So we got to meet Danilo Gallinari this morning, and I suspect he’ll start to shave in two or three years.

Wow.

Somebody tell me I’m not that old. He seems like a nice kid, and came dressed for a job interview with some funky eyeglasses. Gallinari has better command of the language than some of the players in the league who grew up speaking English.

There was no hangover from the booing.

“Milan is so similar to New York,” said the 19-year-old who starred for Armani Jeans Milano for the last two seasons. “As soon as you do something like not good, they boo you, so there is a lot of pressure. Not like this, but it’s a tough, tough place.”

He is planning to stay on this side of the Atlantic for now, and will be living with some friends. He is going to wear No. 8, but it’s not a Latrell Sprewell tribute. Check out his driver’s license. Gallinari was born on 8/8/88. He wore the number in Milan, as well.

So did Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni.

“Coming in with that number, there was some pressure,” Gallinari said.

We actually got to speak with Knicks international scout Kevin Wilson today, and he’s been watching the kid develop over the last four years.

“The thing about Europeans is they should bring something unique to the table, otherwise they have a chance not to succeed,” Wilson said. “He’s a special player with no definable position. He’s not pigeon-holed right now, and I don’t think he ever will be in the same way most of the very succesful Europeans, you can’t pigeon-hole them. What is Pau Gasol? What is Nowitzki? What is Ginobili? A basketball player.”

I also spoke to Donnie McGrath, who starred locally in high school before heading to Providence College. He’s spent the last two seasons playing in the Italian league, and knows Gallinari fairly well.

“He’s really good,” McGrath said. “I saw the Knick fans react last night, and they probably just don’t know how good he is. He’s killed my teams most of the times we’ve played them. He’s really hard to guard. It’s crazy because he’s only 19 years old, and most of the people he’s going against are 25 and 30.”

We also picked up a few newsworthy tidbits from Walsh.

He was asked about the start of free agency next week, and indicated there’s no reason to assume the Knicks will not hit the open market looking for help. It seems the man in charge is amused by the way his game plan is being portrayed. He never intended to make it solely about LeBron James. There isn’t a lot of room to add salary, but there are ways to squeeze helpful pieces in.

And how exactly will that work?

“I’m not going to tell you,” Walsh said. “I’m going to be frugal.”

We also talked about not getting a point guard in the draft. He is not concerned, saying there are other avenues.

“I think we could use help,” Walsh said. “We could probably go in the way we are, but I think we’re going to look for help.”

You don’t even have to read between the lines there.

The organization is looking into holding training camp somewhere in New York State this fall.

It sounds like most of the Knicks will be in Las Vegas for summer league to meet up with D’Antoni. We don’t know exactly who’s going to play just yet. It sounds like Gallinari is suiting up. There is some contractual stuff to finish before there’s an official commitment.

I can’t wait to see what Danilo Gallinari thinks of the lasagna they serve at MSG.

There probably won’t be any great cultural divides to overcome, success here depends more on his ability to make shots and play a little defense. It would also help if the Knicks figure out a way to win more than 23 games.

Naturally, when asked for a comparison, Mike D’Antoni came up with two greats.

“If you’re dreaming, you’d like to say Nowitzki or Kukoc,” he said.

The organization would probably be happy if Gallinari turned out to be as good as Boris Diaw.

We get to meet Gallinari tomorrow morning, but it sounds like he’s pleased to be in New York.

“Yes, I think it’s a good situation,” he said. “I think New York is so similar to Milan, and I would like to be here so it’s nice.”

And does he know about the way things worked out for the Knicks last season?

“I don’t think they played so well,” he said.

I’m all settled into my cubicle at the MSG Training Center waiting for something to happen, and my first pick of the evening was a can’t miss shrimp salad wrap.

The blog will be up and running until everybody is gone.

I’m going to keep updating this post, so just keep scrolling down to see the latest. Please chime in and help me keep the conversation going. There are no rumors with legs right now. It’s going to be hard for the Knicks to predict who’s coming off the board in front of them because Seattle and Memphis are both still looking to move down.

