…Thomas also draft Reynaldo Balkman in the first round? Didn’t he sign Jerome James to a huge deal? Jared Jeffries? It seems to me that saying that the Knicks are in contention because of two good Thomas draft picks (one a small scoring guard and one a big man who’s a sieve on defense) and using that to tacitly prop up Thomas’ managerial career there conflicts somewhat royally with the incessant (which doesn’t necessarily mean it’s unfounded) criticisms of Mullin. Mullin drafted both Ellis and Biedrins, who between them I would argue are both more talented and more valuable than the Knicks duo.

I guess what I’d say is that it seems like plucking a few gems out of the draft that then star for a losing team isn’t enough to get Mullin any credit, but I still see the occasional post towing this line with Isiah Thomas. It’s a little dizzying to consider what I assume the implication of this post is; that Thomas would have drafted a stud for the Knicks, but they’re stuck with Doonie Walsh and next year (rumored to be likely) Chris Mullin. Does that mean that you’d endorse Thomas as the GM of the Warriors? Because that sounds a lot like sitting at the bar and ordering a tall glass of armageddon.

Why is this pick a screw up? There is a difference between not playing and not being able to play. Especially when the reason you are not playing is because of an injury. You definitely cannot evaluate a draft pick after one year, that would be way too soon.

And none of that has to do with Isiah Thomas. I understand what you are getting at, but this just seems irrelevant. It seems like you are jumping to the hasty conclusion that because Gallinari currently has not worked out for the Knicks (because of matters entirely outside his control) that Donnie Walsh is a worse GM than Isiah Thomas. I mean, if you present an argument for Wallace over Walsh based on relevant, significant information, I would probably agree with your final conclusion, but the way you reach that conclusion here does not seem to hold up.