donnie walsh townhall recap...
Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 4:43 am
just got back from a donnie walsh town hall type q&a for season ticket holders at the garden. i think they're going to put it up on msg.com soon (it's about an hour long). the questions were emailed by season ticketholders prior to the q&a.
here's a quick recap. my opinion will be in italics.
on cap room: walsh will not jeopardize giving up cap room in 2010. that's his goal no matter what transaction takes place. he believes ny needs cap room b/c every player in the league wants to play in ny. he does not feel pressure to make a deal today just to achieve that 3 years from now. he will take his time.
on the team: it will take some time. he wants to get cap room but wants to try and be competetive in the interim. he does not know what he has here so this next season will be to see who fits and who doesn't and then it will be his job to get players that do. they will have to play hard and earn the respect of the fans back.
he said this team has players that know how to get themselves going but not sure on how to work as a team. that's why he brought in duhon b/c he looks for his teammates. and why he brought in gallinari b/c he's looking to pass the ball. when you have players that aren't necessarily looking for others, you have to bring in players that will help them.
on d'antoni: thinks he's a great coach. he can adapt to any situation and has proven so in his years in italy and pheonix. the team will run but what impresses him the most is that d'antoni exudes positivity. and the players see that. he also puts players in the right positions to succeed. he has a knack of knowing how a player can contribute and how to play for a team to be successful.
on defense: the league has changed and you can't touch anybody. so team defense is key instead of that one lock down defender. everyone must keep moving on the court. he thinks that they can play up and down by forcing the tempo starting with the defense. he wants a shot blocker tho.
on zach/clipper deal: what was reported was not accurate. and he doesn't feel he should make a deal for something less. he thinks you have to get the same value or more in a deal. if you don't value your players high, nobody else in the league will either.
on balkman deal: team has 9 players at the forward spots. and they figured balkman will not play that much. he'd rather trade a guy that won't play instead of him being here and being unhappy and bring that type of negativity to the locker room.
onto the players individually:
steph: thinks he's a big time talent and is a very good scorer. he doesn't care what happened prior to his hiring, and is basically giving steph a clean slate. "he's a part of this if he wants to be". he's very impressed by how hard he's working this summer. seems like d'alsh will give him every chance to play this season and may be counting on it.
david lee: i am not shopping david lee. (crowd applauds). i like him and thinks he will do very well under d'antoni. this type of system will hide some of the things he can't do.
quentin: q is a good player that was too heavy last season. he's working out hard this summer and has lost weight. he expects him to be the type of player he was with d'antoni the first time around.
chandler: was very impressed with what he saw in summer league. he loves danny granger and he felt chandler went right at it with him.
danillo: brings a unique set of skills. will probably fill out to 240 and will be a good player. he even alludes to larry bird here as a comparison. said he's not injury prone and that almost every top10 pick got hurt early in summerleague. not worried about it and expects him to be a very good player in the league.
crawford: thinks crawford can have an allstar year. he's a very talented scorer and looks for him to make the jump like allan houston and reggie miller did. he's been in the league for a while, the time is now.
nate: he couldn't believe his athleticism and thinks he's a one of a kind talent. didn't really get into what they expect from him or where he fits tho.
jeffries: (crowd groans). walsh says atlanta fans groaned about diaw also. says he's has alot of skill and d'antoni is excited to coach him.
zach: (someone says get rid of him). walsh says sarcastically, yeah, get rid of a 20/10 player. he's a very good player and they will try to make him do things he doesn't want to do (i'm guessing pass and be unselfish) and that will make him better.
curry: if you're going to take a risk on a player, it's a 24 year old center with quick feet. he's a good player to have but he's going to have to want it.
mardy: he has a quiet toughness. he was surprised at how intelligent he is as a player. not a good shooter but knows how to play.
walsh was very candid and seems like someone a knick's fan can trust. he didn't try to sweet talk and was just matter of fact. probably left some stuff out but you'll see all this on msg.com soon enough. he was very complimentary towards steph and surprisingly jeffries. and looks like he thinks this will be crawford's year. he kept repeating that this will be a slow process to turn it around but the plan is more 3 years than 7 years. and cap room in 2010 will happen no matter what even if that means not extending anybody or signing any new players.