Update (7:12 p.m.): Do we really need Dick Vitale projecting who’s going to blossom in the NBA or indirectly blasting the league for letting kids in after one year of college. Yawn. He’s the guy who needs to stay in college.

Update (7:20): The fans have already spoken. Danilo Gallinari was shown waiting in the Green Room down at the WaMu Theater as ESPN was cutting away for a commercial and was soundly booed. I’m wondering if anybody in the draft bunker up here just said, ‘Never mind.’

Update (7:28): The latest ESPN report says Donnie Walsh expects to get the point guard he’s been looking for. Of course, that could be Westbrook, Bayless, Gordon or Augustin. They didn’t say who it’s going to be.

Update (7:32): Here we go, David Stern just got heckled by a bunch of grumpy muppets up in the cheap seats. It sounds like this is going to be a lot of fun.

Update (7:38): With the first pick, the Chicago Bulls just made Kirk Hinrich or Ben Gordon available. Don’t think much about it. Neither of those players is a good fit here contractually. Donnie Walsh probably wouldn’t last here if he contributed a couple more lottery picks to that rebuilding effort.

Update (7:43): Michael Beasley goes next. A lot of mock drafts are right on the money so far, but it’s going to become a bumpy ride in about 10 minutes.

Update (7:50): There goes O.J. Mayo, which has optimistic Knicks fans wincing in pain. Westbrook, Bayless or Gordon will be on the board when the clock starts for New York.

Update (7:55): Russell Westbrook just landed in Seattle, and I’m guessing a fair amount of popcorn was spilled in these parts. I’m not sure he was the kind of trigger Mike D’Antoni needs here. Love the defense, though.

Update (8:01): Cross off Kevin Love. Who do you want now? Gordon, Bayless or Gallinari? What are you going to do if D.J. Augustin comes across the stage next?

Update (8:07): Danilo Gallinari is getting booed off the stage.

Update (8:15): Next up, Eric Gordon. I assume Knicks fans are hoping Stern announces some kind of a trade before he goes public with another pick.

Update (8:23): Joe Alexander goes to Milwaukee, and I’m going to slow up with the blow-by-blow account. We just got done with a quick visit from Donnie Walsh, I’ll come back shortly with some of that.

Update (8:37): Walsh only had time for a couple of questions, he’s coming back later. It sounds like he and D’Antoni see Gallinari stepping in at power forward, which makes it even more important to move Zach Randolph before the summer’s out.

Here’s a couple of highlights:

“I think he’s got the kind of game that can bring people together and make people better,” Walsh said. “He’s obviously 19 years old, so you have to have some patience with it as I think you do with all of these players in the draft. We’re very happy to have this young man. I think he’s an unusual player.”

Walsh apparently was impressed with the way Gallinari shot the ball in workouts.

“I thought this was the guy we should take particularly because of the way he plays because it’s great to have a four-man that can handle the ball and shoot it from the outside because that will open up the floor,” Walsh said.

Update (9:00): I just some Gallinari quotes from Journal News colleague Alex Meyers, who’s down at the WaMu Theater. He says the fans really gave the 19-year-old the business on the way back to his interview. “It was 90 percent booing,” Meyers said. “Every once in a while somebody would give him a high-five.” And some of the language was colorful.

Here’s what Gallinari said about the boos:

“It’s a part of the game,” he said. “All the players have got to hear this. Not every time you can hear good things. So it’s normal here.”

Just ask Renaldo Balkman.

“I feel normal and comfortable with it,” Gallinari added. “I’ve got no problem. It’s my work to prove to everybody that I’m a good player, so that’s everything on me.”

Update (9:38): And now, a word from Mike D’Antoni, who swears he didn’t influence the pick.

“Hopefully, somebody will teach him how to play defense,” he said of Gallinari. “I do know he will be tough and he will play hard and he will be intelligent. That’s kind of how you build a team. We’re starting with him and we’ll go from there, but he’s a good talent.”

