Danilo Gallinari Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Clippers Meet With Danilo Gallinari, Rudy Gay

July 3rd, 2017 at 12:08am CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers met with two of their top free agent targets at forward on Sunday, according to various reports. The team’s presentation for Danilo Gallinari, which had been previously reported, made a “strong impression” on the veteran forward, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Meanwhile, the Clips also had a meeting with Rudy Gay tonight, per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times (via Twitter).

Gallinari has long been a target for the Clippers, according to Wojnarowski, and it sounds like there’s mutual interest between the two sides. David Aldridge of TNT tweets that the club’s brass “painted a picture” for Gallinari that showed how he could be a key piece of one of the league’s best frontcourts, along with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.

Even after trading Chris Paul last week, the Clippers project to be an over-the-cap team this year, in large part due to Griffin’s lucrative new deal. As such, the team can’t sign a free agent outright for a starting salary higher than the $8.4MM mid-level exception. However, a sign-and-trade could allow for a higher starting salary for either Gallinari or Gay — the Clips were said to be exploring possible sign-and-trade scenarios involving Gallinari earlier on Sunday.

Gallinari is also viewed as a potential target for the Celtics if they miss out on Gordon Hayward, but the Italian forward may no longer be in play for the Nuggets. Denver committed to Paul Millsap on Sunday night, significantly reducing the team’s ability to make a competitive offer to Gallinari. As for Gay, he has received interest from the Thunder, among other teams.

Clippers Considering Sign-And-Trade Offer For Gallinari

July 2nd, 2017 at 2:21pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers are looking for a team with cap space that would be willing to facilitate a sign-and-trade with the Nuggets involving Danilo Gallinari, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today.

Gallinari met with L.A.’s contingent Saturday night and hasn’t announced a decision yet on where he plans to sign. However, Amick states that the Clippers want to be ready with a trade offer for Denver in case he does opt to come to Los Angeles.

Nine teams expressed interest in meeting with Gallinari when free agency began, but it’s not certain how many face-to-face sessions he intends to have before making a final decision.

The Kings, who were among those teams, have apparently elected not to pursue Gallinari any more, Amick adds (Twitter link). A return to Denver remains in play for the 28-year-old forward.

The Celtics haven’t held a formal meeting with Gallinari, but they have made contact and consider him a backup plan in case Gordon Hayward signs elsewhere, according to Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald (Twitter link).

Gallinari appeared in 63 games this year, the most since missing the entire 2013/14 season after surgery on his left ACL. He averaged 18.2 points per night and shot .389 from 3-point range, his best performance in that category since coming to Denver in 2011.

Free Agent Notes: Waiters, Gallinari, Holiday

July 2nd, 2017 at 12:51pm CST by Eddie Scarito

With the Knicks, Bulls, and Kings all reportedly expressing interest in unrestricted free agent Dion Waiters, Heat president Pat Riley and coach Erik Spoelstra are headed out west to Los Angeles to meet with the guard, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald relays. The duo want to convey to Waiters that the team is still very interested in retaining his services, even though it is in no position to make a large lucrative offer until Gordon Hayward decides among offers from Miami, the Celtics, and the Jazz, Jackson notes.

On the second day of free agency, here’s the latest news and notes from around the league:

Last summer’s free agent spending frenzy has taken its toll on this year’s crop of players on the open market, ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (on Twitter). There are still approximately 100 players who are unsigned and cap space is quickly drying up around the league, the scribe adds.
The Clippers are set to meet with unrestricted free agent Danilo Gallinari this evening in Los Angeles, TNT’s David Aldridge reports (via Twitter). The Nuggets also remain a potential landing spot for the forward, though, Denver is currently “all in” on signing Paul Millsap, Aldridge adds.
The Knicks are among several teams that have contacted unrestricted free agent Justin Holiday and New York has strong interest in re-signing the guard, Ian Begley of ESPN.com relays (ESPN Now link). It was reported earlier today that the Bulls have a contract offer on the table for Holiday, so the Knicks will certainly have some competition for his services.
There is mutual interest between unrestricted free agent point guard Shelvin Mack and the Knicks, Tony Jones of The Salt Lake City Tribune relays (via Twitter). In 55 appearances for the Jazz last season, Mack averaged 7.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 21.9 minutes per outing. His slash line on the campaign was .446/.308/.688.
The Thunder appear to be committed to re-signing Andre Roberson, per a tweet from ESPN’s Royce Young. The scribe notes that it’s a “virtual lock” that Roberson will return to OKC in 2017/18.

Latest On Rudy Gay

July 2nd, 2017 at 10:10am CST by Luke Adams

Rudy Gay‘s meeting with the Thunder has concluded, and Gay is leaving Oklahoma City this morning, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the two sides are still looking for a “financial path” to a potential deal. OKC doesn’t have cap room available, and Wojnarowski suggests that a sign-and-trade with the Kings will be “difficult.”

