NBA veteran forward Danilo Gallinari took to Twitter on Friday to say he is “thrilled” to be a part of the Washington Wizards and looking forward to embracing the city of Washington, D.C.
Gallinari’s post is interesting on many levels. He appeared to be a buyout candidate after being included in the trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Boston Celtics and Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Wizards have reshaped its roster this summer. In addition to moving on from Porzingis, the team traded three-time All-Star Bradley to the Phoenix Suns after he spent 11 seasons with Washington.
The Wizards took on a youth movement in return. Washington acquired Jordan Poole, Patrick Baldwin Jr., and Ryan Rollins from the Golden State Warriors, sending 12-time All-Star Chris Paul, who they got in the Beal trade, in exchange. They also traded veteran point guard Monte Morris to the Detroit Pistons.
The team added Bilal Coulibaly and Tristen Vukcevic in June’s draft. Then, they re-signed Kyle Kuzma to a four-year deal.
Through the summer frenzy, the Wizards still have some roles to be defined. With limited options on the market, that may be where Danilo Gallinari fits in with the team.
The 34-year-old Gallinari is coming off a torn ACL in his left knee that he suffered last September. He’d signed a two-year deal with the Boston Celtics last year but then suffered the injury playing in a FIBA World Cup qualifier with the Italy national team, forcing him to miss the entire 2022-23 season.
It’s the second time he tore his ACL in that knee. A buyout may not be prudent for him. A buyout agreement requires both parties. The Wizards cannot trade him until after Aug. 23. It would be hard to imagine a scenario where Gallinari would command a market without proving he’s healthy.
His post on Friday could be a stake in the ground for his plans. The more likely scenario is both he and the Wizards agreed on his immediate future. The Wizards’ staff would monitor his progress.
Meanwhile, if cleared, at 6-foot-10 with an array of skills, including shooting, Gallinari can provide depth at various positions for Washington. Before last season, he played for the New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Atlanta Hawks, which he played for his last two healthy seasons.
With Atlanta, Gallinari averaged 12.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 43.4% from the field, including 39.2% from three.
If he starts the season with the Wizards, he’ll get an opportunity to prove himself. If he can produce solid numbers like in Atlanta, he could be a trade piece to a contender sometime in February. He has one year remaining at $6.8 million. Thus he’ll be an attractive option for teams if he proves he’s healthy.
