The New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball OperationsDonnie Walsh announced that forward Danilo Gallinari had successful back surgery today. The laminotomy, performed by orthopedic spine specialist Dr. Patrick O’Leary at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan, is a surgical procedure that shaves the bony plate surrounding a nerve root. Gallinari is expected to have a full recovery in 6-8 weeks.

In 28 games this season, the 6-10, 225-pound rookie averaged 6.1 points, 2.0 rebounds and 14.7 minutes. On Mar. 4 versus Atlanta, Gallinari recorded a career-high 17 points.

 

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The New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that guard Joe Crawford has been signed for the remainder of the season. The 6-5, 210-pound rookie had been signed to a 10-day contract on Mar. 27 and has yet to appear in a game for New York.

 

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The New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walshannounced today that center Courtney Sims has been signed to a second consecutive 10-day contract. Sims was signed to his first 10-day contract on Mar. 23 and has yet to appear in a game for New York.

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The New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that free agent guard Joe Crawford has been signed to a 10-day contract. Crawford, a member of the Los Angeles D-Fenders, became the 18th GATORADE Call-Up of the 2008-09 NBA Development League season.

 

Crawford, 6-5, 210-pounds, was selected in the second round of the 2008 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 58th overall pick. The Detroit, MI-native played with the Lakers during the 2008 preseason before being waived on Oct. 22. Crawford then signed with the NBA Development League’s Los Angeles D-Fenders and averaged 20.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 steals in 43 games.

 

Demetris Nichols’ 10-day contract had expired and the club elected not to re-sign him. The Knicks roster stands at 14 players.

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The New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that free agent center Courtney Sims has been signed to a 10-day contract. Sims, a member of the Iowa Energy, became the 16th GATORADE Call-Up of the 2008-09 NBA Development League season.

 

Sims, 6-11, 245-pounds, was undrafted out of the University of Michigan and has played a total of 13 minutes in four NBA games with Indiana and Phoenix over the last two seasons. The Roslindale, MA-native was signed as a free agent by Indiana on Oct. 2, 2007 and played in three games last season with the Pacers before being waived on Dec. 19, 2007. Sims spent the remainder of the 2007-08 season and the beginning of this 2008-09 campaign with the NBA Development League’s Iowa Energy. He signed two 10-day contracts with the Phoenix Suns beginning on Jan. 20, 2009 and appeared in one game for the Suns this season.

Cheikh Samb’s 10-day contract had expired and the club elected not to re-sign him. The Knicks roster stands at 14 players.

 

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The New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that center Cheikh Samb has been signed to a second consecutive 10-day contract.

 

Signed to his first 10-day contract on Mar. 2, Samb, 7-1, 245-pounds, has yet to appear in a game for New York.

The Knicks roster is currently at 14 players.

 

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The New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball OperationsDonnie Walsh announced today that the team will be honoring six of the greatest players to have played for the franchise with the Knicks Legends Awards on March 23, when the team takes on the Orlando Magic. A seventh award, the Knickerbocker Legacy Award, will also be presented to the individual who exudes the qualities of what it means to be a Knickerbocker: Pride, Tradition & Class.

 

“Recognizing the strong tradition and important contributions of our Knicks alumni is essential in preserving the team’s rich history, something that is important to all of us as we proceed into a new era of Knicks basketball,” Walsh said. “These players – and their teams – represent a model for me as we move forward. There is no better way to honor these great men than to let our fans show their appreciation at the World’s Most Famous Arena.”

 

To celebrate the team’s proud history, the Knicks Alumni Relations Department created an 11-person committee that selected the individuals who had a significant impact on the court in their respective decade. At halftime on March 23, each of the winners will be presented with a special Legends Ring to commemorate the occasion. The current decade’s best will be honored in 2010.

 

The following are the winners, as voted by the committee:

                                                1940’s: Carl Braun

                                                1950’s: Richie Guerin

                                                1960’s: Willis Reed

                                                1970’s: Walt Frazier

                                                1980’s: Bernard King

                                                1990’s: Patrick Ewing

                                                Legacy Award: Dick McGuire

 

A media availability session for all winners is scheduled from 5:00-5:30 p.m. at MSG’s Expo Center for all credentialed media. (Please note that, unfortunately, Carl Braun will not be in attendance.)

 

 

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The New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that free agent center Cheikh Samb has been signed to a 10-day contract.

 

Samb, 7-1, 245-pounds was selected in the second round (51st overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, before being traded to the Detroit Pistons on draft night. A native of Senegal, Samb has career averages of 1.1 points, 1.5 rebounds and 5.4 minutes in 20 career games over two seasons with Detroit, Denver and the Los Angeles Clippers. On Nov. 3, he was traded from Detroit to Denver, and on Jan. 5 from Denver to the L.A. Clippers. In 16 games this season with the Nuggets and Clippers, Samb averaged 0.9 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.63 blocks over 4.7 minutes. He was waived by the Clippers on Feb. 16.

 

The Knicks roster now stands at 13 players.

 

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 The New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that forward Chris Wilcox has been acquired from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for forward Malik Rose and cash considerations and guard Larry Hughes has been acquired from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for center Jerome James, guard Anthony Roberson and forward Tim Thomas.

 

“With these trades, we have added two talented players and strengthened our backcourt and frontline, while also not losing sight of our long term goals,” Walsh said. “Chris and Larry are versatile players that will have good opportunities to thrive in our system.”

