Let the youth movement begin

Saturday November 14, 2009 12:01 AM By Alan Hahn

Mike D'Antoni sounded like a coach who was ready to expire the expiring contracts and look to the future. At 1-9, the worst 10-game start in franchise history, how much worse can it get?

"It's bad, there's no doubt about it," he said after his rudderless team collectively laid down against the Warriors tonight. "We got [four] days off. We'll practice hard and we'll try to figure out something better and let's see who wants to come forward."

The latter portion of that statement rang like a challenge to the young players who have mostly been deferring to the vets. Time to make your case, kids.

Al Harrington works his butt off, but, as we've been saying here over-and-over, he's just completely wrong for the way D'Antoni wants to play. He doesn't play up-tempo. He grinds. He gets the ball, faces up, puts his head down and barrels to the rim. His idea of quick ball movement is to catch and shoot on the perimeter, where his shot just refuses to go in on a regular basis. It's like a battle of wills between Al and the ball.

Larry Hughes has leveled off since his early burst that earned him playing time. Chris Duhon has been a mess since training camp. Jared Jeffries? Darko Milicic? You're just getting nothing. And it's about time undersized David Lee was relieved of his duties as the starting center, because it is clear opposing teams have it in their scouting report to attack him regularly. Perhaps the addition of Eddy Curry will move Lee back to his natural 4-spot, but then again, from what we remember of Curry as a player (it's been a while), he doesn't do much to defend the rim, either.

Jordan Hill had a mercurial 8:55 stint in the third quarter. D'Antoni said he started the rookie in the second half because "we had some zombies out there and I just wanted to see Jordan." Hill wasted little time as he hit a midrange jumper right away and also ran the floor hard to finish with a dunk. Overall, he was 5-for-5 for 10 points, three rebounds and a blocked shot in 14:25. But he picked up four fouls in the third quarter, which forced D'Antoni to put him back on the bench until the fourth.

One of Hill's turnovers was only his fault because of the rookie penchant to defer to a veteran. Hill had the ball at the circle and saw Hughes coming toward him. Hill attempted a hand-off to Hughes, but it was never receieved and, instead, was stolen by Kelenna Azubuike (who, by the way, should be on the Knicks' B-list for 2010). Hill's play there should have been to let Hughes go through. Hughes' play there should have been to not bring his defender to Hill.

But, again, if you're going to lose, at least let a young player like Hill learn in the process.

D'Antoni said he thought Hill was "OK ... He does some things that are good. He still has a lot to learn, but I'd like to keep playing him and see what happens."

The most pointed message D'Antoni sent Friday night was that he was disgusted with his team's collected lack of fight.

Perhaps if he goes young and scrappy -- Marcus Landry may not have a ton of talent, but at least the kid competes -- the Knicks will at least be somewhat watchable.

So what about an eight-man rotation of Douglas-Gallinari-Chandler-Lee-Curry with Nate, Hill and Landry off the bench?

Seriously, how much worse can it get?

* * *

Quick follow-up to the LeBron James call to retire No. 23: I asked the Knicks' resident No. 23 -- rookie Toney Douglas -- what he thought of it. His reply suggested he wasn't really in favor: "It really doesn't matter to me what he said about the number thing. I don't really have no comment about it to tell you the truth."

Douglas said he has worn No. 23 since he was a 3-year-old and, of course, it was for Michael Jordan.

So, yes, LeBron has considered changing his number to 6, but I couldn't help but ask Douglas the hypothetical, "What if a veteran signed with the Knicks and requested the No. 23?"

He laughed.

"I'm not in that situation right now," he said. "So I'm going to have to wait until that veteran comes."

* * *

Leave it to Don Nelson to keep Stephen Curry buried on the bench for all but 2:35 of his NBA debut at the Garden. Nellie found it amusing when a reporter told him the Warriors "spoiled the Garden party" at the draft last June and tossed another dagger when he dismissed the idea that Jordan Hill was even next on their board. "We liked Brandon Jennings, too," he said.

Before the game, Curry, who shared a short-lived love affair with the Knicks before the draft, tried to suggest that he "left all that in the summer." But then he admitted that when he watches the Knicks, "you kind of picture yourself and how you could have played, what kind of plays you could have made."

Coulda been so beautiful ...

TD gets Delonte T'd off

Saturday November 7, 2009 12:10 AM By Alan Hahn

With 6:02 left in the fourth quarter, as the Knicks were making a late spirited run (read: making the score respectable) against the Cavaliers, Toney Douglas was called for a foul while playing some tenacious defense against Delonte West.

After the whistle, West, who has plenty of issues on his mind right now, threw the ball at Douglas, was called for a technical foul and had some choice words for the Knicks rookie. Choice enough that Douglas wouldn't repeat them after the game.

"No comment," he said. "I'm not looking for any drama."

Whatever West did say, LeBron James felt compelled to go over to Douglas, who went to the bench after the foul.

"He just said to keep my head up," Douglas said. "That I'm all right."

* * *

James also made it a point to talk to another young Knick. After the game, he and Danilo Gallinari, who had 17 points and made 4 of 8 from three-point range, met on the court.

"He told me to keep working, keep doing my thing," Gallinari said, "and keep working on my back strength."

It's interesting that James would make note of Gallinari's back situation. Is it a clear sign that James is paying close attention to things here in New York?

"It's a good feeling that he respects me," Gallinari said. "That's already a good thing."

LeBron often has done this with young players. In fact, a few seasons ago he stopped Nate Robinson on the court after a game at the Garden and offered him similar encouragement.

* * *

Donnie Walsh before the game said he is expecting Eddy Curry back on the court "pretty soon now."

It seems most likely that Curry will be reincorporated during a four-day break between games following the Nov. 13 game against the Warriors. Walsh raved about what he saw when he evaluated Curry on Thursday. "When you see him, he's totally different," Walsh said.

How much weight has he lost? "A lot," he said.

It may sound as if Walsh is merely trying to promote nothing but positives about a player he'll likely try to trade to clear cap space, but a few other people I spoke with who have seen Curry say Walsh isn't embellishing.

We'll see.

* * *

Walsh also almost conceded that he and his staff made a mistake in passing on Brandon Jennings, the rookie PG who is off to a great start with the Milwaukee Bucks. "Going into the draft," Walsh said, "I did not have a feel for Brandon Jennings' game."

We'll get a feel for it Saturday when the Knicks face Jennings and the Bucks in Milwaukee.

Walsh explained that he went to Italy for the Eurobasket camp expecting to see Jennings, but Jennings did not participate in the camp. The Knicks had Jennings in for a predraft workout and, from what I heard at the time, he more than held his own against Tyreke Evans. But Walsh admitted that the lack of scouting information the team had on Jennings, the high schooler who skipped college for a pro year in Europe, was the issue.

"I had him in and he looked good," Walsh said. "But he looked yuong and had a lot ahead of him. But then when I went to Vegas and I saw him play, I thought, 'Wow, this guy could be very good.' I still am glad we took Jordan Hill, but I think Brandon Jennings is going to be a good player. And he's getting an opportunity to play, so it's a tough comparison now because Jordan is not."

Hill did finally get off the bench tonight against the Cavs. He played 4:46 and scored six points with two turnovers, all in the second quarter.

LeBron visits Canyon of Zeroes

Thursday November 5, 2009 11:53 AM By Alan Hahn

What a way for the Knicks to prepare for a rare moment on the big stage, with LeBron coming in Friday for an ESPN game at a Garden that will be electrified by not only King James' presence (and the anxiousness for the 2010 recruiting season), but also buzzing like an afterparty for the Yankees championship parade earlier in the day.

There is some karma here, no? We discussed in last Sunday's NBA Hot Shots that LeBron is a big believer in karma. So the congruence of his only visit to New York and the Yankees championship parade has some special value. James has only seen New York love opponents such as himself and Kobe Bryant as they come into the Garden and own the stage while the home team plays the role of the Washington Generals.

He has never felt this building roar at the opposing star, who, when it matters most, is viewed only as a villain. Reggie Miller, Michael Jordan, Tim Hardaway  . . . they brought it and felt the wrath. And they loved playing here for that reason.

LeBron? All he can recall is a star-struck fan running out on the court to give him a high five. Or knuckle-touching with celebrities along the front row, such as Jay-Z, who has a stake in the other team in this area that is trying to lure LeBron to the Apple.

But on Friday, thanks to the Yankees (one of LeBron's favorite teams), he'll get the chance to see how New York throws a championship party and adores its winners.

The Cavs play tonight against the Bulls (on TNT) so they'll get into New York kind of late. They probably won't hold a shoot-around in the morning at the Garden, which would be right around the time the parade is scheduled to begin.

Would LeBron join another one of his platinum-member friends, CC Sabathia, on a float? Highly-unlikely. But you have to believe he'll at least tune in from his hotel room.

And, perhaps for a second, wonder, "What if . . ."

But what if the Knicks found a way to be good without him? What if they built another way -- and they might have to -- and the team grew into a contender and LeBron became one of those villains?

Sure, as Magic Johnson said, New York needs a star player. The NBA needs a superstar in New York. Patrick Ewing was a star, not quite a superstar, and so often on the losing end that it took away a lot of the shine.

And while the Yankees dynasty is build on "The Core Four" -- homegrown products Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada and the indomitable Mariano Rivera -- they aren't celebrating No. 27 without landing megawatt free agents such as CC Sabathia and Marx Teixeira, who were lured to New York from smaller market teams.

Of course players come here because that Core Four is already in place with rings on their fingers. Right now, the Knicks core consists of young players who couldn't win a summer league game last July and surrounded a cast of expiring contracts; most of whom won't be around when LeBron puts pen to ink.

Come to New York? The question will have to cross LeBron's mind -- even momentarily -- at some point on Friday, as the ticker tape cascades downtown over the World Champions. Maybe he'll hum his buddy Jay-Z's latest hit as he floats temporarily into an Empire State of Mind.

* * *

Some of last night's debacle against the Pacers must have infected my computer, because twice I tried to post a blog over the past 12 hours and both times the system crashed.

Speaking of systems, offense was never supposed to be an issue for a Mike D'Antoni team. In fact, he came into this season preaching defense because that was the weak point. Even on the grease board in the locker room before the game was this confident message:

"We will score at will if we run and move the ball."

But one doesn't happen without the others. So a glance at the stat sheet shows just two fast break points -- TWO -- in the entire game last night against the Pacers.

Moving the ball? The Knicks recorded 20 assists on 34 field goals (58.8 percent), but the fourth quarter had very little offensive flow.

Consider these possessions after Al Harrington's FTs made it an 89-87 deficit with 5:35 left in the game:

4:48 - Shot clock violation (turnover)

4:22 - Duhon miss 15-foot jumper

3:51 - Lee moving screen offensive foul (turnover)

3:28 - Harrington miss 3PT

2:46 - Harrington loses ball on post up to Hibbert (turnover)

2:01 - Gallinari miss drive

1:59 - Lee miss tip

That was the bow on the giftwrapped W for the desperate Pacers, who came in winless and in the second game of a back-to-back and were playing without Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy.

But throughout the game, the Knick offense came up small in big moments. Early on, when Indiana was a lifeless team going through the motions, the Knicks jumped out to a couple of eight-point leads. They just were unable to manufacture any momentum.

Really, it looked like a complete absence of the desperation to get the W, which was evident against the Hornets on Monday.

Defense remains a problem for this group, though they are showing some improvement over last season. Interior defense will be the biggest issue mainly because you can't make David Lee into a shot blocker. And 6-10 Jared Jeffries is really a better perimeter defender than he is a stopper in the paint. Darko Milicic doesn't play enough to make that much of a difference, but, really he is only averaging 0.9 blocks per 48 minutes so far. Even Lee has more at 1.1 per 48.

Overall, the Knicks are still one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA statistically-speaking with 114 points-per-game against (second worst), allowing 49.9 percent field goal percentage (third worst) and a defensive eFG (effective field goal percentage) of 53.2, which ranks fifth-worst.

D'Antoni said he wanted that last number to be in the top 15. They are barely top 25. Out of 30.

(And the numbers are skewed because of the overtime and double-overtime games. The Double-OT loss in Charlotte was a 102-100 final. The OT loss to the 76ers was tied at 122 after four quarters.)

But, again, offense wasn't supposed to be a concern. Sure, they are averaging 105.2 points per game, which ranks eighth overall in the league, butthe eFG is a very weak 47.1 percent, which ranks 19th in the league.

While I believe D'Antoni needs to be held accountable for some decisions, I blame the collection of players, not the system, for the problems with the offense. Harrington scores a lot of points, but he does so mostly at the expense of the system. He is more of a traditional half-court player and though he gives great effort and determination (he was the only Knick that even tried to get to the line against the Pacers big, but soft front line), he is just not right for what the system demands on the court.

Danilo Gallinari clearly isn't ready to step into a primary role, but he shows so many flashes of brilliance that it teases you into believing he can. But Gallinari goes stretches without even touching the ball and then D'Antoni pulls him out of the game, mainly because it's clear the kid isn't locked in anymore.

It might be asking too much, too soon from the 21-year-old. But there is a noticable difference in the offense when he's got it going.

Overall, the performance against the Pacers was alarming because of the aforementioned lack of intensity and determination to take a Dub that was there on the table for them. You can't talk to me about wanting to be a playoff team after a game like that one against an opponent like that one.

