There is a lot of heavy lifting involved for Danilo Gallinari in New York and he might not have the back to carry it.  Is it way too early to call him a bust?Â
“Last night was supposed to be the Great Italian Showdown between Italy’s hottest two prospects. Instead, while Toronto center Andrea Bargnani attempts to rebound from the sophomore jinx, rookie Danilo Gallinari, the Knicks’ Italian Stallion, is just trying to make it to his first practice. Gallinari, a former teammate of Bargnani’s on the Italian national team, sat out the Knicks’ preseason opener last night at AirCanada Centre – just as he’s sat out everything since July 14. That’s when a bulging disc in his first summer league game in Las Vegas flared and now has raised questions on whether Knicks president Donnie Walsh blew it on draft night. The 6-foot-10 Gallinari, who turned 20 in August, has participated in more extensive individual shooting drills in the last two days, but still won’t guarantee his return in one or two weeks. Mike D’Antoni said before training camp he expected Gallinari to be back late in preseason.”
