The Grizzlies reportedly looked into acquiring Danilo Gallinari at the trade deadline this past season, according to Grantland’s Zach Lowe, which corroborates a report from June indicating that Memphis was pursuing the combo forward as the draft neared. Denver instead held on to him, even though they “absolutely could have” scored first-round picks for Gallinari or Wilson Chandler, as Lowe wrote. Both signed renegotiations-and-extensions this summer with Denver, a place Gallinari loves, according to Lowe’s report, making him a relative rarity among top-level players and extra valuable to the Nuggets.
This brings me to the question/topic of the day: Should the Nuggets have dealt Danillo Gallinari last season when the opportunity was available?
While Gallinari’s strong second half of the 2014/15 campaign, as well as his excellent performance during this summer’s Eurobasket qualifying tournament, certainly bode well for the future, the 27-year-old’s injury history makes it difficult to count on the Italian forward for a full season. Would Denver, a team in the midst of a full rebuild, have been better served to deal Gallinari to Memphis for draft picks?
On one side of the argument, I can make the case that it would have been worth it for Denver to do so, as the extra draft pick(s), as well as the increased odds of securing next season’s No. 1 overall pick if Gallinari were indeed subtracted from the roster, would certainly aid in hastening the team’s overhaul. Dealing the forward would have also eliminated the yearly worry that Gallinari would miss significant time due to some malady. Of course, the argument could easily be made that the Nuggets have a great shot at securing the top overall pick in 2016 regardless of Gallinari’s presence, and having the forward on hand will at least make the team watchable on a nightly basis for its fans. In addition, Denver isn’t viewed around the league as a free agent destination, so retaining talent is paramount for the Nuggets as they move forward.
But what do you think? Should Denver have pulled the trigger on a trade? If so, what sort of return would they needed to have received to make such a deal worthwhile? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the matter. We look forward to what you have to say.
I think Gallo was worth keeping around. If you have a productive player on an upswing who loves playing in your town the way few others do, that’s a time to pounce. An deal averaging $15MM a year is a significant bet, but it only carries through the next three seasons, including this coming one.
Keeping Gallo was the right move. For some reason, the Nuggets have never had the same success at finding star players who love Denver that the other Major 4 teams here have. He’s expensive, but it’s relative to the cap, and with it rising, it’s almost a market value deal. If his body/knees don’t hold up, his contract ends when he’s 30-ish and the Nuggets can reallocate those funds in short order.. Chandler is the bigger risk, in my eyes. He plays hard, but injuries have been the result more often than not. He would be harder to move independently than Gallo would be, if necessary.
Bottom line is whether they Danilo as a guy who will start or be a rotation piece down the road when they expect to contend again. Otherwise, the Nuggets would have been better served to grab a first-rounder or two for him.
Bottom line is whether they Danilo as a guy who will start or be a rotation piece down the road when they expect to contend again. Otherwise, the Nuggets would have been better served to grab a first-rounder
If the Nuggets think Gallinari is going to get them to a championship, then that is the reason they’ll never win one.
But it does make sense to keep some kind of talent there so that new draft picks can have good players to play with instead of being stuck “learning” from a bunch of guys who are worse than them. Gallinari probably costs too much, but it’s not going to matter in the long run.