* * *

A few other notes:

* - D'Antoni made some interesting remarks about lottery rookie Jordan Hill's place outside of the rotation, which I reported in the Knicks notebook for the print and online editions. D'Antoni said that Hill -- who has only played in garbage time of the season opener in Miami while several other rookies taken after him in the draft (Brandon Jennings, DeMar DeRozan, Terrence Williams and Ty Lawson, to name a few) have made immediate impacts with their respective teams -- is stuck behind veterans in the front court. D'Antoni said that Hill's "potential is there, but he has not convinced me that he's better than those five guys right now."

* - Berman mentioned that Donnie Walsh said Eddy Curry will be evaluated on Sunday and expects to have him back on the court practicing by Tuesday. It's been a month since Curry's fitness exile began and I've heard varying reports about his progress. One story is that he's under 310 pounds and worked hard. Another is he knows the team wants to trade him and is hardly motivated to assist them in clearing his salary from the 2010 books so they can potentially offer two max contracts next summer. We'll find out which one is more accurate on Tuesday.

Gallo 'bust'-ing out; Knicks to follow?

Sunday November 1, 2009 12:42 AM By Alan Hahn

Here's how you know Danilo Gallinari gets it.

Asked if he could enjoy his career-high 30-point performance in the furious overtime loss to the 76ers on Saturday, the 21-year-old said no.

"It doesn't mean nothing, we lost," he said. "I don't care how much I score or waht I do. I just want to win with this team. My game is not important. We lost. I'm not happy."

A night after Chris Duhon called out his teammates for what he viewed as poor pregame focus before Friday's double-OT loss to the Bobcats, the Knicks had yet another awful first half against the red-hot Sixers. But they mounted another comeback -- again fueled by the shooting of Gallinari along with Al Harrington's determined offense in his new role off the bench -- and showed some more optimistic signs that there is something to work with here.

But unlike last season, when the Knicks seemed to feel good about merely competing in an 0-3 week against the Cavaliers, Lakers and Celtics, complacency wasn't allowed to grow around the post-game locker room of this 0-3 team.

"It's positives and negatives, but I think we need to focus on the negatives to get better," said Harrington, who ran his butt off up and down the floor in this game. "We just have to find a way to play with a sense of urgency. We can't keep giving teams 20-point leads, fighting back and then coming in here feeling good about ourselves. That's not what it's about."

The Sixers were just on fire for much of this game -- Lou Williams hit 10 of 12 from the floor...I mean... -- but the Knick defense was way too soft, especially on the inside, where the Sixers recorded 54 of their 141 points. Mike D'Antoni tried to make defense a focus in training camp and through the preseason, but in three regular season games so far, the same issues from the past are coming back: interior defense.

David Lee struggled in foul trouble once again and is clearly overmatched guarding centers and athletic bigs. Opponents have one simple remark in the scouting report on Lee: go right at him. It hurts the Knicks when he gets into foul trouble because he is so effective in the pick-and-roll. But they also can't afford to have him play a surrender defense (just puts two hands up) so he avoids foul trouble.

Darko Milicic (13:53) didn't bring much to the table tonight in that deparment and neither did Jared Jeffries, who looked rattled by the Garden crowd, which jeered him on three missed field goals.

This is where Jordan Hill is going to need to develop. You watch Marreese Speights (20 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks) and see a player Hill should emulate. The Knicks desperately need someone to emerge as a stopper in the paint.

* * *

Let the Gallinari Gushing begin. You don't hear much talk about the 2008 sixth overall pick being a bust anymore. In fact, if you ask Sixers forward Elton Brand, "he was defnitely worth the pick if you ask me."

Three-point specialist Jason Kapono was impressed, as he told Newsday's Mark Herrmann (a hockey pal who teamed up with me on the coverage tonight): "He can shoot it, man, he's tough."

* * *

Nate Robinson left the game in the fourth quarter with a sprained ankle. He left the Garden on crutches. We'll get an update on Sunday, but if he's going to miss any length of time, it makes Harrington's role as an scorer off the bench that much more important and, of course, it means important minutes for rookie Toney Douglas, who was left on the bench for this one in favor of Larry Hughes who played very well. We'll have more on him in the next blog.

TD a nice pick for Knicks

Thursday October 22, 2009 2:37 AM By Alan Hahn

Jordan Hill is certainly playing more like a No. 29 right now, which he admitted himself after Wednesday's preseason finale win over the Nets when the lottery pick told me, "It's going to take time."

Fixers, take heart. At least you have Toney Douglas.

As several scouts predicted when the Knicks got him from the Lakers in a purchased pick, Douglas came NBA-ready as a defensive player. And after four weeks of training camp and preseason, Douglas' offense is starting to pick up, too.

He had his most effective game in the finale, where he played the fourth quarter and came up with the biggest basket of the night: a drive right at 7-footer Brook Lopez for a tough finish that all but sealed the game (aside from a wild ending with Courtney Lee getting purposely-missed free throws and being fouled - twice - by Larry Hughes. But with 1.1 seconds left, Lee had to actually make both FTs to tie and he missed the front-end).

Douglas finished with 13 points and made 6 of 9 from the field in 19:49. By the looks of the first three quarters, when Mike D'Antoni looked like he was going with his regular rotation, Douglas has secured the nine-hole as the second guard off the bench. This is where Larry Hughes would have likely fit if Douglas wasn't ready to contribute. But he clearly is and since he is also the future and Hughes is an expiring contract with noticably fading skills, Douglas gets the spot.

For more on the Hughes situation, check my story for Thursday's print editions.

* * *

* - Speaking of spots, the team has to cut one player from the 15-man roster by Monday's deadline, or officially waive the retired Cuttino Mobley. The fringe players are center Chris Hunter, who made his preseason debut against the Nets (4  points, 0 rebounds in 8:37), forward Marcus Landry (1 point, 4 rebounds in 9:34) and guard Joe Crawford, who remained on the bench in the preseason finale. D'Antoni opted to keep Hughes on the court down the stretch rather than insert Crawford.

I don't believe it's any indication of how the coaching staff feels about Crawford, who has impressed observers with a good release and confidence on offense. Hunter has battled shin splits through camp and has only gotten himself back on the court over the past week. But he has great size and a soft touch. The versatile, hardworking Landry seems to be a favorite.

* - It was somewhat disappointing to see Danilo Gallinari's shot regress after a little breakout performance against the Celtics in the previous game. Gallinari was 2-for-8 from the floor and made just 1 of 3 from downtown for 7 points, but he did grab 6 boards with 2 assists and 3 turnovers in 20:45.

* -The Knicks and Nets faced each other three times in the preseason and the Knicks (5-2) won all three. The Nets, who were once again without Devin Harris (groin) went 0-6 in the preseason and were on the verge of being blown out of this game at the cavernous Prudential Center in Newark when D'Antoni's regulars suddenly - and inexplicably - pulled off the accelerator after taking an 18 point lead at the half.

"In the third, for whatever reason, some guys thought they could just turn it off, which is too bad," said D'Antoni, who was thrilled with the first half effort and with the work from the bench in the fourth quarter to hold on for the W. "It was the part in between we can forget about and move on and hope doesn't repeat itself."

Early in the fourth, things got chippy when Nate Robinson took a hard foul from Bobby Simmons and when the two grabbed arms and went face-to-face, burly replacement referee Michael Henderson (a former NBA referee) put Robinson nearly in a sleeper hold to pull him away.

That didn't stop Robinson from keeping up a dialogue with Simmons when play resumed.  Simmons then buried Nate with a hard pick at the other end of the floor, which drew another whistle and fury from the Nets bench. As temperatures started to rise, D'Antoni quickly summoned Landry and gave Robinson the rest of the night off.

* - The team was free from practice on Thursday, but will then have a five-day mini-camp to prepare for next Wednesday's season opener in Miami against Dwyane Wade and the Heat. We go live from here, Fixers.

Gallo arrives, Knicks thrive

Tuesday October 20, 2009 11:44 PM By Alan Hahn

Danilo Gallinari says he has approached every preseason game the same way, but you could tell by the look in his eyes that he brought that "it" everyone sees in him tonight in the 108-103 win over the Celtics. After a quiet start to the game, Gallinari suddenly was engaged and quite noticably locked-and-loaded when he caught the ball.

Perhaps the most impressive moment in his night didn't involve a rainbow three or a drive that drew a foul. It came when he was being guarded by Paul Pierce, master elbow-room maker, and Gallo dug his elbow into Pierce's chest to clear some space. As Gallinari rose up for his shot, Pierce patted Gallinari's chest in response to the 'bow. It was like Boba Fett nodding to a fellow bounty hunter.

"He likes the physical game, I like the physical game," Gallinari said after his 18 point performance, by far the best he's looked all preseason. "I think that's what Boston basketball is all about. I like that."

Gallinari hit 4 of 9 from the field, including 3 of 6 from downtown and, perhaps more notably, took 10 free throws in his 25 minutes. His determination stood out in the second half, as he caught the ball and looked to the rim with purpose. He scored on a nifty dunk-under against Marquis Daniels and earlier in the game did one of those Hedo Turkoglu crossover, step-back jumpers against Brian Scalabrine to draw a foul.

"I think he just rose to the occasion," Mike D'Antoni said. "He knew it was Boston and he knew he needed to get it going."

Perhaps this will be Gallinari's role at the outset. He and Nate Robinson (21 points) came off the bench to provide energy and offense and some defense, as well. Robinson was a dynamo with five steals as he hounded Rajon Rondo and Eddie House throughout the game. Gallinari didn't impress all that much on the defensive end, especially one-on-one against Daniels.

But overall the 21-year-old finally looked like he was playing with purpose. However if you ask him, he hasn't played any differently.

"Every time I try to be aggressive," he said. "Sometimes it comes out better, sometimes not. I try to be aggressive every time. I can not permit myself to not be aggressive."

He also won't allow himself to focus too much on his own game, even though a good portion of the team's chances at success this season may rest on his shoulders. He was asked if he felt this good performance could give him the jump-start he's been needing.

"We'll see," he said. "I think it was a good game for everybody. I don't think about myself. What I do, I always think about the team. I think we played a good game and that's what I'm thinking about."

Fair enough. The rest of us can think he finally found a groove. And we should think there is still a lot more there we haven't seen yet.

* * *

* - D'Antoni said he planned to treat the final two preseason games as a dress rehearsal for the regular season. He went nine-deep, which left veteran Larry Hughes and lottery pick Jordan Hill as two notable DNP-CDs.

Rookie Toney Douglas (8:20) saw the extra minutes in the guard rotation, as Chris Duhon (34:31) and Robinson (29:07) shared the bulk of the time in the backcourt.Douglas was OK.

The Knicks still didn't shoot the ball consistently well (43.8 percent) but they did connect from downtown, which obviously will be the team's do-or-die weapon this season. Against Boston they made 13 of 36 three-pointers (36.1 percent). Boston made just 6 of 24.

D'Antoni again immediately pointed to a better effort on defense that allowed the team to hang in there with Boston, which is a change from last season. "Our dfense was really good at first and we took a couple of threes and we were ahead," he said. "Before, we'd have to make about 20 threes to get back into it."

It's important to note that Doc Rivers, with a game tomorrow night against Cleveland, pulled his starters with about 7 minutes to go. So the Knicks had to hold on for the win against the Celtics JV. But the first three quarters were regular rotation and very entertaining.

P.S. - Note to the Eastern Conference: KG is back. Boston, with a strong bench, is clearly the team to beat.

* - Al Harrington, back in the starting lineup, had 20 points and 8 rebounds and made 4 of 7 from downtown. Jared Jeffries may not have the prettiest shot (he seems to only make the standing set-shots), but he finds ways to be effective all over the stat sheet: 4-for-10, 13 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block in 30:16.

* - Chris Duhon struggled with his shooting (1-for-7) and had five turnovers, but he did run the pick-and-roll several times to perfection. David Lee, who has become his favorite PNR target, had a strong game with 19 points and 16 rebounds (though he did record an unsightly six turnovers).

* - Wilson Chandler made a great block on Kendrick Perkins' reverse-dunk attempt, which prompted Doc Rivers to turn to his bench and remind the players how Perk always wants to make SportsCenter. "Well, that will make SportsCenter," Rivers then cracked.

But while Chandler has played well at times in the preseason, he just isn't playing with the same explosive pop that he did last season. Chandler says he's 100 percent back after the bone spur surgery from this summer, but he definitely hasn't gotten his springs back.

* - Michael Sweetney wasn't with the Celtics for the game because he was sent back to Boston with flu symptoms. Rivers raved about Sweetney and the effort he made to try to make the loaded roster, but it seems improbable that he will. Hopefully Eddy Curry is paying close attention.

* - One last item for you Fixers who are often asking for Pat Ewing, Jr. updates. He was at the game tonight and we said hello in the tunnel after the game. PJ had surgery on his knee in July - "Just a scope," he said -- which explains why he was unable to play for the Knicks' summer league team and did not come back to training camp.He said doctors have told him to stay off the basketball court until at least January. He seemed otherwise in good spirits and joked about gaining weight. "When you get older, your metabolism slows down," he explained.

Tell me about it, kid.

Shoot the puck, Barry!

