the Knickerbockers ...

lmao when i read gillanari plays the same position plays
gillanari will get eaten up at the 4 spot he is a small forward at most..

nope chandler isn't zeke last pick from my sources zeke told donnie to pick gillan..

the knicks might be fun to watch

gillan shoots like okur an is slow like okur also.lmao..

the knicks trying to do the rite thing but they just did something stupid by giving duhon 10-15 mill for 2 years an yess the dumbness continues.they could of gotten dooling for less or som1 else better than duhon..

mardy seems ready...

I was surprised by his handle. The youtube clips I saw he looked like his crossover was slow and too far in front of him. I thought he was going to get ripped alot when he started in the NBA, but the kid is alot tighter with the dribble than it appeared. The step back dribble going from back to front through the legs to pull up for the jumper was kinda ridiculous and clearly a move he's been dropping on guys since he was 7. His ability to get back to a perfect stroke and follow through off of any move - fadeaway, back dribble, fakes - is what was really impressive. Much like a Paul Pierce always has that nice finish on the shot affter his array of moves. He's not just a stand up shooter, is really very fluid - I don't think he looks like Gugliotta or Okur, he's way more athletic than Nowitzki. All those guys are tight through the hips, can't change direction, have terrible first steps. This guy looks to explode by his man with the first step like a guard - and his first step is a goddamn long jump. I think that's why he gets away with that dribble in front of him, because defenders have to lay back to avoid getting passed - summer league defenders that is. By the second half, the Cavs realized he was bringing trouble - much like Hickson was killing us - they were closing out hard on every catch he made, trying to force him off his jumper. That's pretty impressive when guys are already scared of the jumper after seeing only, what, three shot attempts?

And like some of you did, his Basketball IQ is off the charts. He was playing the game like it was a scrimmage early on, running the offense, moving to open spots, and then, realizing he was in a playground game with a bunch of summer league scrubs who were not on point, went into attack mode. By the end of the game, the rest of our guys were deferring to him and Chandler, and they started to look like a team.

Gotta get stronger like you guys say, and I agree, he's going to be pretty scary by All Star Break.

If you judged Danilo Gallinari's debut solely on Monday's first half he looked like a lost cause.
Gallinari scored all 14 of his points in a 10-minute span of the Knicks' 97-94 win over a Cleveland Cavaliers team whose most experienced player was journeyman guard Billy Thomas.

Those in-game interviews I thought actually gave some real insight to the Marbury situation. Seems pretty clear to me that the writing's on the wall for him.

Crawford's constant mention of the need for chemistry over "too much talent," his 2-hour meeting with D'Antoni to talk about "everything... everything," and Marbury himself saying that it doesn't matter where he plays. Gotta give credit too to Crispino for asking (on MSG) Marbury blatantly about his future with the Knicks. I thought it would be all softballs.

Funny though, there was a point before the interview where I don't think they realized they were on mic, and Crispino says to Marbury, 'what, you don't even say hi to me?'

From what I saw, Chandler could be a good two or three. Galinari looks like a 2 or 3. Has does not have the body to be a 4 or 5. He looks like Houston with his shooting. He needs to work on rebounding and playing to his strengths. I think he would rather play the two judging by how he likes to take the ball down the court. If we had a intimidating center other than Curry with Wilson and Gallo in the future. I would think we have a solid foundation to work with. We still need an orchestrator that doesn't tun the ball over at the one.

It's the good thing that Zeke Thomas did not get a chance to ruin Chandler's career.

Chandler's got game.
That was evident last yr.
Too bad he wallowed on the bench next to Zeke's handpicked lazy me-first influencers.

Nothing says "skip me" like "Posted by Anonymous"...

Maybe its just me but I still have some reservations about Gallo. I saw some tools late in the game when the other team's defense got tired and they were no longer gaurding him with their best defender. He still has some work to do. I love his ability to move the ball though. That will help. I was not as impressed with his jump shot or defense. Its just game 1 though, I'll keep watching and hoping.

Mardy is still not good enough to be our backup PG. Roberson can shoot and has confidence but has trouble getting others involved. Don't see him as a regular PG but he is too small to be a 2. At one point it looked like Chandler wanted to kill him because he didn't go back to the ball, which a PG must do, because he was so worried about getting out on the break and scoring. We already have enough guards with that mentality.

Chandler look great. No complaints there. I have to see him against better competition but I think he and Nate have to be in D'Antoni's 9 man rotation. I say shut him down before the end of the summer league and have him do strength conditioning on that knee and continue to work on that J which looks much improved. We are so stocked at the 3 he may have to play some 2, so he has to continue to work on the range of his J.

My prediction on Zach: I think Donnie is going to pry a future #1 from LA for him. Problem is you need to replace him and Lee and Curry don't complement each other well. Can't think of who is available at the 4 though which is why LA is desperate enough to take Zach in the first place.

