Point One: Choose wisely

Several press reports have led many to believe Gerry Cosby's will have Danilo Gallinari jerseys for sale on draft day. According to sources, D'Antoni was not enamored with Gallinari's game after watching video of the 19 year-old small forward from Italy. Conversely, stories about D'Antoni's relationship with Gallinari's father and his fluency in Italian have sent mixed messages to the fan base. Scouts at DraftExpress.com say Gallinari compares favorably to Orlando's Hedo Turkoglu. Turkoglu needed 8 seasons in the NBA to finally become an impact player. With OJ Mayo's stock on the rise, Walsh may find himself in the precarious position of choosing between the risky "Italian Stallion" or bringing in a collegiate All-American like DJ Augustin or Kevin Love. Walsh would be best served drafting the second best, pure point guard in the draft than gambling on a potential bust.

Point Two: Balance the floor

Donnie Walsh's arrival at the NBA pre-draft camp in Orlando, FL is a clear indication that he's calling all the shots. Walsh appears content to keep Glen Grunwald on staff, but he needs to start working the phones hard to balance the floor. Walsh can ill afford to bring Eddy Curry, Zach Randolph & Jerome James back. With the exception of Renaldo Balkman's high-wire dunking ability, he's essentially a mirror image of Jared Jeffries. Wilson Chandler's emergence as a force on both ends should make him the starter at small forward or a key reserve at least and turn Balkman or Jeffries into trade bait. In the backcourt, Stephon Marbury, Jamal Crawford & Nate Robinson are all combo guards who think shoot first. Depending on what Walsh does in the draft, the next step is shaping a roster that will work in concert. If Walsh wants to bring Suns-style basketball to The Garden, he needs to provide D'Antoni with a playmaking point guard, multi-faceted wing players and big men who play well in the post & in transition.

Point Three: Improve the team's basketball IQ

Mike D'Antoni will soon find out just how far back Isiah Thomas has set this team. Some MSG officials blame last season's failure on the civil war between Thomas & Stephon Marbury. Basketball aficionados cite Thomas' inability to coach & disdain for practice as the prime reason for such abject play. Things should improve under D'Antoni's direction, but this team will need to convene well before training camp to learn the "Seven Second or Less" offense. Before he can teach the Suns offensive sets, a few remedial courses in Pick & Roll 101 are necessary. D'Antoni has already reached out to several players to introduce himself, but he'll need to FedEx each a copy of his playbook and the complete set of Better Basketball DVDs if he expects them to show up ready to practice in October.

Point Four: Change the atmosphere in the locker room

For those of you who believe Walsh can gut the roster over the summer, you're sadly mistaken. Isiah Thomas' collection of under-achievers with exorbitant contracts will have to be systematically replaced over time. With 13 players under contract for next season, it will take a magician-like effort to find new homes for Marbury, Randolph, Jeffries & James. Quentin Richardson's knowledge of D'Antoni's system will ensure he plays another season in orange & blue. In addition to All-Star talent, the new coach will need hungry young players & valuable veterans to make a playoff push. One young player who may go undrafted is Colorado shooting guard, Richard Roby. Roby is a pure shooter who stands 6-6, 205lbs. As teams scramble to draft college freshman & foreigners with upside, this senior may slip through the cracks. Roby is a cross between Allan Houston & John Starks and has a classic stroke from outside along with the athleticism to throw it down in traffic. On the veteran front, Kurt Thomas is a free agent that makes a lot of sense for a young team with a coach that is known for shying away from confrontation. Thomas knows D'Antoni's system from his time in Phoenix and would be a welcomed addition to a New York team starving for leadership.

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