Saturday October 17, 2009 1:32 AM By Alan Hahn

Remember ol' Bubba Beck? Drove my parents crazy when he'd be at the point and the puck would come to him and he had this howitzer of a shot and dude would hesitate and pass so often the Garden crowd would sing it to him (after much provoking by former announcer Bill "The Big Whistle" Chadwick.)

[This is a hockey reference, but bear with me, Fixers.]

Watching Danilo Gallinari tonight at the Garden reminded me of Barry Beck's hesitant trigger. In the first half the kid showed glimpses of a scorer who was ready to catch-and-shoot or pump fake and drive. He hit three of four shots, including two bombs from downtown and another on a three-point play. His defense was lively and he ran the floor hard.

But when he got into the game in the second half, things changed. He missed his first shot attempt and then another. He clapped his hands in frustration as the second three caught front rim. He suddenly lost the killer instinct.

The next time he touched the ball I thought, "Shoot the puck, Barry."

Shoot the rock, Gallo!

Initially, there was a thought that his teammates weren't getting him involved enough in the offense. But on the contrary, his teammates agree that he just doesn't shoot it enough. Gallinari passes up shots and will hang in the corner as the kick-out option. Truth is, everyone is saying it: Shoot the rock, Gallo.

"Coach lets him know during film and we let him know on the floor," David Lee said. "Every time I'll throw it to him and he's got to catch-and-shoot. And he'll put it on the floor or swing it and I'll just look at him and say [Lee mimicks a shooting motion] 'Just let it go'."

Chris Duhon said as the point guard, he needs to be more vocal about it with Gallinari.

"He's already an unselfish kid and a guy with his shooting abilities, there's times where we feel if he's wide open, those are layups," Duhon said. "That's the better play than him being unselfish and making the extra pass. That's something that may get through and may not, because of the type of person he is. So we've got to keep encouraging him that we want him to take those shots."

Gallinari finished tonight's game 3-for-8 from the floor in 23:46. Six of the eight FGAs were from three-point range. So far in the preseason, Gallinari is 7-for-27 (25.9 percent), with 6 of his makes from beyond the arc. He's made just 1 of 9 from inside the arc.

One thing that is abundantly clear about the Knicks this season is they don't really have a bona fide offensive threat on this team. The system will provide open shots, especially against a weak defensive team like the Nets, but they continue to struggle in knocking down these open looks. The team finished the game an awful 37-for-92 (40.2 percent) from the field and barely hung on for a 93-89 win that once saw the Knicks ahead by as many as 19 points in the third quarter.

But as Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press pointed out in his game report, the Knicks were 22-for-40 from the floor in the middle two quarters, which is much more like it. They also didn't play without their leading scorer, Al Harrington (18 ppg), who had a bruised knee. Harrington banged knees with Jordan Hill during a post-practice one-on-one on Thursday. If it were the regular season, Harrington could have played, D'Antoni said. But with three games in four nights starting Sunday, it wasn't worth pushing it.

Nate Robinson, who doesn't need encouragement to shoot, had another tough night (6-for-16) and is now shooting 35.6 percent from the field in the preseason. The Knicks' team percentage is a frigid 37.9 percent, with only three players above the Mendoza line of 45 percent (Harrington, Lee and Wilson Chandler).

You don't expect this trend to continue. Robinson is a scorer and will eventually recover his touch. Chandler has the ability to get hot but teams are starting to defend him more purposefully this season after his arrival last season. Harrington will get his points, but for the Knicks to have any chance this season, they need to get something from Gallinari, who should be their most talented offensive player.

It will take a lot more than 6.75 shots per game. Gallinari is clearly deferring too much and hesitating when he starts to miss. But to think it is natural for a young player to have this tendency in his game, keep in mind Gallinari was the go-to player for his veteran-laden AJ Milano team in Italy. As a 19-year-old, he was the one the team went to in the clutch. What Gallinari needs to do is understand that he needs to take on that role here, too.

Now can he be that type of player in the NBA? That's a completely different question. Of course we can't answer it until he tries. But players usually know right away about other players. And all I've ever heard from people who have played with Gallinari is that he has special talents.

"Gallo's going to be fine," Lee said. "Eventually it evens out. I'd rather he has a couple of games where he doesn't shoot it well now so it means he has a couple of games where he's on fire at the start of the season."

* * *

* - Wilson Chandler had a quietly strong game with 16 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals. But it's becoming increasingly clear he's really not suited to play in the backcourt on offense, especially if he has to handle the ball. Wilson is a slasher and a catch-and-shoot threat. When you ask him to make decisions with the ball, you're asking too much.

* - The Knicks had 21 assists as a team in this game but are averaging just 17.75 assists per game in the preseason, which is an indication of the poor shooting and the lack of congruence in an offense that should result in high assist totals. Duhon finished with 7 in the game but is averaging just 3.75 per game in the preseason. He said it's been a matter of getting reacclimated with the system and the players. "That's why we have preseason games," he said.

* - Larry Hughes didn't get off the bench in the first half, but played 14:54 in the second half and missed all three of his attempts. That makes him 0-for-17 for the preseason.

* - The Nets played without Devin Harris (groin), so they were missing a key component. But they really looked bad in long stretches of this game. Yi Jianlian had 21 points and 11 rebounds, but also had five turnovers. It appears as if he really doesn't know what type of player he should be. He's not skilled enough to be a wing player and yet not rugged enough to be a power forward, though with his size and strong build, that seems to be where he belongs. Still, he showed he can find ways to score and is making a determined effort, which you couldn't always say about the former lottery pick in past seasons . . . Chris Douglas-Roberts is extremely active and really knows how to get to the rim and rookie Terrence Williams had many eye-opening moments en route to a 21-point performance. Nate Robinson says T-Will could be a future Slam Dunk contestant.

* - Speaking of rookies, while Toney Douglas continues to be steady, Jordan Hill -- who had been showing signs of life earlier in the week -- looked completely lost for most of his 13:48. He had a chance for an easy alley-oop dunk, but his lay-in attempt missed. He lost the ball on one ugly possession and then had his shot stuffed by Brook Lopez on another. Hill finished 0-for-7 with two rebounds and a blocked shot.

* - Saturday is the open practice for fans at Fordham University's Rose Hill Gym. The doors open at 11:15 a.m. Admission is free but keep in mind seating is first-come, first-served, with only a limited amount of seats reserved for season ticket holders.

Where's the fire?

Saturday October 10, 2009 12:39 AM By Alan Hahn

The Knicks were ice-cold in the first half of tonight's 96-82 preseason loss to the Celtics, but Mike D'Antoni was more concerned with the lack of heat in his team. They played like it was a preseason game while the Celtics core -- even the hobbling Kevin Garnett -- brought a little more juice to their game.

"We just have to keep our intensity up and take the fight to them," D'Antoni said. "We were a little bit on our heels tonight."

David Lee noticed it was similar to a trend last season: The old self-pity mode.

"Sometimes when we don't hit shots, we tend not to do as well intensity-wise," Lee said. "That's something we need to correct."

Though the Knicks got off to a ribrickulous 3-for-25 start from the floor (and 2-for-20 from downtown), the Celtics weren't any better with their shooting. In fact, the Knicks were only down six in the second quarter, which was a miracle if you consider they only scored eight points in the entire first quarter.

So how do both teams spin it? Credit the defense.

Yes, the C's defense held the Knicks to 37.7 percent from the field. The Knicks D held the Celtics to 43.9 percent. Brilliant!

But really the Celtics main rotation players ran their offense well against the Knicks and found many open shots. They just didn't drop. Paul Pierce was 4-for-12. New addition Rasheed Wallace missed six of his first seven shots and finished 5-for-12.

The Knicks saw two of their most important players struggle mightily from the floor. Danilo Gallinari's stroke has disappeared. He was 1-for-7 against the Celtics and is now 3-for-13 in two preseason games. Wilson Chandler made just 1-of-5. Even Nate Robinson was 3-for-10.

* * *

* - Pierce caught David Lee with an errant elbow on a pass and Lee needed five stitches above his left eye to close the gash. Pierce, who has had run-ins with the Knicks in the past, went over to Lee on the bench to apologize.

* - Chandler fell hard when he collided with Kendrick Perkins under the basket in the third quarter. He was down for a few minutes but eventually got up and was able to finish the game with no issues.

* - Jordan Hill, who has been spending a great deal of time with the sage Herb Williams, had a much better outing in 12 minutes of the second half. He made four of five from the floor with nine points and four rebounds. Toney Douglas continued to struggle with his shot (3-for-8) but did fill the box score columns: 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 4 turnovers along with 11 points in 22:44.

* - Eddy Curry did not make the trip with the team. Instead he was left back at the MSG Training Center to continue his conditioning workouts. It's a change from last season, when Curry would be allowed to make the road trips with the team and spend practices and games sitting around watching.

* - Speaking of Curry, man Michael Sweetney looked huge in his jersey, which barely fit him. He played the final 4:37 of the game and was 1-for-2 with a two rebounds and three fouls.

Up Hill climb for Jordan

Monday October 5, 2009 9:48 AM By Alan Hahn

Let's analyze the rookies in their first taste of live NBA action in Sunday's 115-107 win over the Nets in Albany:

Aside from shooting struggles (2-for-9 FGs) -- which is an area Toney Douglas knows he needs to improve as a pro -- the rookie guard had five rebounds, three assists and a steal with one turnover in 23:26. His defense was solid and, in fact, along with the steal I can recall he forced at least two other turnovers.

A couple of times he got caught over-dribbling and not getting the offense set, which led to the shot clock winding down. But overall there weren't many glaring mistakes to suggest Douglas shouldn't get a regular spot in Mike D'Antoni's rotation this season.

For the team's other rookie, however, it's clearly going to take a little more work and time.

Jordan Hill missed seven of his eight FGAs in 17:08. He had four boards and two steals, but overall wears the look of a player who might as well have taken a seat next to us along press row, because he spent most of his time on the floor watching everyone else play.

Time for one of my tangents...bear with me:

Hill has so much potential, so understand the genesis of this constructive criticism. If he had no chance, you'd know it right away. But with his length and athleticism and a nice touch -- plus a notable willingness to get after the ball -- there's so much there to suggest Hill can be a good player at this level.

What is most concerning right now are his wheels, and I mean the ones on his feet as much as the ones in his head. Did I really see him get beat down the floor twice by Josh Boone? I mean, Josh Boone!

Jordan needs to understand that when he gets into a game, he needs to go full throttle, and that means getting back on D. If the other team's big is jogging, that only gives you the opportunity to help out until your man lumbers in. And on the break? Man, if you're a rookie and want easy baskets, you haul it up the floor and make the Josh Boone's of the world look glacial.

Another concern is the penchant to watch, which is a typical rookie mistake. What he needs to do is watch some video of David Lee and imitate what he does on offense. Lee has become an expert at crashes and dive-downs and he gets a lot of points and rebounds that way.

In this system, the middle is often going to be wide open, but Hill on Sunday seemed to get lost in being a perimeter player. As guards would drive, either on the pick-and-roll or on blow-bys, Hill's feet remained planted with the lane wide open. He needs to develop a killer instinct to follow the guard for a potential lob, dish or put-back.

Jordan needs to get any thought out of his head that he should wait on the perimeter for a kick-out. Son, that's not your job. Doesn't mean you can hit those mid-range jumpers that are very much part of your skill set, but when the ball is going to the basket, you should be following with the ferocity of an eagle looking to pick off a field mouse. Easy stats.

Again, watch David Lee. Do what he does. Now, Lee does have that uncanny ability to read the ball off the rim -- used to drive me crazy when I'd run to a spot and the damn ball would bounce the other way...Reason No. 4,976 of why I went on to hold a pen and pad -- and he has great hands to finish around the rim. But for Hill to start realizing his potential, he needs to simply start thinking more aggressively. Work hard, but work smart.

He could be a very valuable asset in D'Antoni's rotation this season. He just needs to get himself plugged in. Let's remember, despite the fact that he was a lottery pick -- let the debate rage on as to whether this was the right choice -- Hill is still a very raw project. He has been playing organized basketball for only five years. Lots of learning still to come.

Oh and one more thing: someone needs to knock the fade-away tendencies out of his game, ASAP. Whomever taught him this -- or maybe didn't teach him to not do this -- needs his coaching license revoked. Dude has enough length to easily get shots over most bigs and yet all he does is fall backward on every attempt. He once in a scrimmage this week got a very strong offensive rebound -- very impressive -- and spun to the rim. All he had to do is power up for an easy two and instead he shuffled his feet, traveled and then fell back for a weird-looking corkscrew shot that, sure, went in but it was a terrible waste of energy. I mean, the carbon footprint on that move was equal to that of a NASCAR event.

Just bloggin.

* * *

* - How about Jared Jeffries' game? That first jumper, which drilled the side of the backboard, was such a painfully familiar sight. But as a credit to Jeffries, he didn't let it linger in his head as has happened in the past. The very next time the ball came his way he buried a long three. Then another. And then another. Jared had three from downtown in the game. He made just one (out of 12 attempts) all of last season and was just 4-for-25 the season before that. Not saying JJ is going to be a three-point specialist, but it would be helpful if he can consistently knock down some perimeter shots when opponents leave him wide open (as the scouting report often says to do).

* - I wouldn't get too used to Jeffries and Larry Hughes as starters. The Knicks looked at their best at the start of the second half, when D'Antoni put out Chris Duhon, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Al Harrington and Lee. That group turned a three point halftime lead to 10 in five minutes.

