The Nuggets are thinking about sitting Danilo Gallinari for the rest of the season even if he returns to health with a few games left on the schedule, coach Michael Malone acknowledged to reporters this week. The 27-year-old small forward suffered two torn ligaments in his right ankle during Friday’s game that are expected to sideline him for a month, as Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports reported on Tuesday. Only five games are on the schedule for the Nuggets in April, which raises the question of whether it would be wise to put the team’s veteran centerpiece back on the court and risk additional injury with only a few games left to go.
“I’ve already thought about that. I don’t have an answer,” Malone said. “I think it’s a very good question. At that point, depending on where we are, it’s going to depend on four games to go, what is the picture? Are we 15 games out of the playoffs? Well, it probably makes sense to play some of our younger guys and let them get minutes and see what they can do. But we’ll see.”
Gallinari is signed through next season with a player option for 2017/18, thanks to a rare renegotiation and extension deal that he and the team pulled off this past summer. The Nuggets reportedly turned away interest that the Celtics had in trading for him before last month’s deadline.
Here’s more from the week that was…
Signings
- The Heat signed Joe Johnson.
- The Cavaliers signed Jordan McRae to a 10-day contract.
- The Nets signed Sean Kilpatrick to a 10-day pact.
- The Spurs signed Andre Miller.
- The Hornets signed Jorge Gutierrez to a second 10-day contract.
- The Suns signed Phil Pressey to a second 10-day contract.
- The Raptors signed Jason Thompson.
- The Hawks signed Kris Humphries.
- The Clippers signed Alex Stepheson to a second 10-day contract.
- The Timberwolves signed Greg Smith to a 10-day contract.
- The Grizzlies signed Ryan Hollins.
- The Nuggets signed Axel Toupane to a 10-day contract.
- Jarrid Famous, who was with the Mavericks for the preseason, signed with Bucaneros de la Guaira in Venezuela.
- The Rockets signed Michael Beasley.
- The Pistons signed Justin Harper to a second 10-day contract.
- The Sixers signed Christian Wood to a 10-day deal.
You can stay up to date on all the 10-day deals handed out with our 10-day contract tracker.
Waivers
- The Suns waived Kris Humphries as part of a buyout arrangement.
- The Heat waived Beno Udrih as part of a buyout arrangement.
- The Spurs waived Ray McCallum.
- The Raptors waived Anthony Bennett.
- The Rockets waived Ty Lawson as part of a buyout arrangement.
- The Timberwolves waived Kevin Martin as part of a buyout arrangement.
- The Grizzlies waived James Ennis.
Miscellaneous News
- The Bucks announced that Steve Novak will miss the rest of the season with a sprained MCL.
D-League News
- Jarnell Stokes, who was traded from Miami to New Orleans at the deadline and then waived by the Pelicans, rejoined the Heat’s D-League affiliate.
- Former Blazer Tim Frazier joined the D-League’s Maine Red Claws as a returning player.
- Marcus Thornton, the 45th pick in last summer’s draft, returned from Australia and joined the Celtics’ D-League affiliate.
- Chris Douglas-Roberts, whom the Pelicans cut in training camp, rejoined the D-League’s Texas Legends, who are the affiliate of the Mavericks.
- Swingman Jabari Brown, who played with the Lakers last season, joined the team’s D-League affiliate after returning from China.
You can stay up to date on all the D-League assignments and recalls for the season here.