Former Celtics forward Danilo Gallinari waiting for another NBA opportunity

Posted by author August 28, 2024 NBA

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Danilo Gallinari’s tenure with the Boston Celtics didn’t go to plan. The sharpshooting forward suffered an ACL injury ahead of his first season with the franchise while playing in a FIBA World Cup qualifying game. The forward missed the entire season before being traded to the Washington Wizards last summer as part of the Kristaps Porzingis deal.

Gallinari spent time on three different rosters last season. He suited up for the Wizards, Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks but failed to secure a spot on any of those teams for the upcoming season. As such, Gallinari remains available on the free agent market. However, during a recent interview with La Repubblica, the veteran forward ruled out a return back to Europe.

“A return to Italy? Not yet,” Gallinari said. “There is still time for [me in] the market, anything can happen at any time. Miami? It’s not my time yet, there are other free agents and we’ll decide later. It could be anywhere, as long as it’s a competitive franchise.”

Gallinari’s lack of mobility means that at this late stage in his career, he’s best used as a spot-up shooter on the perimeter who can be trusted to attack close-outs with one or two dribbles before draining pull-up jumpers in the mid-range. Nevertheless, his limited defensive ability will certainly be a stumbling block for teams that are looking to build diverse, two-way rosters.

Still, perimeter shooters remain a highly valuable commodity within the NBA. As such, Gallinari could potentially find another opportunity around the league, although he may need to remain patient while he waits for that opportunity to arise.

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