* - For more on Gallinari, the Knicks "redshirt rookie", check my story in today's print editions. There were plenty of positives there and, though Gallo only took six shots it seems there was a reason for it. His two second-half attempts were airballs, the sign of tired legs (which he has had the past couple of days). To his credit, after the second miss, the next time Gallo got the ball he drove it to the basket for a foul.

* - If you're the type that likes to watch for the bubble players, those who may be battling for the 14th and 15th spots on the roster, keep your eyes on Joe Crawford (good shooter, very solid fundamentally) and Marcus Landry (Carl's brother, tough and smart...and, yes, we were mislead: he didn't play center at Wisconson, but didn't play a lot of perimeter, either!). It doesn't appear that Sun Yue has what it takes to push for a spot and Gabe Pruitt seems very much out on the fringe, as well. At least they both have something most of the Knicks don't: a championship ring.

* - Speaking of championship rings, Darko Milicic (was part of Pistons title team) had a decent game, though he had to pull out after the first half because of knee pain. The team is calling it a sore knee and Darko said he woke on Sunday morning feeling discomfort. He ran with a noticable limp, but kept telling the coaching staff he was fine. He doesn't recall when he actually hurt the knee and insisted he'll be OK. The Knicks should hope so. Darko showed in his 8:39 exactly what a backup center should bring: very physical defense, no hesitation to foul, shot blocking and some offensive assistance, as well.

* - Things to look for this week: 

1. Eddy Curry is expected to be back on the court Tuesday, which would fall on the fifth day of the 3-to-5 day window for his calf muscle injury.

2. The roster will likely see some cuts by Tuesday, just to get down to some more workable numbers (It's not fair to publicly guess who, but let's just tell you who didn't get any burn in Sunday's game: Yue, Pruitt, Ron Howard and Chris Hunter).

3. Friday's preseason game at Boston against the Celtics. Sure, it's very early, but it'll be interesting to see how the starting five does against the Celtics' five. In the preseason it makes no sense to judge final score, but it is worth keeping tally when the rotation players go head-to-head.

4. Programming note: Live Chat here on Wednesday at noon!

5. By the way, Sunday was Day 90 for me in my first round of P90X (some of you may recall in the summer I mentioned my plan to start the program). I'm officially a graduate, baby! For the record, I went from 232 to 220, which is five pounds heavier than my college playing weight, but to be honest, I had a refugee physique back then (and the Vanilla Ice coif...don't hate!). The plan is to take a few weeks here focusing on cardio and core work and then start up another round -- upping the weights and target reps -- in the first week of the NBA regular season. The next challenge comes in the New  Year: a program called Insanity, which I hope to get for Christmas this year. Aw yeah.

A brief look into tonight's workout

Thursday October 1, 2009 11:54 PM By Alan Hahn

Desperate to keep pace with the ever-advancing world of new media, we experimented with our new Blackberry camera phone for some video peekage into tonight's Knicks training camp workout.

On this short -- and very poor-quality -- video, you'll see rookie Jordan Hill make a post-up move and then Al Harrington drive and dish to Wilson Chandler for a three.

Look, I'm no Martin Scorsese so just be happy with the effort, my Fixer faithfuls.

The Harrington play isn't an anomoly for his camp so far. He has made a concentrated effort to make the extra pass and keep the ball moving around the perimeter. Last season, Big Al was all about the extra shots.

What stood out most in this fifth practice in three days was the onset of the dead-leg syndrome. The most fittest players such as Nate Robinson, David Lee and Jared Jeffries didn't show it as much, but everyone else was clearly feeling it. Shots were flatter and there were some sloppy plays.

Jeffries had a solid workout. He brought a lot of hustle and effort and showed off some of the versatility that Mike D'Antoni was able to tap into last season. One one play, Jeffries made a nice pass to a cutting Lee for a reverse dunk that I did not happen to catch on my nifty little camera phone.

Though his shot wasn't cashing in like it was on the first two days, Danilo Gallinari still, to me, is the most skilled player in camp. He made a nice dribble penetration move and when the help defense came, he slipped a nifty pass to Darko Milicic for what should have been an easy bunny. Milicic missed and he's happy that didn't make the camera phone, either.

Eddy Curry was back from NYC after he went down this morning to have blood drained from his calf injury. He was sporting a protective boot -- just a precautionary thing -- and again seemed confident he'd be back on the floor next week. In the meanwhile, they have him doing a lot of work in the pool to keep up some conditioning so he doesn't fall too far behind. If only I had an underwater camera phone.

Then again, better that I don't.

The defense focus continues at this camp. D'Antoni likes to play a lot of full court five-on-five during his practices, so during one segment of practice he had the teams playing a version of knock-out among three teams. But rather than keep score for made baskets, the teams earned points for defensive stops.

The team will have two practices tomorrow (Friday). Check in midday for the next update. Considering the quality of the above video, I think my days as a cameraman are over.Hold your applause.

Draft decisions resonate

Thursday October 1, 2009 9:32 AM By Alan Hahn

If you thought Stephen Jackson's offseason trade demand would bring instant controversy to the start of training camp for the Warriors this season, how about what Monta Ellis said about playing alongside the team's lottery pick, Stephen Curry?

"Us together?" he said. "We can't."

Uh, what? But the team says . . .

"They say we can, but we can't," Ellis said. "Not going to win that way."

Whoa, Nellie. Wait, make that "Woe Nellie."

Ellis' point is that he and Curry are both small combo guards and that would create major defensive matchup issues for the Warriors. Ellis loved playing alongside Baron Davis and, from what I understand, was not happy when he saw his team select another small scoring guard in the draft.

The Knicks coveted Curry from the start and, as we all know here, the Davidson star had no problem telling the world he wanted to be a Knick and play for Mike D'Antoni. Donnie Walsh tried to jump up to the No. 5 pick when it was clear the Wizards were looking to deal. There were some very strong discussions and some Knicks brass feel they were very close to making something happen, but then David Kahn threw two starting veterans (Mike Miller and Randy Foye) on the table and made the very curious Ricky Rubio/Jonny Flynn play at No. 5 and No. 6.

Though Curry never worked out for the Warriors, Nelson was raving about him to his people. Jordan Hill's first workout was with Golden State and though there was some talk that the Warriors were leaning toward taking the athletic big at No. 7, he said he never was given any indication from them that he would be their target.

The Knicks were pretty sure if they didn't jump into the No. 5 spot, there was very little chance they could get Curry. So they brought Hill in late in the process and came away impressed enough to let him know if he's there at No. 8, he'll be the pick.

He was and, as our story for today's print editions says, he's not expected to be an immediate-impact player for the team. But the good news is the upside is there and, with the presence of enough capable veterans in the frontcourt, the team has the luxury of letting Hill develop at his own pace.

But there was clear disappointment from the Knicks on draft night that they couldn't land Curry, who seemed such a perfect fit for the D'Antoni system and the rebuilding plan. And as Ellis' issues reached Saratoga on Wednesday, there were a few head shakes that suggested the frustration lingered.

You can understand why Nelson made the pick. Curry, a very cerebral player who has that terrific stroke, fits the Nellie-ball style, too. But was it the wisest personnel move to make, considering the team just committed six years and $66M to him only a year prior to this? Why wouldn't they go for a better fit next to Ellis, like a more traditional, athletic two guard such as DeMar DeRozan or, better yet (because of his defensive ability) Gerald Henderson?

Actually, Brandon Jennings had a terrific workout for the Warriors and some in the Bay Area envisioned a lightning fast backcourt with Ellis and Jennings, who is more of a floor general and a playmaker than a scoring guard.

But, no, Nellie did it his way which, as usual, was unconventional.(Let's recall that when he coached the Knicks in the mid-1990s, Nellie wanted to trade Patrick Ewing and make Anthony Mason the main man.)

There was an initial belief that the Warriors selected Curry only to flip him to the Suns in a trade for Amar'e Stoudemire. But that trade fell apart, we're told, because Nelson made it clear if they could land Curry, they were keeping him. Had the Warriors taken Hill, perhaps he'd have gone off to Phoenix.

Of course had Kahn not attempted his back-to-back pick scheme, the Knicks might have had Curry at No. 5. I can understand Kahn's move. Miller and Foye were not part of the future in their rebuild and he essentially bought an asset to trade in Rubio while still getting a quality guard in Flynn. But now that Kahn signed Ramon Sessions to a four-year deal, he's back on the clock now to move Rubio's rights before he is once again available to the NBA in 2011.

Meanwhile, despite the early issues in Golden State, don't expect the Warriors to start shopping Curry anytime soon or even consider a swap for Jordan Hill, even with impressive Toney Douglas as the sweetener. Nelson tried to put out the fire a little bit by agreeing with Ellis, that there will be situations where Ellis and Curry will not be able to play together, especially against big guards.

Ellis and his contract will be tough to move right now, but next summer there will be teams with cap space and you don't just acquire players through signings. If this thing is truly a disaster by then, the Warriors will have to do something with either player.

Same goes for Kahn and Rubio.

Perhaps the Knicks, with their hard-earned cap flexibility, can find a way to benefit from someone else's mistake.

* * *

* - The team has one practice later this afternooon. Check in this evening for an update. Last night's "scrimmage" -- basically three five-on-five squads play full-court "knock-out" -- was fairly uneventful, though David Lee's confidence in his mid-range shot and his ability to put the ball on the floor and drive stood out. Chris Duhon is quietly steady, not spectacular, but steady. Bodies looked a little weary, which is typical after the second day of two-a-days.

If you're interested, our friends at Posting & Toasting shot some video. Not easy to make out all of the players -- now you young fellas know what it was like to watch TV before all this digitial and high definition stuff -- but it's a decent glimpse.

Big questions for small lineup

Wednesday September 30, 2009 3:18 PM By Alan Hahn

Even before Eddy Curry's injury knocked him out of practice on the first day, Mike D'Antoni seemed already committed to returning to the plan that had 6-9 David Lee playing the center position. His blue jersey squad consists of likely starters, with Lee, Al Harrington, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler and Chris Duhon.

Lee accepted the job last season but was often overmatched defensively, especially against bigs such as Dwight Howard, Yao Ming and Shaquille O'Neal. The team did go out and trade for 7-2 Darko Milicic and the coaching staff is already in love with Milicic's potential because he can run the floor so well and is a willing passer. He can also block shots.

But D'Antoni seems to like this smaller group of five and made that point when he said, "We're going to play our best five guys."

The lineup does cause some matchup issues for other teams, especially against the pick-and-roll. Yao had a hard time with it, as did Shaq and it usually pulls the big away from the basket. But with a 6-9 center you know guards who can get penetration see a runway to the rim, which was a major Achilles Heel last season.

"We don't have a lot of shot-blocking, that's the only thing with that lineup," D'Antoni said. "But we can do other things. We've got Eddy coming back, we've got Darko, Jordan Hill. We have other answers. We'll see. We know that David and Al as a three and four are good and we have other possibilities . . . That's the great thing about our team, the versatility of it and I'm trying to get to a group of eight to 10 guys that I can put on the floor and are all good."

Milicic is intriging because, despite the fact that he stayed in Europe all summer and reported Saturday without spending any time at the MSG Training Center, he appears to be in excellent condition. He looks physically strong and fit and seems very comfortable with the up-tempo D'Antoni pushes in both drills and scrimmages. (By the way, to label Milicic is a lottery bust is unfair. He wasn't the one who picked himself No. 2 overall before Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade. That's on Joe Dumars.)

It's up to Milicic to play well enough to motivate D'Antoni to move him into the starting five, but then what do you do with either Lee or Harrington? Perhaps D'Antoni sees it easier to bring Milicic in off the bench rather than move Lee or Harrington into a reserve role, which certainly wouldn't be received well by either player.

Within all of that, D'Antoni also will want to find minutes for 6-10 Jared Jeffries, who, if you remember, started camp last year as the possible starting center before he broke his leg. By the end of the season, however, Jeffries showed great value as a point guard stopper, which you can see being his role once again.

Hill is still very raw and I don't want to be unfairly critical too early in his first camp. Actually, it's probably better he has a few veterans ahead of him on the depth chart because it will allow him to develop at his own pace without the pressure that usually comes with a top 10 pick, to perform right away and push for a starting role.

* * *

* - Curry sat out the morning practice but our dear stationary bikes got no love from him. Curry was nowhere to be seen at the gym and was instead getting treatment on the strained right calf. D'Antoni said he couldn't predict if Curry would be able to play in Sunday's preseason game against the Nets (when we'll get to see replacement referees). The team will have one long practice tomorrow and then resume two-a-days on Friday. The guess is Curry gives it a try tomorrow but may wait until Friday.

* - In case anyone missed it, Joe Johnson pretty much confirmed he will be on the guest list for next summer's free agency party.

* - Toney Douglas looks physically ready for this level. The fact that he was a college senior means he already has that maturity and the guidance of his older brother, Harry, who is a wide receiver with the Atlanta Falcons (and out for the season with a knee injury).That's a heck of an accomplishment for the Douglas family. It recalls a lyric by C.L. Smooth in "Take You There":

I'm living through my son so Daddy see it this way;

I want him in the NFL, his brother in the NBA . . .

* - There is another scrimmage tonight. Check back here later on for the usual and hit me up on twitter (twitter.com/alanhahn).

