NBA

WALSH GIVES SELF HARSH REVIEW

Donnie Walsh will spend his one-year anniversary today as Knicks president in Italy, scouting the European Championships. But the 68-year-old Bronx native is in no mood for a pasta celebration in Torino.

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Walsh, in an interview with The Post, sounded like a person who realizes he has a long way to go before being commended on a job well done. That is a take different from his delusional predecessor, Isiah Thomas, who could put a positive spin on earthquakes destroying the Garden.

Walsh’s coveted first-round pick from Italy, rookie Danilo Gallinari, is bracing for back surgery next week after playing just 28 games. The club is battling Toronto, which it plays Saturday, for second-worst record in the East, 17 games under .500 (29-46).

The Knicks face mathematical elimination Saturday after falling out of the race after a mid-March collapse. Walsh’s four in-season trades damaged the club’s playoff chances, not boosted.

“There really aren’t any best things I did,” Walsh said. “We haven’t won. I want to make it better. I don’t look back and think ‘the best thing I did was this’ until you start winning.”

But Walsh accomplished two undeniably positive things in his 12 months. He hired an esteemed head coach in Mike D’Antoni and cleared cap space to sign an All-Star free agent in 2010, even though chances of LeBron James dimmed. Cleverly, Walsh also bought himself time from the wrath of Knick fans.

As one GM put it, “He’s moving the ball. He’s making first downs.”

“I don’t like to lose,” Walsh said. “I haven’t had a lot of losing in my career, which covers a long period. I’ve lost before, didn’t like it and I don’t like it now. So I don’t feel satisfied on any level.

“I should not be happy,” Walsh added. “I’m happy about some things, the players’ effort, I’m happy we have a future somewhat through the cap situation. But that doesn’t mean I’m satisfied.”

A recent theme offered inside the Knicks locker room and by D’Antoni is the four trades undermined chemistry. In Walsh’s defense, D’Antoni hurt their talent level by refusing to play Stephon Marbury despite an excellent training camp. In turn, Walsh kept the pledge from his initial press conference one year ago today he would create cap space and boldly traded their two go-to offensive stars, Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford.

“I feel responsible for the disruption,” Walsh said. “Once you start making trades in the middle of the season, there’s a disruption. I haven’t done it a lot because of that. Teams I thought would advance, I wouldn’t do it. I feel responsible I knocked the team off base. It put coaches and players in a difficult position.”

To that end, Walsh is still enthused about D’Antoni.

“I’m happy about the coach, I think he’s a great coach and think he will be a great coach for this city and this franchise,” Walsh said. “They came out and played as hard as they could.”

It is now up to Walsh to do the negotiating dance this summer with David Lee and Nate Robinson, restricted free agents whose re-signings could compromise 2010. The summer’s depressed free-agent market works in Walsh’s favor, but he hasn’t ruled out trading them.

“I’d like to have them back,” Walsh said, making no commitment. “I’m not able to talk to their agents until July 1 to see if they can stay here. I got to look at it a lot of different ways. Both had very good years. They both could be integral parts of our team, any team.”

marc.berman@nypost.com