MAK - Isiah seemed inclined to hand out minutes based on salary. Hopefully that kind nonsense is ancient history.

I don't want to get too high on summer league performances, but they provide a chance to see what kind of tools a player has. For instance, the fact that Gallo has a quicker first step and is more fluid that Nowizki has nothing to do with the level of competition or how well he'll do during the regular season, but does indicate that he is physically not a stiff. Similarly, we can see that he has a good looking jumper that he can get off in a variety of circumstances. Without making predictions about the upcoming season, this is a heck of a lot better that observing that he is awkward, passive or has a slow release jumper. Its just a sign, but a positive one.

One thing that I'm not clear on is the need for some people to post some kind of negative response to these generally positive signs. By now, everyone knows these aren't regular season games - reminders to that fact are no longer necessary or productive. Yes, he needs to get stronger (like many teenagers, including Durant). But so far, he has looked all right - let's wait until he actually craps the bed at some stage before trumpeting the reasons (which haven't even happened yet!) why he is a lousy pick.

Knicks4Life - good points - I have no problem with a wait and see approach to Gallo - its the knee-jerk criticisms that get irritating.

I agree that Donnie wants to get more out of the Clips, and if he can move Zach he might as well shed the contract. Curry and Lee may not be the most complimentary duo, but its not like Zach and either of them have the league trembling either. Just more evidence of how far this roster has to go.

It's the good thing that Zeke Thomas did not get the chance to ruin Chandler's career.

Chandler's got game.
That was evident last yr.
Too bad he wallowed on the bench next to Zeke's handpicked lazy me-first negative influencers.

It was encouraging to see Dunleavy in the crowd last night (makes you think that there's definitely some talks still going on about Zach to LA), but he saw the same thing we did - that Will tha Thrill could play.

Would you want to give up Chandler in a deal that would let us get rid of Zach's contract?

Obviously, it depends on what we get back, but I'd be curious what people think...

Posted by MAK | July 15, 2008 12:03 It's the good thing that Zeke Thomas did not get a chance to ruin Chandler's career.

Chandler's got game.
That was evident last yr.
Too bad he wallowed on the bench next to Zeke's handpicked lazy me-first influencers.

Posted by MAK | July 15, 2008 12:27 It's the good thing that Zeke Thomas did not get the chance to ruin Chandler's career.

Chandler's got game.
That was evident last yr.
Too bad he wallowed on the bench next to Zeke's handpicked lazy me-first negative influencers.

Just when we thought ed drossman was gone, Mak takes his place. Please dross that post again Mak.

Steve and Barry's will cease to exist. What will Marbury do now with his fresh tatto on his head?

This guy is just doomed, everything he touches fails. You just can't make this stuff up.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUKBNG19557120080714

BARF is back on the blogosphere

Nice!

Chandler is a keeper.

Isiah was trying to save his job and make his trade acquisitions look good in the process. Didn't pan out.

Chandler and many a pup paid for that.

That's my humble opinion.

But there are of course chemistry jinxers on the current roster.

@ Matt. I don't think Chandler is an all-star but I wouldn't trade him at this point. There is a very good chance that his value will increase dramatically in D'Antoni's system and at some point we have to start selling high and buying low. I say keep him for a year and see if his value increases. Stiffs like Curry and James should go immediately before they are really exposed in a running system.

Looks like GS gave a big K to Ronny Turiaf?!? Wow, there really may be a market for a PF like Zach after all.

Matt - I wouldn't part with Chandler now. I don't see the urgency to dump Zach right away. It's not like he has been a cancer since he's been here, and from what I read (for what its worth) he doesn't seem particularly unpopular with his teammates. If you can move him without making a bad deal, do it - otherwise, wait and see a bit.

I'm all for seeing how guys look after D'Antoni has some time running the team -- except for Zach.

He might not be a cancer in the locker room, but he seems to be one on the court.

Once he gets the rock, there's no more ball movement. He forces bad shots, puts the ball to the floor too much, turns the ball over at really high rate (and in big spots).

To me, he's a guy that will just look worse in D'Antoni's offense.

I think they should trade him while he still has solid numbers because with D'Antoni, he'll be riding the bench while more versitile guys that could move the ball (Will, Gallo, even Jeffries) get more time..

I think you cant trade Chandler at this point unless you are getting someone close to an allstar in the deal... That dude has all the tools to be an allstar in this league he is light years ahead of most players his age with overall knowledge of the game... He can pretty much do everything on the court, he isnt there yet but give hime 2 to 3years with Dantoni and he will be... Zach worries me, if he can become a quick decision guy, who isnt a ball stopper, I think he will do fine in the new system but thats a big IF... Curry may surprise people this year tho...

Oh and for all the Gallo haters, I didnt see any of you writing about how bad Joe Alexander looked after his 1st game... The man had 7points and was 2-13... But Im sure you want to see more of him before you make a true assessment... All these players need time before you can really judge...

Wow...what a sharp, loyal bunch of NYK bloggers!