Putting the D back in D'Antoni

Tuesday September 29, 2009 11:39 PM By Alan Hahn

So maybe there was some coincidence to the sight of the Knicks working hard on a defense drill just as the media was allowed into the gym here at Skidmore College this morning. Mike D'Antoni generally gives the public relations staff the high sign to indicate that the gym is "open," so he knew we were coming in. And we'd enter to see the league's top offensive-minded coach, Mr. Seven-Seconds-Or-Less, working  . . .  defense?

"That was for you guys," D'Antoni joked.

The Knicks' defense was equally laughable last season and D'Antoni, who is often criticized for not putting enough emphasis on that end of the floor, admitted a need to change his philosophy.

"I joked about it and that's not the right message to send," he said. "Some guys thought we were going to out-score people . . . So our approach has to be different."

So in the first meeting of the season and during the first film session before the first practice, D'Antoni preached defense.

And he pointed to the fact that his 32-50 team last season ranked 28th in the 30-team league in effective field goal percentage (52.1 percent), which has long been the gospel stat for D'Antoni.

His goal this season, he told the team, was to be among the top half of the league in defensive eFG.

"If we're in the top 15, then we're going to be a really good basketball team," he said. "If we're not, we're going to struggle."

On the first day, D'Antoni showed some favor to a starting lineup that was somewhat familiar to last season, with Chris Duhon, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari and Al Harrington, with 6-9 David Lee at the center position. That doesn't give the Knicks much presence inside, which was a major issue last season.

But the team acquired 7-2 Darko Milicic in the offseason to add some much-needed size and shot-blocking ability and, just from seeing how well Milicic can run the floor and catch and pass while moving, you can expect the big Serbian will get an early opportunity to carve a place in the rotation. D'Antoni also played Nate Robinson and rookie Toney Douglas together during the evening scrimmage and the two were a relentless duo that you can envision D'Antoni using as a three-quarter pressing tandem.

But above the personnel, it's on D'Antoni to hold his players more accountable on defense and to send more of a consistent message about the defensive strategies for each game. Yes, it comes down to a player taking on the challenge of keeping his man in front of him -- Gallinari, for a guy 6-11, has an uncanny ability to do that even against smaller guards because he is so smart positionally -- but the coaching staff has a greater responsibility to have the players prepared and focused at both ends of the floor.

"When you're 28th, obviously you did something wrong," D'Antoni said. "We re-assessed everything we did and, yeah, I think we can do a better job coaching it and getting their mindset right. We can do better and we will do better."

Obviously last season D'Antoni spent a great deal of camp teaching his up-tempo, multi-faceted offensive system and fine tuning it with the players. The team seemed to pick it up very quickly and they were 6-3 before the roster-shaking trades of starters Jamal Crawford and Zach Randolph. Then came a truncated roster as a result of the trades and the Cuttino Mobley retirement and also injuries.

All those excuses are in the past. This season D'Antoni has a very full roster and there is very little chance Donnie Walsh will do anything major during the season to shake up the roster. With most of the group already familiar with their roles and the variations of the offensive system, D'Antoni has no reason not to use this year's camp to make defense the focus.

"They have to know that is going to get us over the hump to be a good team," D'Antoni said. "We're going to keep banging that drum."

* * *

* - Eddy Curry's calf strain (see previous blog) was one downer from the night session, which was mostly five-on-five full court scrimmage-style work with a three-team rotation. The play deteriorated quickly toward the end; an obvious sign of fatigue.

* - Gallinari continues to stand out as an impressive player among the bunch. He made one impressive spin move against camp invitee Ron Howard for a two-handed jam.

* - Things got a little physical on one play when Al Harrington went hard to the hole and was sent to the floor by a hard foul from Chris Hunter. Harrington took a moment to get up and rubbed the back of his head, but finished the workout without any problems.

* - Rookie Jordan Hill -- (OK, it's been one day so he deserves a little more time before we judge, but so many of you are asking) -- seems to have continued the underwhelming play he showed in the NBA Summer League in July. Hill still doesn't have the explosiveness he'll need at this level (he had a minor injury in August that set his offseason workouts back a bit) and you just can see he has some learning to do. He'll be a project, for sure.

* - The team will have another two-a-day session Wednesday. Remember to check back here in the afternoon and evening for reports after each workout and, as always, follow me on twitter (twitter.com/alanhahn) for thoughts and observations from the gym.

Holding out is not a legit option for Lee

Thursday August 27, 2009 8:54 AM By Alan Hahn

All due respect, but Starberman's latest headline-grabber basically sensationalizes a suggestion by Lee's agent, Mark Bartelstein to suggest Lee is planning to hold out of training camp.

Fixers, seriously . . .

Lee has little, if any, leverage as a restricted free agent. In fact, if he was to hold out of camp, his qualifying offer of $2.7M would expire on Oct. 1. The catch is he would remain restricted, but at this point the Knicks are no longer committed to the QO so they could offer him less. No one else in the league has cap space aside from the OKC Thunder (and they ain't spending) and though the Knicks have, are and will consider sign-and-trade offers, they are not obligated to execute one if it doesn't benefit them in any way.

The hold-out only causes for problems for Lee, who I've heard is in tremendous shape and has been putting in extensive work at the MSG Training Center. That little mid-range game just keeps getting better and better.

Like Berman said, the Knicks won't force him into taking the QO before camp, so you can expect an agreement will be reached on a one-year deal for an agreeable number. So why hasn't that been accomplished yet?

Well, wouldn't you want to give as much time as possible to sign-and-trade possibilities before you lock in? There's still four weeks before camp opens. A one-year deal isn't that complicated.

But that angle doesn't make for a great headline to get you Knicks fans revved up in this maddening summer stuck in idle. But before we start head-hunting on Donnie Walsh (and you know the hammer is coming down on Mike D'Antoni this year...expect it. After one year of major transition, I guarantee you he will be a relentless target for the short-sighted firestarters...rise above it, Fixers), let's re-examine Bartelstein's quote, as transcribed by Berman:

About the possibility of a hold-out, which rarely happens in the NBA: "I certainly hope not, but you have to have an agreement."

What I found more interesting is that Bartelstein, whom I have talked to regularly thoughout this process, reveals (assuming it was on the record) that the sides actually have an agreement of sorts in place:

"All we've agreed is if we can't do a sign-and-trade, we will work out a reasonable one-year deal."

That doesn't sound like grounds for a hold-out. In fact, that's quite encouraging to think a "reasonable" one-year deal will be worked out if a S&T can't be accomplished.

Ben Gordon went through this with the Chicago Bulls, but in that case the team was holding firm on the QO after Gordon turned down a multi-year offer.Gordon accepted his QO right before it expired.

What would a hold-out accomplish for Lee? Very little. Would the Knicks really feel pressured to trade him if they start the season without him? Uh, have you seen the roster? It's not like they're battling for the division title here. And, quite frankly, Lee was there last season for 32 wins. I know that's harsh. But it is reality. So you thrust rookie Jordan Hill into more reps, ready-or-not. This season is going to be all about developing (and showcasing) the young talent that is here.

Lee needs to make sure he has a great season and go into next summer, when more than half of the league will have cap space, and cash in then. Gordon did it this summer.

Remember, Fixers, it will be 14 years -- 14! -- since the Knicks had cap flexibility and the room to make a plunge in free agency. LeBron James is making it clear -- crystal clear -- that he is looking forward to the recruiting process in 2010.

You can't lose your focus now. Eyes on the prize.

Remember, the worst thing that can happen is you re-sign David to a bigger number and then go after Ramon Sessions, who, if he winds up returning to Milwaukee for the QO, will be a restricted free agent again next summer, and still have plenty of money left over for a second-tier FA. Then in 2011, when Eddy Curry and Jared Jeffries come off the cap, you have even more room.

That's how a healthy franchise works.

Just bloggin.

Postcard from vacation 2.0

Tuesday July 21, 2009 10:56 AM By Alan Hahn

I'm out of it for a little while, and everybody gets delusions of grandeur -- Han Solo

You knew once I punched out the time clock all hell would break loose ...

According to Frankie Ice, the Knicks had Andre Miller in for a quiet visit to the MSG Training Center on Monday. There was no need for pretense here, both parties know what this mutual interest is all about. Call it symbiosis. The Knicks clearly want to upgrade their PG position without compromising their salary cap space in 2010 and Miller would gladly play in this PG-friendly system, pad the heck out of his stats and jump back into the free agency pool next summer, when more than half of the league will have cap space to spend.

The caveat remains, what else, but money. Miller has also visited with the Trail Blazers, who are apparently taking another long look at their PG spot after failing to upgrade the frontcourt with Hedo Turkoglu and Paul Millsap. Portland can come in much higher ($9M per?) than the Knicks mid-level, but what if the Sixers would take a sign-and-trade situation here?

I don't see why they would want Chris Duhon here when they have Miller's heir apparent, Lou Williams, and first-round pick Jrue Holiday. It might cost more than just Duhon to get this done.

On the other side of the city tabloid rivalry (doesn't anyone take vacation anymore?) is Starberman with his report that Ramon Sessions' agent is telling anyone who will listen that the Knicks are preparing an offer sheet at the full mid-level for his young, athletically-gifted client.

The Clippers were also believed to have heavy interest in Sessions (once the Allen Iverson idiocy subsided) and they had the cap-space ability to make a higher offer than the MLE. But they just flipped Q-Rich to Minnesota for three players, including Sebastian Telfair. With Baron Davis and Telfair, there really isn't a place for Sessions anymore.

The Knicks have coveted Sessions since last season and checked in on him early in the free agency process. At the time, the vibe was that the Bucks were planning on keeping him, even after they drafted Brandon Jennings at 10th overall. But things have changed.

In fact, if MIL is so enamored with Jennings after a pretty solid summer league (14.6 points per game, 8.2 assists), perhaps they go with the younger, cheaper version and pass on paying out for Sessions (12.4 points, 5.7 assists in 79 games this season).

Here's one angle to consider: Chris Duhon in a sign-and-trade. Why? Skiles and Duhon had a strong relationship when they were in Chicago and Duhon can provide the type of veteran presence at the PG position to allow Jennings to develop at his own pace. Plus, it is hard not to overlook that Duhon at his charity golf outing in Slidell, La. mentioned several coaches who have had an impact on his life but Mike D'Antoni -- the man who gave him a second chance to be a starting PG in the NBA -- was not among the list. Skiles, however, was. (head nod to "s0li" for the catch and twitter link).

If the Knicks go in this direction -- and it appears they will -- the obvious will be stated: they will go into the new season against an improved Eastern Conference as the Young Guns. Sessions is 23 and, along with Toney Douglas (23) is the oldest of the young core, which will include Wilson Chandler, 22, Jordan Hill, 21, and Danilo Gallinari, 20. What will it mean for graybeards David Lee (26) and Nate Robinson (25)? Lee appears to be still in the mix, but if Sessions is acquired that would pretty much signal the end of KryptoNate on Broadway.

As always, stay tuned . . .

Hill needs to join Eddy in the gym

Tuesday July 14, 2009 8:55 PM By Alan Hahn

Jordan Hill's summer league debut resulted in the admission from the Knicks lottery pick that he needs to get himself in better shape.

“I could definitely be in more shape, I could get on that this summer," he said. "Practice has been pretty tough. I should just eat right and do the things I need to do to get better.”

Hill said after the draft he went home for a little bit and worked out at school, but he's aware the NBA game --not to mention Mike D'Antoni's constant-motion system -- has high physical demands. Hill unquestionably goes after the ball and attacks the backboard (eight rebunds in 28:33), but his lack of explosiveness will hamper that ability greatly. And with the ball he showed tendencies to fade-away on jump hooks and turn-arounds.

His 6-for-14 performance from he floor is a clear indication that his legs weren't underneath him. None of this is a major concern because it is all correctable.

“He’s got to get stronger, he’ll do that; He has to get more comfortable, he’ll do that," D'Antoni said. "I thought he got better as the game went on. I think by the end of the week you’ll see he’ll get better.”

If anything, you can certainly say Hill showed greater promise than Hasheem Thabeet, who had an underwhelming six points, six rebounds and one block in 23:36.

* * *

* - Toney Douglas also struggled with his shot (2-for-13, 1-for-4 from downtown) but did dish 11 assists with zero turnovers and two steals in 28:52. He's definitely showing point-guard ability, but he needs to discover the floor general within and likely will as he gets command of the system.

* - Morris Almond really stuck it in my face, didn't he? (Of course you know he reads the Fix...doesn't everybody?). Almond looked like a natural in the system, with 7 of 12 from the field and 3 of 6 from downtown for 17 points. He's trying to earn an invite to training camp this fall and if he can show this kind of shooting consistently in the remaining four games, he'll have a ticket to Saratoga.

As we discussed this with D'Antoni, Anthony Roberson was warming up for the Bulls.

* - As we said in a previous blog (and as Starberman reported in today's Post), the Carlos Boozer situation will be monitored by the Knicks. Are they legit players? Not quite. Up to the Jazz to see what they'd want off the Knicks' roster (not named Chandler, Gallo, Hill or Douglas, of course). Would they consider Nate Robinson? Obviously to match Boozer's salary, it'll take another contract to go with it (Cuttino Mobley?).

The Knicks likely wouldn't agree to deal for Boozer with the idea to immediately sign him to an extension. He would be a one-year "rental." Not a bad rental.