 

Wilcox, 6-10, 235-pounds, was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers with the eighth overall selection in the 2002 NBA Draft out of the University of Maryland. The Raleigh, NC-native has career averages of 9.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 0.40 blocks in 423 career games (211 starts) over seven NBA seasons with Oklahoma City/Seattle and Los Angeles Clippers. Wilcox averaged 13.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 62 games (55 starts) with Seattle during the 2007-08 season. He is averaging 8.4 points and 5.3 rebounds over 19.4 minutes in 37 games (six starts) during 2008-09 campaign.

 

Hughes, 6-5, 184-pounds, was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the eighth overall selection in the 1998 NBA Draft out of Saint Louis University. The St. Louis, MO-native has career averages of 14.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.50 steals in 648 career games (479 starts) over 11 NBA seasons with Chicago, Cleveland, Washington, Golden State and Philadelphia. Hughes, who was acquired by Chicago in a six-player deal on Feb. 21, 2008, averaged 12.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 68 games with Chicago and Cleveland during the 2007-08 season. He is averaging 12.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.20 steals over 26.4 minutes in 30 games (six starts) during 2008-09 campaign.

 

“Chris is a gifted athletic big man that brings toughness and solidifies our interior defense,” Head Coach Mike D’Antoni said. “Larry fits nicely in our backcourt. He is extremely athletic and a tough defender with a solid overall game.”

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Rose, 6-7, 255-pounds, was acquired by the Knicks, along with a first-round pick on Feb. 24, 2005 from the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Nazr Mohammed and Jamison Brewer. Rose averaged 4.0 points and 3.0 rebounds over 13.9 minutes in 230 games (44 starts) over five seasons with New York. The Drexel product, who won two NBA championships in San Antonio, has career averages of 6.2 points and 4.2 rebounds in 793 games over 13 seasons with New York, San Antonio and Charlotte. He is averaging 1.7 points and 1.7 rebounds over 8.9 minutes in 18 games this season.

 

James, 7-1, 285-pounds, signed with the Knicks as a free agent on Aug. 2, 2005 after spending four seasons with the Seattle Supersonics. He averaged 2.5 points and 1.8 rebounds in 90 career games with New York. The Florida A&M product, who is in his 10th NBA season, has career averages of 4.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in 358 games with New York, Seattle and Sacramento. He is averaging 3.0 points and 1.5 rebounds in two games during the 2008-09 campaign. On Jan. 18, James ruptured his right Achilles and is expected to be out for the remainder of the season.

 

Roberson, 6-2, 195-pounds, signed as a free agent with the Knicks on Jul. 24, 2008. The Saginaw, MI-native averaged 4.7 points and 11.0 minutes in 23 games this season.

 

Thomas, 6-10, 240-pounds, was acquired by the Knicks, with Cuttino Mobley, from the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 21 in exchange for Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins. Thomas averaged 9.6 points and 3.1 rebounds over 21.5 minutes in 36 games (one start) in his second stint with New York. The Villanova product, who also played for the Knicks from 2003-05 before being traded to Chicago on Oct. 4, 2005, has career averages of 11.7 points and 4.2 rebounds in 788 games over 11 seasons with New York, Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix, Chicago, Milwaukee and Philadelphia.

 

 

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Collins and Randolph Traded to L.A. Clippers

The New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that guard Cuttino Mobley and forward Tim Thomas have been acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for guard Mardy Collins and forward Zach Randolph.

 

“Cuttino and Tim are two veteran players that will help us work towards our joint goal of remaining competitive this season while also improving our long-term cap flexibility,” said Walsh. “Zach is an extremely talented player who produces numbers that few players can and we thank him, and Mardy, for their efforts as Knickerbockers.”

 

Mobley, 6-4, 215-pounds, was selected by the Houston Rockets in the second round of the 1998 NBA Draft. The Philadelphia, PA-native has career averages of 16.0 points and 3.9 rebounds in 747 career games over 11 NBA seasons with Houston, Orlando, Sacramento and L.A. Clippers. The University of Rhode Island product averaged 12.8 points and 3.6 rebounds in 77 games during the 2007-08 season with the Clippers. Mobley is averaging 13.7 points and 2.6 rebounds in 11 games during the 2008-09 campaign.

 

Thomas, 6-10, 240-pounds, was selected by the New Jersey Nets with the seventh overall selection in the 1997 NBA Draft and enters his second tour with the Knicks. The Paterson, NJ-native has career averages of 11.8 points and 4.2 rebounds in 752 career games over 12 NBA seasons with Philadelphia, Milwaukee, New York, Chicago, Phoenix and L.A. Clippers. The Villanova product was acquired by New York during the 2003-04 season and averaged 12.9 points and 3.7 rebound in 95 games with the Knickerbockers before being traded to Chicago prior to the 2005-06 season. Last season with the L.A. Clippers, Thomas averaged 12.4 points and 5.1 rebounds in 63 games. In 10 games this season, Thomas is averaging 9.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

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“Tim enjoyed a lot of success in our system a few years ago in Phoenix when he was a key part of a run to the Western Conference Finals,” Knicks Head Coach Mike D’Antoni said. “I am also very familiar with Cuttino and his knowledge of the game, and his ability to spread the floor and defend.”

 

Collins, 6-6, 225-pounds, was selected by New York with the 29th overall selection in the 2006 NBA Draft and averaged 3.7 points and 1.7 assists in 107 career games with the Knicks over three seasons. The Temple product is averaging 2.2 points and 1.1 assists in nine games this season.

 

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