As expected, the Spurs have waived forward Danilo Gallinari, sources tell ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).
Acquired by San Antonio in the Dejounte Murray trade in June, Gallinari was used as a salary-matching piece in that deal. The $5MM partial guarantee on his $21.45MM salary for 2022/23 was increased to $13MM to help make the deal work, according to Marks.
Additionally, Gallinari’s salary guarantee date was pushed back from June 29 to July 8. By waiving him today, the Spurs will avoid paying the remaining non-guaranteed portion ($8.45MM) of his ’22/23 salary.
Gallinari has already lined up a deal with the Celtics and will be able to officially sign with Boston after he clears waivers on Sunday. He is reportedly receiving $13MM across two seasons on his new contract, which will include a second-year player option. The Celtics are completing the signing using their taxpayer mid-level exception.
Although he won’t help improve the Celtics’ top-ranked defense, Gallinari is a talented scorer and shooter who can play several positions. He has connected at 38.1% from three-point range during his career and averaged 11.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game with the Hawks last season.
How could Gallinari have a deal lined up with the Celtics when he was not a free agent and was only waived today by the Spurs? Can he officially talk to other teams? Isn’t this tampering or am I missing something?
The Spurs gave him permission to talk to other teams because waiving him was the team’s plan once the new season officially began.
I’m just shocked the Lakers didn’t sign him to a 50 BILLION dollar contract and make it fit under the alleged “salary cap”. But trust me 100%, some ridiculous signing will be coming for El Lakers. I guarantee it. They’ll get Kevin Durant for a few 2nd round draft picks and trade a 2078 second round draft choice for Karl Anthony Townes. But the reality is that since King Stage IV Cancer is on that team, they a’int winning a damn thing, unless of course the playoffs are played in The Bubble again or if the NBA can fix it so the refs from that disgraceful 2010 Game 7 in the NBA Finals can officiate all Lakers games again.
Gallo gets $13 million from Spurs and $13 million from Celtics
Good deal
Gallinari and Brogdon are excellent pickups.
A few years back one NBA talent guy said Gallinari was the best shooter he’s ever seen. 38.1% over his career from three over more than a decade is pretty darn good! Shoot 40% from three for the Celtics & we’ll love you Danilo Gallinari!
Go Celts!
How is there an “NBA talent guy” who’s never seen Steph Curry?
Good pick-up for the CELTS. Gallo can always shoot, even while looking like he just got out of bed.
It’s a great spot for him at this point in his career – he finally joins a contender, playing that 6th-7th man role.
Celtics will be better, and it doesn’t seem like overall the rest of the east has improved.
The Nets will drop the most and the Hawks will improve the most, but the Celtics look like the best bet to get to the finals.
If he’s on waivers can’t another team pick him up?
Yeah, but a team would need enough cap room or a big enough trade exception to absorb his $21.45MM salary. The Pacers are the only team besides the Spurs with that much cap room, and I don’t think that’s how they want to use it.