* - By the way, I've heard the Olympiakos offer to Robinson is real. Whether he takes it seriously or not is another story.

* - Jumping on the red-eye tonight and heading home. We'll keep in touch with things in Vegas from afar. Gotta say I was here four days and the only gambling I did was at an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet. Winner, winner, sashimi dinner.

By the way, did y'all hear Jessica Simpson is available again?

Game time

Monday July 13, 2009 10:09 PM By Alan Hahn

It's like the Knicks have had a mini training camp for a five-game summer league. We've been here since Friday night, the Knicks had two-a-day practices over the weekend and one more today. Finally this roster of busts and bloomers will take the court tomorrow (Tuesday) at 3 p.m. local time (6 p.m. where it matters) against the Memphis Grizzlies.

You can expect a starting lineup that looks something like this:

PG Toney Douglas

SG Morris Almond

SF Alex Acker

PF Jordan Hill

C Saer Sene

Phil Weber used all kinds of lineups in the workouts so it's very possible they try to go smaller and put Hill at center.

Douglas has impressed people the most in the practices because he is showing an extra gear and a terrific ability to dart laterally both with the dribble and defensively as well. Not a great shooter, but he can get to the rim. His court vision is good. Definitely ready for a rotation spot.

Hill has been very active but is still somewhat raw. Plenty of time to work on offensive moves and to develop more explosiveness, which he should have. He does get after the ball, though. You can't teach that.

The other player to keep an eye on is Morris Almond, though he really hasn't stood out much in practice. Aside from the obvious -- dude can shoot -- he doesn't stay active enough to be a consistent threat. Not enough energy and intensity flowing out of him. You can see why he couldn't keep a seat on Jerry Sloan's bench.

I like the versatile Alex Acker (Pistons,Clippers), who is long and very athletic and, opposite of Almond, very active. Not a great shooter or offensiv threat, however. If he were more like 6-7 or 6-8, he might be more of a given as an NBA small forward. At 6-5, he's a bit undersized for the frontcourt, but perfect to defend shooting guards (like OJ Mayo).

Another player to watch is Blake Ahearn, a D-League standout, is very flashy and makes you notice. He is very confident with the ball, makes flashy passes -- one-handed variety, around his back, under the arm of a defender, etc. -- and can shoot it. Struggles defensively and doesn't always make the safe pass (a little too careless), but the real issue for him at the NBA level is his first step. Not much blow-by speed there to beat people off the dribble.

By the way, while you're watching the game (MSG, 6 p.m.), follow me on Twitter (twitter.com/alanhahn) for thoughts and observations from Cox Pavillion.

* * *

* - Sneak preview of my story in tomorrow's Newsday: Eddy Curry's trainer says 300-310 is the target playing weight for Curry. Why? Because while they have focused on burning the excess fat (he's lost 30 pounds already), the goal is also to have Eddy develop and build more muscle, which, as you know, weighs more than fat. So forget that fictional 285 pound listing in the media guide.

* - Rumor Mill got quiet for a day, so let's throw out some random, baseless speculation: The Utah Jazz have an interesting situation with Paul Millsap signing an offer sheet with the Portland Trail Blazers. They're trying to move Carlos Boozer now in order to clear enough space to match the offer sheet and keep Millsap. Just a thought, but would the Knicks ever consider offering Lee in a sign-and-trade for Boozer? Then Utah wouldn't have to match Millsap, could get something of value for Boozer and the Knicks would get an all-star caliber player who has an expiring contract.

Just bloggin.

Jordan Hill will be developed as a center

Sunday July 12, 2009 4:00 PM By Alan Hahn

One immediate thought when you watch Jordan Hill is how ferociously he gets after the ball. Rebounds, challenging shots and even loose balls, Hill is active.

Now, in three summer league practices so far, it's obvious his legs aren't quite under him so the explosion isn't quite there. He should be playing above the rim and we haven't seen that aspect. His post moves are raw and he is hesitant with the ball. The shot is flat (again, attributed to the legs).

But the Knicks have seen enough with the 6-10 1/2 Hill to believe he can eventually grow into being a "center" in Mike D'Antoni's system. His mid-range game, quickness and ability to run are the reasons why they want to develop him as such rather than as a power forward. The belief is that Hill can pull opposing bigs out to the perimeter and either shoot his jumper or blow by them with his quickness. I think that aspect of his game (putting the ball on the floor) certainly needs to improve before that becomes a legitimate part of his skill set. But he's young.

Hill can move well though and should pick up the high pick-and-roll play quickly. Once he gets some bounce back in his legs (by training camp), he can get some easy baskets and his activity around the backboard and ability to get up the floor will be an asset.

It'll be interesting to see him go up against 7-4 Hasheem Thabeet in the Knicks summer league opener on Tuesday against the Grizzlies.

* * *

* - Eddy Curry is expected to be at the evening practice tonight. He will meet with Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni and then it is up to him if he wants to work out by himself with strength coach Greg Brittenham on the sideline or join in with the summer league team on the main court. Walsh and D'Antoni want to see his progress. Everyone does. Follow me on twitter for some initial observations.

* - Jimmy Goldstein, the heralded NBA superfan, attended the morning practice and sat next to Donnie Walsh. The two of them are from the same generation and yet by appearance seem to be from separate universes. Nice man, though (talking of Jimmy). And loves to talk hoop.

* - So Steve Nash is expected to be here in Vegas this week to meet with Steve Kerr and discuss terms of a contract extention with the Suns. Would it be rude for Nash to ask Kerr if they could meet at the New York, New York hotel and casino?

* - Huge electronic billboard outside the Wynn's Encore hotel promoting Beyonce's upcoming run of shows there later this month. It's a traffic-stopper:

Photo credit: Encore Las Vegas

Waking up in Vegas

Saturday July 11, 2009 10:20 AM By Alan Hahn

Took a late-night cross-country flight out here and my body clock is tickin-like-this...

The Knicks just got here yesterday, as well, and it seems they're already with a hangover. Grant Hill took less money to stay in Phoenix....did that really happen?

The Knicks' summer league team -- with freshly-signed (made official this morning) eighth overall pick Jordan Hill as the centerpiece -- begin two-a-day workouts this weekend at Valley High. Though there is anticipation to see how Hill and fellow first-rounder Toney Douglas look (not to mention roster hopefuls such as Morris Almond, Alex Acker and Patrick Ewing Jr.), the biggest workout of the weekend will be on Sunday, when veteran Eddy Curry is expected to arrive and run the floor with the group. The Knicks brass -- I'm hearing even the owner, James Dolan, too -- wants to be updated on Curry's progress in his offseason diet and fitness program.

Though I doubt the Knicks would invite other teams in to watch, the Rockets may be interested in Curry's progress, as well. GM Daryl Morey, with Yao Ming's foot injury threatening his season, if not his career, confirmed here on Friday that his team is in the market for a big man.

Curry's $11.2M would be a huge number to remove from the 2010 ledger and it would also give the Knicks a little more flexibiliy in re-signing David Lee, whose options continue to dwindle. The Trail Blazers tendered one of Lee's market comparables, Paul Millsap, an offer sheet for $8M to $9M per year.

There was also this report from Philadelphia about a sign-and-trade scenario involving Chris Duhon for free agent Andre Miller. I checked in on the Miller front yesterday and was told by someone close to Miller that he didn't have he Knicks on his radar at this point. The report said it wa Duhon's agent who was trying to make the deal happen. Obviously the Knicks can't include a first-round pick (as the story suggests) because they don't have a pick in 2010 and, as a result, they can't trade the pick in 2011.

I'm not sure this is the best deal for the Knicks, considering that Miller would need to be signed beyond 2010 and, while he is one of the smartest point guards in the NBA, his lack of quickness at both ends of the floor and below-average shooting from the perimeter aren't the best it. However, he would be an upgrade and he does provide leadership.

We'll see what transpires.

Stay connected here throughout the day and weekend for updates from the Summer League and be sure to follow me on twitter (twitter.com/alanhahn) for thoughts and observations right from the gym and everywhere else.

Weekend Wrap-up

Saturday June 27, 2009 7:34 AM By Alan Hahn

Let's press pause on the the Rickypalooza for a moment to digest the fact that we've discovered that Spanish media outlets tend to get ahead of themselves when it comes to certain scoops. So the fact that Marca.com is saying the Knicks and Timberwolves are "in discussions" about a deal is very premature, especially if it involves one of the restricted free agents.

Donnie Walsh made it clear he will check into it and of course he should. But don't expect the Knicks to overpay to land Rubio or take on an unwanted contract just to bring La Pistola to New York. Remember, Rubio was not as high on the Knicks draft board as Stephen Curry, Tyreke Evans or even Jordan Hill (so remove Hill from any trade scenarios with Minnesota, as well).

The Knicks obviously would be interested here because of Rubio's potential as a passer and his amazing court vision, but this will not be a mortgaging of the future, especially if it impacts the 2010 plan. Keep in mind that this is Rubio and his camp pushing for this. Also keep in mind that his father, who was the one who publicly said he would likely stay in Spain for a year or two rather than report to Minnesota, initially was against his 18-year-old son declaring for the NBA Draft this year in the first place. Pappa Rubio felt his son wasn't ready, so you can understand why his father is speaking so boldly about his son possibly staying in Spain for two years. That, according to a source, was one of the plans in mind when he declared. It all depended on where he landed.

And apparently David Kahn was aware of this when he made the selection, which is why he bought some insurance with Jonny Flynn at No. 6.

This one will keep smoldering for a bit. But I'm not feeling like it'll get too hot. In fact, K-Berg has a source saying it's a completely dead scenario.

* * *

* - Quote of the day from Toney Douglas, who says he's a tough guy: "One thing you can't coach is toughness." He's a very confident dude and the Knicks believe they got a steal at No. 29 for one of the ACC's top point guards. And if this guy isn't Nate Robinson's replacement, then they're going to have some entertaining head-to-head scrimmages in training camp. Douglas gets after it.

* - Hill comes from a pedigree of workers and his family story, which was outlined by Barbara Barker, is not something to overlook. He has some learning to do at the NBA level, especially on defense, where foul trouble is sure to be a major hurdle for a guy who loves to challenge shots. But if he can get out on the open floor and run, he will be tough. He can also play the pick-and-roll and knock down perimeter shots. David Lee's replacement? Not exactly. I can see the Knicks playing these two together as a 4-5 tandem in some scenarios.

* - It sounds like the Warriors do not want to include Stephen Curry in the Amar'e Stoudemire deal. Typical gong show there in Nellieland. I can't see Curry and Monta Ellis -- don't forget point-forward Stephen Jackson -- working together for long. Curry would be mainly a shooter there, a perimeter target and a third option (and once Amar'e comes, a fourth option). You won't get to see his PG skills and in the halfcourt he'll get murdered defensively. Now...do the Warriors instead move Monta Ellis? Very curious.

* - Just wanted to pass congratulations to those long-suffering Islanders fans who finally got to enjoy a rare proud moment in the NHL spotlight Friday at the NHL Draft in Montreal. Hopefully John Tavares is the cornerstone needed to rebuild this franchise. And if we learned anything about Garth Snow as a GM, it's that he has a flair for the dramatic. Great stuff.

* - A quick shout out to all of the Fixers who made this site blow up this week. How about a Newsday.com record of 1,400 followers for the live chat on Thursday morning and over 40,000 hits for the day for the coverage. We're hanging a banner for this one!

Thanks to the tireless Mike Rose, who still hasn't slept since the U.S. Open coverage, for his efforts, along with Barbara Barker, Chris Mascaro and David Cassilo, who took over the blog on draft night so I could handle the reporting/writing duties at the Knicks War Room. Great teamwork on the coverage.

Enjoy the weekend, Fixers. We've still got a lot more work ahead of us with free agency and potential trades, along with the NBA Summer League. We'll aim to do a live chat once a week through July.

Keep it poppin'.

After missing on Curry, Knicks get defensive

Thursday June 25, 2009 11:18 PM By Alan Hahn

OK I'm back...

First things first...it sounds like Stephen Curry won't be a Warrior for long. And that's probably why he's not too upset about missing out on the Knicks. We heard tonight that he could be headed to Phoenix in the Amar'e Stoudemire deal. The Suns, who are getting ripped for their salary-dumping moves that is bringing nothing in return, are demanding that Curry be part of the deal.

>> Click here for pictures of Jordan Hill

Click here to view photos of Stephen Curry

So that would mean he'd sort of still get to play the Mike D'Antoni system under Alvin Gentry. Maybe he'll get to learn from the master, Steve Nash.

Or maybe Nash will survey the damage in this gutting of the Suns roster and decide not to accept a contract extension. Expect the Knicks to monitor this situation closely.

As for the picks, Donnie Walsh came away with his type of players because both have defensive abilities. Jordan Hill can be a good weak-side shot-blocker (though I've heard his post defense is lacking). Toney Douglas was one of the best defensive players in the ACC last season.

"We’re talking team defense, but the truth is, your team defense gets better when you have defensive oriented players,” Walsh said.

Apparently Coach K, who saw plenty of Douglas in four years, really talked him up to D'Antoni. The Knicks had him in for the first workout on June 9, in a group with Jonny Flynn and Ty Lawson.