I agree with all the high hopes for Will, Gallo and I'd even say Mardy earned a aspot back on this team He too may blossom under the Coach D system and mentality.

Will and Gallo were very skilled, aggressive and competitive, as was Mardy when the game was on the line.

It was flat out exciting to see the kid Gallo come to life in the 2nd half. Give him some plyometric jump / speed training, along with some NBA muscle////watch out!

He did remind me of the old Tom Chambers with the Phoenix Suns of yesteryear, along witha bit of Toni Kukoc and Dirk in him.

God bless his 1st year in USA and with NYK, and may God forgive and bless this new Knick org from the top on down: Mr. Dolan, Walsh, D'Antoni and the players.

Zach may not be a cancer but he also isn't a model citizen either. Didn't he have a water fight with Nate during the game and demand to be traded 3 months into the season? He also refused to pass the ball and would take terrible 3 point shots off the dribble at the PF position.

To say Chandler is an all-star at this point is just plain crazy and deluded Knick fan thinking that had us thinking Sweetney and Lampe was a wonderful draft and Mardy Collins was our PG of the future. How about that Balkman winning 6th man of the year?

It was good to see a slimmed down, focused Q on the microphone. I think he will have a bust out year and will help lead this team with Jamal and Duhon, once Egomarbury is exiled to Starbury land, wherever the hell that is?

I haven't given up on Balkman yet. He needs to find his role with Coach D and maybe they can help him with shooting and some offensive moves?

I think he is at his best in a helter skelter type pace, grabbing a rebound, breaking out with the ball, running the floor and making some plays that way? That seems to energize him and everyone around him. I hope he performs better in the games to come.

Pete - I agree Chandler is a keeper for now, he might really flourish under D'Antoni's offense.

Also getting rid of Zach is very tempting I must admit, however 20pt 10 rebounds should get at least something we can use in return. I like Walsh's approach, plus many of our players quite frankly could benefit from some of D'Antoni's rehabilitating coaching style to rebuild their market value.

Al, you're the man but please do not mention Isiah Thomas from now on. He needs to be forgotten completely. I'm begging you!

Ladies, it's the girls' junior-varsity summer league. Remember, the league that Little Man Nate lit up last season. The league that the Knicks, including Randi Morris, dominated.

And then New York was humiliated when the NBA regular season started and the men, minus Lazy Eddy, Fat Zach, Break A Backboard Crawford, Jerome James, and the completely forgettable Coney Islander, started playing.

The girls' junior-varsity summer league means NOTHING, ladies.

But don't believe me. Even if I've been correct in the past.

Every. Single. Time.

Instead, just keep worshiping Hahn. After all, he's got the street cred.

And, like all of you, he's always wrong.

I dont remember anyone saying Chandler is an all-star but to say he could be close to all star caliber in 2 or 3years is not far fetched... Any Chandler trade will most likely involve Zach or Stephon and if you arent getting an all-star or all-star caliber player (McGrady, Carmelo, Monta, Josh Smith), why would you do it... Look at the numbers of Joe Johnson, Nash, or Barbosa... No one would have said they would be as good as they are based on their 1st year in the NBA... This guy shows alot flashes... Players need good coaching, opportunity, and confidence... He will have the benefit of 2 out of 3... The latter is up to him... Not a player on the Knicks has as much upside as Chandler, he is the most well rounded player we have... Yes... And Sweetney never got in shape, and Lampe was a second round pick nobody saw him as a savior... They were Layden picks, what good player did he ever draft...

The jury is still out on Collins, this year will be telling... The injury hurt him last year, he could end up contributing this season...

The name says it all...

The blog equivalent of a "telephone tough guy"!

I hate Layden, but he had some decent draffts pre-Knicks. People say Layden helped influence the Stockton and Malone picks in the 80's. As full-time personell director of the Jazz b/w 88-99' w/o ever having a lottery pick he put together some very good role players when he drafted: Bryon Russell (2nd Round); Shandon Anderson (2nd Round); Jacque Vaugn (#27); Nazr Mohammad (#29); Scott Padget (#28).

Anyone that thinks Collins is a good/solid NBA player on a good team can't be reasoned with.

Jacque Vaughn, Scott Padget your kidding me right... Career 4.0pt dudes, you look at their 1st 2years and talk to me then... And you think Mardy isnt on that level, come on... Your searching K4L, by the way... You cant give a guy credit who didnt pull the trigger on draft night... And when Layden did pick we had nothing to get excited about...

@ Sergio

Give credit where credit is due, Isiah was a good drafter. On the flip side he traded way too much and went over board to cover his back by trading for redundant players that left his draft picks with less playing and development time than they should have been entitled to.

Hahn aint no god to me but he does keep at it on his blog.

Props to that

Don't Feed The Troll. Hey Alan,you might want to call the exterminator for that maggot infestation that keeps posting as Anonymous. Just Bloggin,.