Update (10:48): Gallinari is projected to be a 6-11 power forward in the near future, and the Knicks would like to get him in the rotation ASAP. That means Walsh is going to have to move Zach Randolph and David Lee this summer. Jared Jeffries is also on notice. The Knicks are working to pick up a second-round pick, according to Walsh, and don’t be surprised if they go after Patrick Ewing Jr.

Update (11:21): So much for the second coming of Ewing, who used to come to practice with his dad and go head-to-head with Marcus Camby. I’ll pass this along from our guy Alex down at the WaMu. “Danilo Gallinari’s father stood in the lobby and fielded cell phone call after call by speaking a speedy Italian. I took the language in college and didn’t have a clue what he was saying. I’ll assume by his tone that he’s excited where his son ended up.”

I believe New Jersey is about to enter the LeBron James sweepstakes.

Sending a useful player like Richard Jefferson to Milwaukee for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons otherwise defies logic. The deal is reportedly awaiting league approval, but it seems Rod Thorn is pushing the button. Kaboom! Now the Nets are rebuilding, too, and the organization will undoubtedly make a play for the biggest prize of the free agent class of 2010 to lure fans to Brooklyn.

Do they have the inside track?

Simmons comes off the books in two seasons, and Yi will be much happier in a major market. Imagine how many fans will hop a subway from Chinatown to see a native son play. He’s now a legitimate drawing card.

This is why the Knicks better have a backup plan.

We know there will be some talent on the market in two seasons, but not enough to go around. And there’s a big difference between somebody like James and somebody like Chris Bosh.

The rumors are cluttering message boards all over the internet, which is all part of the fun, I suppose.  Donnie Walsh and the cast of thousands who are weighing in on the draft assembled this morning at the MSG Training Center, and most of them are prowling for information.

Isiah Thomas is not on the premises, according to a Knicks spokesman.

Don’t give up on yet on the possibility of moving up to snag O.J. Mayo because the best offers probably won’t be exchanged for a couple of hours. I don’t see any benefit to partnering with Portland to move down unless there’s an opportunity to pave the way for a marquee name in 2010.

There’s a reason why so many teams are ready and willing to dump first-round picks outside the lottery.

I’m starting to wonder if Joe Alexander is worthy of the No. 6 pick because it doesn’t sound like Walsh has any intention of signing David Lee to a contract extension down the road. The sound of silence is usually a hint. Since we haven’t been hearing much about Alexander, maybe he’s the guy.

Or maybe not.

They’re going to keep us guessing all day long and into the night. I can’t wait to see how Knicks fans react to whatever goes down at the WaMu Theater.

Donnie Walsh didn’t exactly drop any names when he met with the media yesterday afternoon, so I took an informal poll. Guess what? I got six different names when I asked six different executives who the Knicks will select at No. 6 should they hang onto the pick.

Heck, we might as well throw darts.

Let’s take a stab based on the lies and speculation circulating. I’m going to say the Knicks’ draft board has the prospects ranked something like this:

1. O.J. Mayo: Wishful thinking.


2. Danilo Gallinari: A high basketball IQ makes up for a lack of quickness.


3. D.J. Augustin: He’s still an inch taller than me.


4. Jerryd Bayless: Scoring is not an issue.


5. Russell Westbrook: Might become a stopper.


6. Joe Alexander: The heir apparent to David Lee.

Don’t hold me to any of this, but since I’m on the record, let’s see your lists. Give me a top six in order. We can all have a laugh afterward.

It sounds like Walsh is still talking with Minnesota about moving up far enough to grab Mayo, but nobody seems to know the particulars. The deal with Memphis seems to be contingent on an unspecified combination of players coming off the board right away.

Anybody getting goosebumps?

I’ve had just about enough of this tedious process, but I’ll keep making phone calls in hopes of tripping over something. It just seems like teams are still piecing together draft strategies. Either that or a record number of executives and scouts are blowing smoke.

Basically, it’s hard to nail down anything beyond the Bulls and Heat.

I still believe Knicks president Donnie Walsh is looking to use the No. 6 pick to swing a deal. Minnesota and Memphis have been open to the idea of parting with the No. 3 and No. 5 pick, respsectively. And when names start coming off the board, there will be opportunities to move down and pare salary, as well.