Adding a power forward and potential third guard suggests the Knicks are preparing for the departures of David Lee and Nate Robinson. Walsh wouldn't take the bait.

“I’m not going to look at it like that," he said. "I’m going to treat our own free agents on their own. We’re not allowed to get into that right now, so when 12:01, July 1 comes, we’ll start dealing with that. My hope is to try to keep the players here.”

Then there's Darko, the 7-foot Serbian, who Walsh feels may finally find a comfort zone in the NBA playing for D'Antoni: "He’s a multi-skilled guy who really hasn’t fit in wherever he has been. In some cases people have asked him to play with his back to the basket."

Walsh is aware of the disappointment from fans in missing out on Curry. He heard the booing from the Theatre all the way up here in Westchester County, so he knows the Hill pick was not received well.

“I don’t think it ever will be in New York," he said. "And I’ve been through that in Indiana. They booed Chuck Person who was the Rookie of the Year. They booed Reggie Miller. I could keep going on. The players all have to prove themselves."

He later said: “I think everybody’s thinking, ‘Oh we didn’t get Stephen Curry.’ But we got maybe the best big man in this draft and one that everybody wanted. So it was a good day for us.”

There was a rumor floating around about the Knicks attempting to trade with Minnesota to get the rights to Rubio, who did not look too pleased about being selected by the T-Wolves. But multiple sources denied any validity to the rumor. David Kahn was targeting Rubio in this draft and that's why he jumped into the No. 5 spot to get him. That's how close the Knicks came...not just one spot in the lottery drawing (think about some of those wins at the end of the season), but perhaps mere days.

That trade effectively ended the Knicks chances of getting Curry, and Walsh admitted as much. The Knicks dangled Wilson Chandler to the Wizards and it came very close to happening. Once the Kings lost interest in Rubio, Kahn saw his chance and jumped at it.

Hill and Douglas will be back here at the MSG Training Center on Friday morning to meet the press. We'll update here after that.

>> Click here for pictures of Jordan Hill

Click here to view photos of Stephen Curry

Jordan Hill talks about the Knicks

Thursday June 25, 2009 9:30 PM By Mike Rose

Jordan Hill, the power forward picked No. 8 by the Knicks, just spoke.

>> Click here for pictures of Jordan Hill

Reaction, going to Knicks:

"Definitely happy. Knicks is definitely a good fit for me because it's an up-tempo team and I can run the floor, so definitely it's a good fit for me."

Talking with Mike D'Antoni, who compared Hill to Amar'e Stoudemire:

"Yeah, he definitely compared me to Amar'e, athleticism is the same. Amar'e just worked hard and look where he's at now. They see the same thing in me, so I know that D'Antoni is going to definitely get that out of me and develop me into the player I need to be."

With top targets gone, Knicks choose Jordan Hill

Thursday June 25, 2009 8:16 PM By Admin

After seeing Rubio, Flynn and Curry go in the three picks before them, the Knicks selected Arizona junior power forward Jordan Hill. During his junior year, Hill averaged 18.3 points per game and 11 rebounds per game and the set the Arizona single-season record for blocks.

>> Click here for pictures of Jordan Hill

After the fans didn't get Curry, they showed their unhappiness after selecting Hill.

Rather anonymous during his time at Arizona, Hill was named to the All-Pac-10 and All-Defensive team in his final season with the Wildcats.

Although the fans may not want him, Hill could have an immediate impact for the Knicks next season, especially if David Lee is traded.

But let's see what happens. Could the Knicks possibly swap picks with the Warriors?

-David Cassilo

What goes around comes back around again

Tuesday June 23, 2009 12:18 PM By Alan Hahn

A little Grand Puba for the Fixers...

And it's fitting because we're spinning like turntables at this point, but let's catch up real quick...

We did some more reporting in today's Newsday about the possible trade-up talks for the Wizards' No. 5 pick. Our good friend, and loyal Fix reader, Peter Vescey also reported the Wizards scenario, but threw in a caveat that Donnie Walsh would parlay the 5 and the No. 8 into the second overall slot, where the Knicks would target Ricky Rubio.

That's a lot of movement for a player I just don't hear a great deal of interest in from this team. Even Donnie Walsh said he figured Rubio was on par with the rest of the point guards in the draft. Just smokescreenin'? Maybe.

But the Knicks move to the No. 5 to get them two top 10s seems more likely here because volume is always a good thing when it comes to drafts. Plus, the real talk involving that No. 2 pick -- poor Memphis is really taking a beating as a franchise in this draft, ain't they? -- comes from Minnesota. The Timberwolves are willing to trade guard Randy Foye to do it and have thrown Mike Miller's name out there, as well, along with the No. 6 and their two other first-round picks (18 and 28).

Here's where it gets interesting. So if Minnesota makes a deal with Memphis (apparently Kevin Love is off the table, for now) and they swap, the T-Wolves would take Rubio. It is believed the T-Wolves are trying to bring Rubio in for at least a meeting, if not a workout, before the draft. Wonder how Rubio and his people feel about playing in the frigid North. That's what David Kahn needs to find out before he makes this aggressive move.

Consequently, Hasheem Thabeet would fall to the giddy Oklahoma City Thunder at No. 3. The Sacramento Kings are sounding more and more like they're going to choose between Tyreke Evans and Jonny Flynn with the fourth overall pick. As Jonathan Givony points out, Kings GM Geoff Petrie is in the final year of his contract and has to turn this franchise around quickly. He needs an immediate-impact player to do it. Evans has great potential, but if you're looking for a perfect backcourt mate for Kevin Martin, Flynn is the man.

And that brings us to No. 5.

The Golden State Warriors have gone from eyeing up Jordan Hill to mulling Brandon Jennings to now putting out the word that they want Stephen Curry with the No. 7 pick. So if the Knicks want Curry, that deal with the Wizards is critical. If it costs Wilson Chandler, which is a major sticking point, the Knicks have a major decision to make.

Now, if this works out and they keep the No. 8, perhaps the Grizzlies (flipping with Minny) could decide between James Harden (move OJ Mayo to the PG spot) or could take power forward Jordan Hill at No. 6 to play next to Marc Gasol and fill a need at power forward (where Darrell Arthur now resides). That leaves the Warriors to target either Harden or Hill (could Harden really fall that far?...I don't even like what I'm writing here) and the Knicks would choose from the leftovers and at the No. 8 pick -- if Hill is not on the board they would likely consider a shooting guard such as Gerald Henderson or DeMar DeRozan.

Like I said, my head is spinning. In the first post, I totally forgot about James %$^&*&# Harden. OK, this man needs coffee and crullers, stat!

If they wind up doing nothing, it appears the best-case scenario at No. 8 would be Jrue Holiday, or Henderson or possibly Ty Lawson. But there's too much chatter at this point to believe the Knicks just make a pick at No. 8 and go home on Thursday night. They will most certainly get their hands on a second-rounder, at the very least.

Just bloggin.

Walsh covering all options

Tuesday June 16, 2009 12:46 PM By Alan Hahn

After today's solo performance by Jordan Hill, the predraft workouts continues into Wednesday with another group of players. This one will be headlined by Louisville's Terrence Williams, who is slated in the teens but could be one of the few ready-to-play prospects in this draft.

T-Will may not be a go-to scorer or even a starter, but he has something that a few NBA people have often told me is often overlooked in the draft: the ability to fit into a team concept. Many of the first rounders come from situations where they were The Man, the lead dog. It is often a struggle in the beginning to adjust to becoming a role player at the NBA level. Williams is a very versatile player who can also defend. Not a great shooter, not a big-time scorer, but in the right system/situation he could be a rotation player as a rookie and have an impact.

Is the No. 8 pick a bit too high for Williams? Perhaps, but Walsh is clearly making sure his staff sees every player possible that will be on their board when the Knicks are on the clock. No excuses. This is a clear indication as to the importance this franchise is placing on getting this pick right. Remember, as of now there isn't one in 2010.

Another player worth noting in this group is USC's Daniel Hackett. We talked about him briefly a few weeks ago when Danilo Gallinari mentioned his name. Gallo and Hackett grew up together in the Italian basketball system. He appears to be a second-rounder and, as we've been telling you here, the Knicks are more than likely going to wind up with at least one second round pick this year, by trade or by simply purchasing one. Walsh wanted to buy one last year to land Mario Chalmers, but the Heat snatched him up before Walsh had a chance to secure a pick.

I'm not sure how much the Knicks can really get out of Hill's solo workout, aside from seeing how he shoots the ball and how well he moves up the floor and can get off his shot quickly and squared to the basket. In D'Antoni's system, the 6-10 Hill would likely be a center, not a power forward, which is fine, especially if Hill can bring a ruggedness and shot-blocking attitude to the paint.

They may come away enamored, but it is very unlikely he'll be an option at No. 8. As we said in the previous blog, the Warriors have all but assured Hill that they would take him at No. 7 if he's still there. There is also the situation with the Wizards' pick at No. 5. If they keep it, they could take Hill, but he could also go there if the pick is traded to the Mavericks, who have made it clear they're looking for a top-10 pick.

It is sounding like Ricky Rubio won't last beyond No. 6 and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

OKC is apparently listening to offers, but can you really see them passing on James Harden as a perfect offensively-gifted two guard, with a high basketball IQ, next to the athletic Russell Westbrook? Consider that lineup for the future: Westbrook-Harden-Green-Durant. All you need is an athletic, shot-blocking big (they did try to get Tyson Chandler once before) and that team is on its way.

T-Mac Attack?

Tuesday June 16, 2009 10:21 AM By Alan Hahn

[This has been floating around for a while now, but it clearly will pick up steam now that it's reached Jonathan Givony's desk.]

The playoff success of the Houston Rockets without Tracy McGrady has made the injury-plagued all-star expendable. With one year and $23.2M left on his deal -- plus the baggage he brings with him as a high-maintenance personality -- there are few teams that can afford to bring him in. The Knicks, obviously, are one.

Several persons with knowledge of the situation have said the Knicks would strongly consider McGrady, even as a one-year mercenary. The two could use each other: McGrady wants another mega-deal before free agency in 2010 and should be motivated to be in the best shape of his life for this coming season. And his number comes off the cap in 2010, so if it doesn't work out, the committment is short and does not impact the long-term plan.

Of course if it does, the Knicks would have to strongly consider re-signing him. Here is where I see the risk, because it's been well-documented that McGrady does not maintain any type of practice or conditioning habits. But it's tantalizing for the Knicks, who are desperate for a star-quality player who can make them a legitimate playoff contender in the East.

The Knicks could put together a package that would save the Rockets some money and include a veteran shooting guard with an expiring contract -- Larry Hughes ($13.6M) -- along with Cuttino Mobley's 80-percent insured $9.5M deal. Mobley could then officially retire with the team that drafted him (and originally knew about his heart condition). Call it full circle.

McGrady is working out with Tim Grover in Chicago. Grover is Michael Jordan's trainer who also helped get Dwyane Wade back to MVP status this season. Grover, of course, also had Eddy Curry in his stable so, you know . . .

In Mike D'Antoni's system, I can see McGrady as a point guard/point forward. Seriously. You could play him at the one and run pick-and-rolls that no one would be able to defend. Surround him with shooters and keep the ball moving. Get McGrady out on the open floor and push the ball. On defense, his long arms will help on the perimeter, though help defense will be critical and that's something the Knicks still lack, especially on the interior.

Speaking of which, Starberman promoted today's workout invitee, Jordan Hill, as a Knicks target. It's sort of like how I hoped Jessica Simpson would have fallen to me after Nick Lachey let her go a few years back. Even Givony says Hill won't make it past No. 7, where the Golden State Warriors could use him next to Andris Biedrins. Fixer buddy Marcus Thompson of the Contra Costa Times says Hill was told by Don Nelson if he's on the board at No. 7, the Warriors will likely take him.

That's good news for the Knicks, because it means at least one of the top guards they have worked out -- Stephen Curry, Jrue Holiday, Brandon Jennings, et al -- still there for the taking.

Lots of rumors percolating....

Jennings wants to be a Knick, too

Monday June 15, 2009 7:51 PM By Alan Hahn

Brandon Jennings or Stephen Curry? The Knicks may not have the opportunity to choose between the two with the eighth overall pick, but they could have a shot at either.

And both of them have made it known they would prefer to be a Knick.

“I really want to come here, I’m not going to lie," Jennings said. "[Mike] D’Antoni’s system is great for all point guards. You see what he did for Steve Nash, the two years MVP back –to-back and the Phoenix Suns were one of the most exciting teams to watch in the NBA for those two years. So his system is great for me.”

One thing I quickly learned about BJ, he loves to talk. He also pays attention, such as when he noted that I was wearing an UnderArmour golf shirt. Jennings has an endorsement deal with UnderArmour.

And when it comes to the sport of saying anything, as we saw with his Ricky Rubio rant, Jennings is a willing participant. Such as when you get him talking about the current Knicks. Chris Duhon and the heavy load of minutes, for instance, that clearly wore the 26-year-old veteran down in the second half.

“Duhon played a lot of minutes," Jennings said, "But I don’t mind playing them anyway because I’m young, I’m 19, I can go forever. I think New York has good pieces, they have Robinson, Harrington, Lee. So they have great pieces, they just need that point guard to come in here and run the team..."

[Bloghost note: I bolded that for Mr. Duhon].

Jennings then added, "....and then hopefully get LeBron in 2010."