While it sounds like there’s certainly mutual interest between the Thunder and Gay, the veteran forward is poised to continue exploring his options. According to Wojnarowski (via Twitter), Gay remains on the Clippers’ radar, and Los Angeles plans to meet with Gay – as well as Danilo Gallinari – within the next couple days.

When free agency first opened, a report indicated that Gay had meetings lined up with four teams, so the Thunder and Clippers aren’t his only suitors. One of those meetings was with the Kings, but it’s not clear if the other one has already happened, or if it remains on his schedule. The Spurs were reportedly in touch with Gay, and the Heat are believed to have some interest, but Miami’s interest will likely hinge on whether or not the team gets a commitment from Gordon Hayward.

Gay, who turns 31 next month, is coming off a torn Achilles, but is said to be making good progress in his recovery, and remains one of the most reliable scorers on the market. Over the last 10 years, he has never averaged fewer than 17.2 PPG in a season.

Eastern FA Rumors: Lowry, Bogdanovic, Celtics

July 1st, 2017 at 10:53pm CST by Luke Adams

There’s a “growing sense” among executives around the NBA that Kyle Lowry will ultimately sign a new deal with the Raptors, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (Twitter link). Zillgitt says not to be surprised if Lowry gets a three-year deal in the range of $27MM annually from Toronto, which would put him right in the neighborhood of his good friend and teammate DeMar DeRozan — DeRozan’s contract calls for an annual salary of $27,739,975 over the next three years, with a player option worth the same amount in 2020/21.

Here are more free agent updates from around the Eastern Conference:

The Hawks are among Bojan Bogdanovic‘s most “ardent” suitors, tweets TNT’s David Aldridge. As Aldridge observes, Bogdanovic is a restricted free agent, but it will be difficult for the Wizards to match a competitive offer sheet for the sharpshooter if they also have to match a max offer for Otto Porter.
The Knicks, who have already been linked to several point guards in the first 24 hours of free agency, have also expressed interest in Shelvin Mack, a source tells Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com.
Although the Heat‘s recruiting efforts today were focused on Gordon Hayward, the team also made time to show some love to Udonis Haslem, as Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press details in a pair of tweets. A free agent again this summer, Haslem is probably a good bet to re-sign with Miami on a minimum salary contract.
The Celtics, Hayward’s other Eastern Conference suitor, have talked to multiple free agents besides Hayward, according to Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald (Twitter link). Murphy notes that the most notable conversation has been with Danilo Gallinari, though the two sides hadn’t yet set up a meeting as of this afternoon.

Suns No Longer Pursuing Millsap; Nuggets May Be Favorites

July 1st, 2017 at 5:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Suns will no longer pursue Hawks power forward Paul Millsap, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com.

Phoenix has opted to use its available cap to take on salary dumps paired with assets, Wojnarowski adds. The Suns are committing to a youth movement are open to dealing any of the veterans on their roster.

The Nuggets, who have a meeting tonight with Millsap, may now be the favorites to sign him, tweets David Aldridge of TNT. The Timberwolves, who reportedly met or will meet with Millsap, may have also pulled out of the running, Aldridge suggests.

Gary Harris will be joining team president Josh Kroenke, president of basketball operations Tim Connelly and coach Michael Malone in their appeal to Millsap, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Denver is still open to re-signing Danilo Gallinari if its pursuit of Millsap doesn’t work out, according to Sam Amick of USA Today (Twitter link).

The Kings are another possibility, although Amick says they remain a long shot, at least for now (Twitter link).

Free Agent Rumors: Porter, Randolph, Millsap, Holiday

July 1st, 2017 at 2:57am CST by Arthur Hill

The Wizards‘ session with Otto Porter ended without an agreement, tweets David Aldridge of TNT. Porter plans to start meeting with other teams this weekend (Twitter link). That creates a potential opening for the Nets, who appear willing to offer the max of four years and $100MM, according to a post on NetsDaily. Philadelphia may also get involved, but the Sixers seem reluctant to make long-term offers. Washington has promised to match any offer for the restricted free agent.

There’s more late-night free agency news:

Aldridge has two more tidbits to pass along. The Cavaliers are interested in Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph and plan to call him today (Twitter link). Also, Blake Griffin‘s decision to re-sign with the Clippers means the Suns will intensify their pursuit of Hawks forward Paul Millsap (Twitter link).
Jrue Holiday met with the Pelicans tonight, but no deal was reached, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. The two sides are expected to get together again in the morning.
The new $201MM supermax contract that the Warriors gave to Stephen Curry doesn’t include a no-trade clause or a player option, according to Anthony Slater of The San Jose Mercury News (Twitter link).
Spurs forward Jonathon Simmons has gotten calls from the Kings, Clippers and Timberwolves and is ready to start holding meetings, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link).
In addition to Simmons, the Clippers plan to meet with Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari on Sunday and Jazz forward Joe Ingles this weekend, relays Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link).
There’s a strong chance that Celtics‘ power forward Amir Johnson will sign with the Sixers, a source tells Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Johnson has a history with Philadelphia’s president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo, who traded for him in 2009 as GM of the Raptors.
The Kings met tonight with Andre Iguodala and Patrick Patterson, according to Sam Amick of USA Today (Twitter link).
The Timberwolves have put in a call to Ty Lawson as a possible backup for Jeff Teague, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. The Pelicans, Thunder and Kings have also been in contact with Lawson.
The Grizzlies are the latest team to show interest in Kings guard Ben McLemore, relays Chris Mannix of The Vertical (Twitter link).
The Knicks contacted Suns power forward Alan Williams tonight, posts Ian Begley on ESPN Now. Williams fits New York’s goal of finding players who can contribute on both ends of the floor, Begley notes.

