The Denver Nuggets signed Danilo Gallinari to a contract extension this offseason that will keep him with the team through the 2017-18 season. Before he signed the extension, Gallinari was a name that many thought could be traded because he was entering the final year of his contract.
With Gallinari under contract for two years beyond this one, it seemed as though trade talks involving him would end, but they didn't. At the trade deadline, there were teams making calls to the Nuggets in an effort to get the forward, but no trade was made. The Nuggets don't seem all that eager to move on from Gallinari, but it does seem like a possibility that they move him. For his part, Gallinari does not want that to happen.
Gallinari has been sidelined with an ankle injury since the beginning of March and has missed 10 games so far. Head coach Mike Malone said that he thinks Gallinari is still a few weeks away from returning to the court. Gallinari's primary focus at the moment is to get his ankle better so that he can get back on the floor, but he did take time to speak about the possibility of being traded.
"I am very happy to be in Denver and before thinking of other places I hope to win something here and play in this city for many years," said Gallinari.
The 27-year-old forward has been traded before when the New York Knicks decided to send him to Denver in the Carmelo Anthony trade, but it seems like he is comfortable with the Nuggets. His play would speak to that, as he is having a career year in his seventh NBA season. Through 53 games, Gallo is averaging a career high 19.5 points per game while adding 5.3 rebounds per game and shooting 36 percent from three point range.
This offseason, there should be plenty of teams interested in trading for Gallinari. As mentioned before, the Nuggets aren't looking to deal him, but a team like the Boston Celtics, who have shown interest before, could offer a package that would certainly entice a team that needs multiple pieces to become a contender again. That would not be Gallinari's preferred option, but the silver lining in any trade is that he would likely be going to a place where he has a better chance to win sooner.
