By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Upon the completion of the trade from the Atlanta Hawks to the San Antonio Spurs and clearing waivers, Danilo Gallinari is likely to join the Boston Celtics. Specifically, his preference is to move to Boston, as reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Gallinari, 33, will soon be officially traded to San Antonio along with first-round NBA draft picks for 2023, 2025, and 2027, and a pick swap for 26 as Dejounte Murray takes the opposite route landing in Atlanta. On a partially guaranteed contract, the Spurs intend to place him on waivers. From there, Boston is now considered the favorite to secure his services ahead of the 2022-23 season.
The Italian power forward, an effective long-range shooter, was previously included in three trades during his NBA career. From the Denver Nuggets to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2017, to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019, and to the Hawks in 2020. Being waived after the fourth trade and signing with the Celtics as a free agent is set to prompt his first move lacking a direct connection to trade.
Coming off a three-year stint as a member of Italian giant Olimpia Milano and evolving into a starter in the 2007-08 season of the EuroLeague, Gallinari was selected with the sixth overall pick of the 2008 NBA draft by the Knicks. He has since logged 776 games played in the NBA with career averages of 15.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.3 blocks per contest.
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