Free Agent Rumors: Redick, Ingles, Hayward, Gay

July 1st, 2017 at 12:39am CST by Arthur Hill

The first meeting for Clippers guard J.J. Redick was with the Sixers, posts Adrian Wojnarowski on ESPN Now. On ESPN’s television coverage, Wojnarowski said Philadelphia would like to convince Redick to accept a short-term contract, “a one-year deal at a very big number, $20 million-plus, potentially.” The Timberwolves and Nets are also expected to be contenders for Redick, and he has expressed interest in joining former Clippers teammate Chris Paul with the Rockets. Wojnarowski adds that there is no chance of Redick returning to L.A.

There’s more from the early hours of free agency:

Jazz forward Joe Ingles has received “serious interest” from the Magic and has three meetings scheduled for Saturday, tweets Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. Ingles will meet with the Utah delegation this weekend, according to Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link).
Heat center Hassan Whiteside has been actively recruiting Gordon Hayward to Miami, tweets Alex Kennedy of Hoops Hype. Whiteside will attend Hayward’s meeting with Heat officials on Saturday.
Kings forward Rudy Gay has four meetings set up over the next few days, Kennedy adds (Twitter link).
The Nuggets reached out to Utah’s George Hill during the first hour of free agency, posts Ian Begley on ESPN Now. Denver could create cap room to sign Hill by letting Danilo Gallinari leave, Begley notes.
The Mavericks had a “great call” with Nerlens Noel, tweets Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. Noel expressed a desire to re-sign with the team, but nothing has been finalized.
The Lakers made calls tonight to Andre Iguodala, Rajon Rondo and Ben McLemore., tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. The Knicks and Bucks have also inquired about McLemore, according to Chris Haynes of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Nine Teams Eyeing Danilo Gallinari

June 30th, 2017 at 1:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Danilo Gallinari is receiving interest from nine teams as free agency nears, reports Sam Amick of USA Today (via Twitter). According to Amick, many of those clubs are contenders, though non-playoff teams like the Nuggets and Kings are also in the mix. Gallinari’s free agency will likely take a few days to unfold, Amick adds.

Gallinari, who will turn 29 next month, indicated in an interview earlier in June that the Nuggets wouldn’t necessarily be his first choice in free agency, and that he’d consider them like he would any other team. However, he reversed course this week, suggesting that one of his first meetings would be with Denver and that he’d like to re-sign with the Nuggets.

While Gallinari has acknowledged that he won’t be offered a maximum salary contract, ESPN’s Zach Lowe wrote earlier today that the market for the veteran forward should be in the range of $20MM annually.

I placed Gallinari 12th on my list of this year’s top 50 free agents, noting that his injury history may diminish his value a little, but predicting he’ll still do very well for himself on the open market.

Western FA Rumors: Hayward, Gallinari, Clippers

June 30th, 2017 at 11:34am CST by Luke Adams

Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey remains confident about his team’s chances to re-sign Gordon Hayward, George Hill, and Joe Ingles, writes Jody Genessy of The Deseret News. The team’s ability to bring back Hill and/or Ingles may be key to retaining Hayward.

Genessy reiterates (via Twitter) that Hayward really wants the Jazz to re-sign Hill, adding that his decision could hinge on that, while Sam Amick of USA Today notes (via Twitter) that Hayward and Ingles share an agent. Utah has been seeking a trade for a cheaper point guard to replace Hill, but may be hesitant to make such a move if it would make Hayward more likely to leave.

Here’s more on free agency from around the Western Conference, including another Hayward-related note:

Having previously said that he wouldn’t prioritize the Nuggets over any other suitor in free agency, Danilo Gallinari tells Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport that his goal is to remain with Denver, and will have one of his first meetings with the Nuggets. Emiliano Carchia of Sportando provides the English translation on the quotes from Gallinari, who also acknowledged that he won’t receive a maximum salary contract.
The Clippers want to hang onto Blake Griffin in free agency, but it’s not clear whether the team is prepared to put a five-year, maximum salary offer on the table for him, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com.
Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link) identifies Jonathon Simmons, Rudy Gay, Danilo Gallinari, P.J. Tucker, James Johnson, Joe Ingles, and Andre Iguodala as additional free agents of interest for the Clippers.
The Gordon Hayward sweepstakes are creating a battle amidst the Ainge family, as Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com details. Tanner Ainge, the son of Celtics president Danny Ainge, is running for Congress in Utah and has pushed for Hayward to remain with the Jazz.