As we heard from the participants in the previous workouts, the players said the Knicks put a lot of emphasis on shooting drills and fast-break stuff. They also played some three-on-three. Jennings and Tyreke Evans went head-to-head and while Evans clearly has a much stronger build, the slight, but quick Jennings apparently held his own. Both were pleased with how they were able to get to the rim -- the "bigs" were Earl Clark and Austin Daye -- and both said they shot the ball well.

Evans said that is one part of his game he feels he has improved since the end of the season.

"I just wanted to show them I can handle the ball and score as well as make other people better," he said. "I think I did a good job today. One thing I improve on is my shot . . . I came in today and showed I can shoot the shot."

Evans, who is 6-5, is unquestionably a combo/shooting guard and not someone I believe the Knicks would target as a point guard. Jennings is a pure point, a Rafer Alston-type (though potentially better than Alston, of course). Flashy, quick and brimming with confidence. I know he's from Compton, but you'd swear he was born on New York soil. And there is reason to believe that year in Europe -- while his numbers weren't impressive -- gives him an advantage over the guys who played in college. He certainly thinks so.

“Playing against grown men every day, coaches weren’t just kissing my butt, I had to go out there and earn my spot," he said. "I’m playing against bigger and stronger guys every day, it was good for me. Just the whole experience was great . . . It was good for me, it was a humbling experience for me. If I would have went to college I would have played 30 minutes and I would have got whatever I wanted. But I had to go over there and earn my spot.”

It sounds like he could wind up anywhere from Memphis to Sacramento to Golden State. Evans says just about everyone has shown an interest in him, though I firmly believe his best-case scenario would be in Minnesota, next to Randy Foye.

Clark shows tantalizing amounts of talent, but the fact that his motor idles so low is a major concern. Perhaps surrounded by talent (and strong veteran leadership) he could reach some of that vast potential. No. 8 is probably too high, but the Knicks did the right thing by bringing him in to see firsthand before they dumped him down the list.

Daye could be a special talent in a few years. Dude is rail thin, even thinner than I remember Anthony Randolph when he came in last year. But the skill set is there. Maturity will help. This is why I continue to hope the NBA figures out how to make the D-League a more effective minor league system. You can't flood the league with so many 19-year-olds and risk burying them on NBA benches and seeing them sour amid hardcore veterans. Just soapboxin here, but if the NBA had a minor league system akin to the NHL or even baseball, you would be able to develop players at a more reasonable pace and still pay them a decent wage. There would also be less of a desperation to jump out of the NCAA ranks so quickly.

Anyway..Jordan Hill tomorrow. He comes in on his own. At least Jennings-Evans-Holiday-Curry-Flynn-Lawson all went toe-to-toe with each other. Then again, who is Hill going to go up against, Tyler Hansbrough?

Hill is an interesting prospect for the Knicks because he is, of course, not a guard. I will venture to say he'd really have to blow them away with a shooting touch and athleticism (even ball handling) to push his way into their top 3. And, of course, he may not even last to No. 8.

Other notes:

* - Chad Ford is saying that Ricky Rubio is slipping down the draft chart. Could he wind up on the board at No. 8 to the Knicks? I still say the chances are very slim.

* - The Cavaliers are not the only team that has inquired about a trade with the Suns for Shaquille O’Neal. Among a small group of others is the Knicks, but before we go for a drive to Rumorville, a source said it was mainly Donnie Walsh doing his due diligence and did not engage in any serious discussions. O’Neal, 37, has one year left at $20 million and, according to several persons with knowledge of the situation, would welcome a trade to New York. But the preference would be to move to a championship contender such as the Cavs.

* - Danilo Gallinari went home to Italy for a few days in the midst of his rehabilitation stint from season-ending back surgery in April. He is expected to return to New York next week and plans to join the Knicks in Las Vegas for the NBA Summer League in July. He will not play, but he told some reporters in the Italian media that he does plan to participate in practices and workouts while in Vegas.

* - I'll be a guest tonight on 1050 ESPN Radio with Jon Rothstein at 10:25 p.m. JR, a has a pretty solid hoops lineup of Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel, UCLA coach Ben Howland and ESPN's Fran Fraschilla along with some no-name Knicks beat writer your favorite bloghost. Lots of NBA Draft talk starting at 10 p.m., so tune in!

Let it Mock 2.0

Wednesday June 3, 2009 1:53 PM By Alan Hahn

Three weeks before the draft...a good time to rock the mock.

This time we dare to go all 30...and we make sure to discuss all of the alternatives.

[UPDATE: I'm allowed to adjust on the fly. So I've made a few changes because I'm that obsessed dedicated].

1. Clippers -- Blake Griffin: Despite some early speculation, all indications are at this point that Mike Dunleavy is intent on drafting Griffin and taking his chances with moving Zach Randolph (two years, $32M left) and trading Marcus Camby (expiring). Griffin is a power forward, so perhaps they can make it work with he and Chris Kaman as a tandem. But it's the Clippers so you know something bizarre is sure to result.

2. Memphis -- Hasheem Thabeet: Ricky Rubio's stock seems to have dropped enough to make the Grizzlies feel they can pass on him (and the scars from Juan Carlos Navarro still remain). The 7-3 Thabeet is a bit of a project for a team that needs players who can perform right away, but his shot-blocking ability is enticing enough. They do already have Marc Gasol, but his presence allows Thabeet to develop. And the Grizz almost certainly would want to trade Darko Milicic as a result.

3. Oklahoma City -- James Harden: Though the Thunder would love to have been in position to get either big -- Griffin or Thabeet -- Harden fits well into the shooting guard spot next to Russell Westbrook to make for a strong, young backcourt. The Thunder are a team that should start seeking vets to fill in around the young guns. Free agent Ben Gordon is rumored to be one, for sure, but if you draft Harden you wouldn't then go spend money on Gordon. They need a big.

4. Sacramento -- Jrue Holiday: It is believed Ricky Rubio would be interested in playing for the Kings, but we're gonna say they pass on him, too, and instead go for Holiday's potential over a look at the second coming of White Chocolate. The Kings do have a great deal of interest in Rubio, but there are so many concerns (buyout, readiness, awful jump shot). Plus, if you draft Rubio here, you're now paying mid-level money for Beno Udrih to be a backup guard. The cash-strapped Kings can't afford such a luxury. Holiday gives them defense to make up for Kevin Martin's greatest weakness. Stephen Curry is a sleeper here, but while he and Martin could be a very good offensive tandem in the backcourt, neither of them can effectively defend the other team's best guard.

5. Washington -- Ricky Rubio: This could be enough to motivate the Wizards to keep the pick rather than trade it, which remains a strong possibility. They could look to flip out of the top 10 and perhaps get a veteran as well. Keep a close eye on Portland, who has interest in Stephen Curry (put him next to Brandon Roy) and also has the 24th overall pick along with four second rounders. The Wiz would want a big man and Joel Pryzbilla could be of interest. Again, things change dramatically if the above picks go to the alternatives I mention.

6. Minnesota -- Tyreke Evans: They have this pick and No. 18 (from Miami) and No. 28 (from Boston), so there's no telling what new GM David Kahn may try to put together to make a big splash in his first draft with the T-Wolves. The Wolves need help everywhere, mainly on the wings, with Randy Foye, Kevin Love and Al Jefferson the few keepers of the bunch. Evans would give them a strong, explosive, athletic combo guard to play alongside Foye in the backcourt.

7. Golden State -- Brandon Jennings: He is tough to place in the draft mainly because it is difficult to judge him on the season he had in Europe. He then pulled out of the Treviso camp and will only do workouts. But a year ago he was considered the best high school player in the country and his speed, athleticism and ability to get to the rim are a fit in Don Nelson's system. But how would it work with Monta Ellis? I've heard the Warriors also love Terrance Williams here and depending on how workouts go, he could be their choice.

8. Knicks -- Stephen Curry: Somehow I managed to keep these stars aligned, but as much as it seems these two are on a collision course, it is very possible Curry could go before this spot, especially if another team (Portland) trades up for him. With that in mind, if the Warriors pass on Jennings, the Knicks could still have him to strongly consider here or possibly look to back up a few spots themselves to land a second rounder (Charlotte has two) and perhaps go for an Austin Daye (Boris Diaw comparable?) or choose from the Jonny Flynn/Ty Lawson leftovers at PG.

9. Toronto -- DeMar DeRozan: The Raptors need to upgrade the shooting guard position and DeRozan would be a great fit. He is the right combination of athleticism and skill to play next to Jose Calderon, strong enough to defend and, hey, why not get the guy who says he can jump higher than Vince Carter. Air Canada II, perhaps?

10. Milwaukee -- Jonny Flynn: The Bucks are hoping to keep restricted free agent Ramon Sessions, but Flynn is a Scott Skiles-type player, with a great deal of toughness packed into a small body. The Bucks need a floor general who can primarily set up their scoring options -- Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut and Charlie Villanueva -- and not need to look for his own offense. Flynn would be a good fit.

11. Nets -- Jordan Hill: Wouldn't Rod Thorn absolutely love for the draft to work out this way? Hill is viewed as a top-10 talent in this draft, but I can see him slipping mainly because of the needs of the teams ahead (and the plethora of talented guards). After landing Brook Lopez at No. 10 last year, he'd get a quality power forward at No. 11 this year. But I don't view Hill as a given. A lot of work still ahead for him before he can be an effective NBA player.

12. Charlotte -- Terrance Williams. He has the versatility, coachability and keen understanding for all facets of the game, which makes him someone Larry Brown would love. His production at the college level won't blow you away, but he is one of those players whose game will translate better at the NBA level. Very strong build, very athletic.

13. Indiana -- Ty Lawson: Jim O'Brien wants to push the ball and needs his point guards to be leaders, and that's exactly what he'll get out of Lawson. The Pacers will likely say good bye to free agent Jarret Jack, which opens a spot behind T.J. Ford for either guard. Yes, this makes the Pacers very small, but also very fast.

14. Phoenix -- Austin Daye: Now that they're back to playing D'Antoni's style, they'll need to recover some of the skill they gave up in Boris Diaw. Daye has a terrific shooting touch and is very smart, though incredibly thin for a big man. But with Amar'e Stoudemire, you don't need another big who posts up. The skill set matches the system here.

15. Detroit -- DeJuan Blair: Why? Because his game screams Bad Boys. Undersized, perhaps, but a great deal of power in his game. If the Pistons are looking to save money on Antonio McDyess and Rasheed Wallace, they go this route. It sure beats taking a risk on Earl Clark's skill potential and realizing he is a dog.

16. Chicago -- Earl Clark: There is talk they're looking to move Tyrus Thomas so there will be some room in the frontcourt. Can Vinny Del Negro get Clark's motor running at full speed? If he does, the Bulls won't need Luol Deng anymore, either.

17. Philadelphia -- James Johnson: Thaddeus Young seems to have grabbed hold of the three spot, but Johnson can upgrade the four for the Sixers and move Elton Brand to his natural position at center and move to the three if the Sixers want to go big.

18. Minnesota (from Miami) -- B.J. Mullens: Because Al Jefferson can't play all 48 minutes and skilled 7-footers have value, especially if Kevin McHale sticks around to teach him a few things. But this pick might wind up being traded.

19. Atlanta -- Eric Maynor: The Hawks will need to replace aging Mike Bibby and Maynor's speed and playmaking ability are a perfect fit to compliment Joe Johnson and Josh Smith.

20. Utah -- Gerald Henderson: This explosive Dukie would give the Jazz something they need: an athletic shooting guard who can score on the perimeter and also finish on the break.

21. New Orleans -- Gani Lawal: The Hornets sorely lack perimeter defense, especially from the wing positions, and considering the slim pickens at this point of the draft, why not select to fill a need? Lawal has long arms and great athleticism.

22. Dallas -- Marcus Thornton: A bit of a project but a Jason Terry type who can give them some scoring depth in the backcourt.

23. Sacramento (from Houston) -- Jeff Teague: Beno Udrih didn't have a great first year with the Kings and Teague could be the up-tempo push off the bench they could use. He has a lot of developing to do, however, but a good pick to make at this point.

24. Portland -- A.J. Price: If they stay here and don't trade up, Price could fit that idea they have of a skilled combo guard next to Brandon Roy. What's interesting is, if this is their goal, what do they do with Sergio Rodriguez and Steve Blake?

25. Oklahoma City (from San Antonio) -- Dionte Christmas: Could eventually develop into a good shooting guard, which is a need for the Thunder.

26. Chicago (from Denver/OK City) -- Omri Casspi: Israeli prospect could develop into a slasher in an uptempo game.

27. Memphis (from Orlando) -- Tyler Hansbrough: Everyone can use work-a-holics on their roster and if the Grizz can't get David Lee from the Knicks perhaps they try to draft a player who could become him, instead.

28. Minnesota (from Boston) -- DeJuan Summers: If they keep this pick, he could provide some beef and depth in the frontcourt. He and Jefferson together would be a load.

29. Lakers -- Darren Collison: They take another UCLA kid any why not? Collison has the maturity to play right away and speed that the Lakers lack with veteran Derek Fisher. It doesn't appear thatt Phil Jackson believes in Jordan Farmar enough to think he's the PG of the future, so Collison may have a shot.

30. Cleveland -- Patrick Mills: Better version of Boobie Gibson (and much cheaper).