Danilo Gallinari, New York Knicks, Creates Carmelo Anthony Dilemma

New York Knicks forward Danilo Gallinari has created quite the dilemma for Knicks fans recently. It's no longer certain management should trade for Denver Nuggets superstar Carmelo Anthony. New Yorkers seem to be split over parting ways with Gallinari to acquire Anthony.

If you’re like Marc Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy, you believe New York should pull the trigger on any deal to bring Carmelo Anthony to New York.

For others, the thought of losing Gallinari, who could potentially morph into the next Dirk Nowitzki, is just too much to trade away at this point.

Gallinari has been up and down this system, which keeps New Yorkers at a standstill. One night Gallinari will look like a superstar; the next, he’ll disappear.

Let’s take a look at the past week for Gallo.

Gallo had the daunting task of guarding Carmelo Anthony when Denver rolled into the Garden. Anthony, despite a poor shooting performance after missing the previous two games, scored 31 points and pull down 13 rebounds.

Gallinari is pretty good defensively in just his second season, and he’s actually shown he’s a tough kid. Not all Europeans who come over to the NBA have demonstrated the grit he has. Gallinari in the past week has driven to the hoop with determination and has taken a bit of a beating. Still, Gallinari prefers to sit around the perimeter and doesn’t bang in the pain like Nowitzki.

It is tough to part ways with a sharpshooter of Gallinari’s caliber. In just his third season in the league, he is already one of the better three-point marksmen.

When Gallinari is hot, he is on fire.

He performed very well against both Boston and Miami despite New York losses. In fact, although the blame shouldn’t be place on Gallo, if he hit his three free throws in the first half against Boston, the Knicks would have won the game. We all know about hindsight, though. Can’t dwell on the past.

It’s just a perfect example of Gallinari, though, unfortunately.

Gallinari was ice cold in that first half against Boston. It was almost unthinkable to imagine Gallo missing three consecutive free throw attempts as he shot 96.3 percent from the stripe in his rookie season. He regressed last year, but is back up to 89.0 percent.

He helped keep the Knicks in the game in the second half. He hit big shots and was driving to the hoop.

More importantly, he carried that momentum into the next game against the traveling rock show that is the Miami Heat.

Gallinari lit the Heat up for 25 points, including four three-pointers. Gallinari was one of the shining stars in the game for the Knicks, which they ended up losing by 22 points.

Despite the two losses, people were hyped for Gallinari. He was performing well. The shot was falling, he was showing leadership and determination. He was driving to the rim strong and willing taking the punishment. This is what New Yorkers want to see, or more so what they need to see.

Then it all comes full circle.

The Knicks traveled to Cleveland the next night and lost in overtime. Even worse, Gallinari, trying to show he should remain a Knick, stumbled. He took 10 three-point attempts and hit just one. He finished the night three of 14 from the field for just seven points, two rebounds and two assists.

This is why many New York fans are calling for Carmelo Anthony; Gallinari has proven to be too inconsistent.

Anthony is one of the premier scorers in the league and strikes fear in defenders' hearts. He is bigger and quicker than most defenders, making him one of the elite perimeter players in the league. Anthony is strong and drives to the rim with determination as he did all game against the Orlando Magic last week. That game was so embarrassing for the Magic that they blew up their team over the weekend.

Many don’t realize that while Anthony has stated he will only sign a contract extension with the New York Knicks, they forget that the Knicks are not the only team on the radar. If the Knicks let Anthony become a free agent, they run the risk of losing him to another team, just like the New York Yankees did with Cliff Lee. The Yankees lost out on their man and were left with nothing. They had the opportunity to trade for Lee, couldn’t complete a package and waited until he beat them in the postseason and then scoffed at them in free agency.

That didn’t sit well with New Yorkers, and it may sting even more if Anthony shuns the Knicks in the summer of 2011.

Also, if the Knicks acquire Anthony at the expense of Gallinari, that is not say Gallinari could not return when he is a free agent in two years.

New Yorkers may need to ask them this question.

In the offseason, would they have preferred to start the season with Carmelo Anthony or Danilo Gallinari?

Anthony would make the Knicks better contenders in the Eastern Conference. Will they win an NBA Championship?

Probably not.

At least with Melo, they would strike more fear in the hearts of opposing teams. Anthony is a proven superstar in the league.

Talent has come in and out of this league. Players who were supposed to develop into superstars don’t always materialize whether it is due to injury or because it just never clicked. We know things have clicked for Carmelo Anthony. He has taken a team to the Western Conference Finals before and is a proven winner in his life.

The Knicks missed out on the likes of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh this past offseason. They even lost out on Kobe Bryant when those trade rumors ran rampant years back.

Can New York really run the risk of losing out on Carmelo Anthony to wait and see if Gallinari morphs into the next Dirk Nowitzki?

New Yorkers have suffered long enough. They waited a decade for this resurgence.

Amar’e Stoudemire has brought basketball back to New York.

Now, the Knicks need to keep pressing forward and continue bringing that excitement to Madison Square Garden.