Gallinari May Opt for Surgery

Knicks rookie forward Danilo Gallinari may opt to have surgery on his ailing back, which would cause him to lose out on the rest of this season.

"Because Danilo has said his back is only 60 to 70 percent., we want to reconsider all treatement options, including surgery. Yesterday he saw a fourth surgeon in New York. Danilo has decided to travel to Italy to get additional opinions from Italian back specialists. He's leaving today and will return Monday at the latest.''

After a disappointing road trip, it's obvious that this nagging back injury is starting to flare up again on Gallinari.

Knicks fans know that the discomfort there is enough to keep Gallinari from sitting on the bench, as he prefers to lay on his stomach to alleviate pressure on the area.

It may be the best option for the Knicks to just shut the young Italian down for the year, and let him get back to 100% for next season. Gallinari shows signs of promise, and seems to have a high ceiling of potential.

No sense in the organization risking further aggrivation to the injury on a player who Donnie Walsh believes can be a Larry Bird-esque package.