here's a quick recap. my opinion will be in italics.
on cap room: walsh will not jeopardize giving up cap room in 2010. that's his goal no matter what transaction takes place. he believes ny needs cap room b/c every player in the league wants to play in ny. he does not feel pressure to make a deal today just to achieve that 3 years from now. he will take his time.
on the team: it will take some time. he wants to get cap room but wants to try and be competetive in the interim. he does not know what he has here so this next season will be to see who fits and who doesn't and then it will be his job to get players that do. they will have to play hard and earn the respect of the fans back.
he said this team has players that know how to get themselves going but not sure on how to work as a team. that's why he brought in duhon b/c he looks for his teammates. and why he brought in gallinari b/c he's looking to pass the ball. when you have players that aren't necessarily looking for others, you have to bring in players that will help them.
on d'antoni: thinks he's a great coach. he can adapt to any situation and has proven so in his years in italy and pheonix. the team will run but what impresses him the most is that d'antoni exudes positivity. and the players see that. he also puts players in the right positions to succeed. he has a knack of knowing how a player can contribute and how to play for a team to be successful.
on defense: the league has changed and you can't touch anybody. so team defense is key instead of that one lock down defender. everyone must keep moving on the court. he thinks that they can play up and down by forcing the tempo starting with the defense. he wants a shot blocker tho.
on zach/clipper deal: what was reported was not accurate. and he doesn't feel he should make a deal for something less. he thinks you have to get the same value or more in a deal. if you don't value your players high, nobody else in the league will either.
on balkman deal: team has 9 players at the forward spots. and they figured balkman will not play that much. he'd rather trade a guy that won't play instead of him being here and being unhappy and bring that type of negativity to the locker room.
onto the players individually:
steph: thinks he's a big time talent and is a very good scorer. he doesn't care what happened prior to his hiring, and is basically giving steph a clean slate. "he's a part of this if he wants to be". he's very impressed by how hard he's working this summer. seems like d'alsh will give him every chance to play this season and may be counting on it.
david lee: i am not shopping david lee. (crowd applauds). i like him and thinks he will do very well under d'antoni. this type of system will hide some of the things he can't do.
quentin: q is a good player that was too heavy last season. he's working out hard this summer and has lost weight. he expects him to be the type of player he was with d'antoni the first time around.
chandler: was very impressed with what he saw in summer league. he loves danny granger and he felt chandler went right at it with him.
danillo: brings a unique set of skills. will probably fill out to 240 and will be a good player. he even alludes to larry bird here as a comparison. said he's not injury prone and that almost every top10 pick got hurt early in summerleague. not worried about it and expects him to be a very good player in the league.
crawford: thinks crawford can have an allstar year. he's a very talented scorer and looks for him to make the jump like allan houston and reggie miller did. he's been in the league for a while, the time is now.
nate: he couldn't believe his athleticism and thinks he's a one of a kind talent. didn't really get into what they expect from him or where he fits tho.
jeffries: (crowd groans). walsh says atlanta fans groaned about diaw also. says he's has alot of skill and d'antoni is excited to coach him.
zach: (someone says get rid of him). walsh says sarcastically, yeah, get rid of a 20/10 player. he's a very good player and they will try to make him do things he doesn't want to do (i'm guessing pass and be unselfish) and that will make him better.
curry: if you're going to take a risk on a player, it's a 24 year old center with quick feet. he's a good player to have but he's going to have to want it.
mardy: he has a quiet toughness. he was surprised at how intelligent he is as a player. not a good shooter but knows how to play.
walsh was very candid and seems like someone a knick's fan can trust. he didn't try to sweet talk and was just matter of fact. probably left some stuff out but you'll see all this on msg.com soon enough. he was very complimentary towards steph and surprisingly jeffries. and looks like he thinks this will be crawford's year. he kept repeating that this will be a slow process to turn it around but the plan is more 3 years than 7 years. and cap room in 2010 will happen no matter what even if that means not extending anybody or signing any new players.