Danilo Gallinari trade rumors may finally come to a conclusion. A Gallinari trade is in place that would send him to the La Clippers, helping the team survive the losses of Chris Paul and J.J. Redick this offseason. This is all part of a three-team, sign-and-trade deal that gets the Denver Nuggets something in return for losing Gallinari this offseason. It may also come as a surprise that the Atlanta Hawks found a way to get involved with the transaction.
Previous LA Clippers rumors asked what the franchise would do after it convinced Blake Griffin to re-sign and now fans have an answer.
Griffin ended up deciding to stay with the Clippers, despite teammate and All-Star point guard Chris Paul winding up with the Houston Rockets. J.J. Redick would end up signing with the Philadelphia 76ers, leaving the team in a struggle to add more pieces and remain competitive in the Western Conference.
What does Danilo Gallinari's new contract look like?
If the early reports turn out to be correct, then Danilo Gallinari is going to receive a three-year, $63 million deal. That's a huge pay raise for Gallinari, who some NBA analysts thought could be a bargain signing during the NBA offseason. Instead, it appears that the LA Clippers have decided to overpay him in order to guarantee that they wouldn't miss out on all the top free agents this summer.
The reason that a sign-and-trade deal works in this fashion, is because the LA Clippers wouldn't have been able to sign him to that salary during free agency. By having Danilo Gallinari sign with the Denver Nuggets first, he can get more money on the deal, plus the Clippers can give away some players that don't fit on the roster any longer.
For the Nuggets, it also means that the franchise can get a few assets rather than losing Gallinari for nothing.
What do Atlanta Hawks and Denver Nuggets get out of Gallinari trade?
While the details are still being worked out on the Danilo Gallinari trade and it has not been confirmed by the league, the Denver Nuggets would get at least a second-round pick in the deal.
The Atlanta Hawks would receive Jamal Crawford, Diamond Stone, and a future first-round pick. Crawford's salary then gets paid for by the Hawks, allowing the Clippers to possibly escape paying a luxury tax penalty on it.
Adding a player like Gallinari, who can really help spread the floor and provide adequate defense on the other end of the court, is a really big deal for the LA Clippers. The team needed to add a wing player who could not only start for them but be formidable on the court and take some of the attention away from All-Star power forward Blake Griffin. Gallinari could end up being a huge asset for the team, even though they may have overpaid. League approval on this Danilo Gallinari trade should come later in the week.