Here’s my question of the day, would you be happy with O.J. Mayo if the Knicks can swing a deal? I’m guessing Kevin McHale would come looking to move salary or pick up a couple of young players. Would you part with David Lee and Chandler to make the deal go through?

According to DraftExpress.com, Brendan Suhr was in Chicago over the weekend to watch Mayo work out. The site also said Walsh stopped by to see Ante Tomic, a 7-2 project from Croatia, so either he was bored in the office or he’s in the market for at least one second-round pick.

If you happen to be in NYC on Thursday and wish to attend the draft, the NBA is placing a limited number of cheap seats on sale at 11 a.m. Tickets can be purchased for $15 at the MSG box office.

We’ve officially reached the point where team executives start talking in circles.

Nobody wants to get caught leaning.

In the next few days leading up to the draft, there will be all kinds of speculation. Take it at face value. Some of it will prove true on Thursday, but a lot of it will fade away.

I do know that Donnie Walsh has a lot of us guessing.

The pensive team president apparently told a number of people inside and outside the organization the Knicks will not be predictable. So let’s deal with the unexpected.

Walsh is definitely calling around the league, seeking a match for pieces that don’t seem to fit here.

I don’t know whether anyone is expressing interest, so there’s a chance he’ll be forced to let go of somebody like David Lee or Nate Robinson to make an exchange intriguing. The goal is to unload some of these over-sized contracts, and there has to be an incentive to accept dead weight.

Throwing in cheap talent is one way of making things happen.
In this draft, it makes a lot of sense to chase playmakers because there are several who could impact a rebuilding NBA team in a hurry. But if you’re going to get rid of Lee or Robinson, does that make Joe Alexander or Danilo Gallinari a target?

There have to be some other picks that require a little imagination, let’s get a list going.

Dan D’Antoni, Phil Weber and Herb Williams are official now.

The standings probably won’t be affected one way or the other by who’s on the coaching staff, but there is one issue that’s been cleared up. Isiah Thomas liked having lots of help, so the Knicks put in extra seats behind the bench to accomodate everybody.

Now the chatter will be limited.

I really think it’s critical to have fewer voices in the huddle. The players don’t need six different assistants chiming in from all directions when a situation needs to be addressed. Most days, they require nothing more than somebody to rebound the ball and pass it back.

No workouts today, although Mike D’Antoni and nine others from the organization were on hand as Joe Alexander worked out for the Nets.

The hustling forward seems to be moving up fast, but probably won’t be the best player on the board six picks into next week’s draft. Anybody willing to gamble? The West Virginia product has a style that sells tickets.

Also, there’s a story in the Arizona Republic that again mentions the possibility of Leandro Barbosa getting traded here. I still don’t see where a deal like that fits in the grand scheme Donnie Walsh is putting into play. He’s got another $27.4 million coming and is under contract through 2012.

I’ll let you throw some names out there.

Let’s assume the exchange starts with the No. 6 pick, but who else do the Knicks give up? Make the numbers match.

The list of prospects stopping by the MSG Training Center tomorrow morning has been released, and there isn’t much to get excited about. If the Knicks are up for a project, DeAndre Jordan is the name you have to focus on.

He’s a 7-footer who’s only 19 years old.

From what I saw of Jordan he’s got all kinds of athletic ability, but he’s not fundamentally sound. He’s also going to get pushed around for a couple of years in the NBA, so don’t label him the second coming of Marcus Camby just yet.

Here’s the list:

• Antoine Agudio (senior G, 6-3, 190, Hofstra)


• Gary Ervin (senior G, 6-0, 182, Arkansas)


• Dante Milligan (senior F, 6-9, 215, Massachusetts)


• DeAndre Jordan  (freshman C, 7-0, 260, Texas A&M)


• Mike Taylor (junior G, 6-2, 165, Iowa State/NBA D-League)


• Vladimir Golubovic (C, 7-0, 225, Serbia)