By HOWARD BECK

The back injury that kept Danilo Gallinari out of action all summer
will not prevent him from practicing with the Knicks when training
camp opens in 12 days, Gallinari’s agent said Wednesday.

“Everyone is extremely optimistic that he’ll be ready to go when the
bell rings at the start of training camp,” the agent, Arn Tellem,
said.

Gallinari, the sixth pick in the draft, has not played basketball
since July 14, when he injured his lower back in his summer-league
debut. He sat out the rest of the schedule and withdrew from the
Italian national team, which played a tournament in August.

The two months of inactivity raised questions about the extent of the
injury and about Gallinari’s readiness for camp, which starts Sept. 30
in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. But team officials insist that the injury,
which they refer to as back soreness, is not serious. Gallinari was
examined by team doctors upon returning from Italy last week and has
been working with Knicks trainers.

To hasten the recovery, Gallinari was given a cortisone shot on
Monday. It typically takes three to five days for the shot to have an
effect. Just 20 years old, the 6-foot-9 Gallinari is versatile and
highly skilled and considered a potential star.

The Knicks have declined to comment on Gallinari’s status, other than
to confirm that his back is still sore. Donnie Walsh, the team
president, did not respond to an e-mail message seeking comment.

Most of the Knicks’ top rotation players from last season have been
scrimmaging at the team’s training center. The group has included
Jamal Crawford, Eddy Curry, David Lee, Nate Robinson, Jared Jeffries,
Wilson Chandler and Zach Randolph, as well as the free-agent pickup
Chris Duhon. The most notable absence has been Stephon Marbury, who is
expected to be waived before the season.