Round 1: Danilo Gallinari (6)
Round 2: None
Analysis: With the Knicks' three favorite backcourt players gone -- Derrick Rose, O.J. Mayo and Russell Westbrook -- new Knicks president Donnie Walsh did the right thing.
Gallinari is a talent and one of the few guys in the draft who could really be special someday. Those who are bashing the pick because Gallinari is a project should do their homework. Gallinari was the team leader on an Italian Euroleague team -- and the Euroleague is much more competitive than the NCAA. Those Euroleague teams scrimmage our NBA teams in the preseason and, from time to time, beat them. The fact that Gallinari has starred there at such a young age suggests that he's more ready than most of the freshmen rushing into the league. And with Mike D'Antoni coaching him, you can bet the Knicks will play to his strengths.
Gallinari has weaknesses -- he has so-so lateral quickness and lacks muscle. I'm not sure he'll ever turn into Dirk Nowitzki, to whom he's been compared. And the Knicks still have a long way to go in the rebuilding process.
But this was a good start for the Knicks. If they can use David Lee to get a legit young point guard, they'll keep moving in the right direction.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008 ... des-080627
