Will the Celtics trade for Gallinari?
By C.J Maffris
No athlete is safe when it comes to rumors, especially if it’s in the NBA. There are many rumors that get reported by a multitude of websites about trades and free agency. So naturally the Boston Celtics decided join in with a certain trade rumor revolving around Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari. What would the asking price be for a guy who has had injury issues since he came into the league? Should he even be a trade target for the Celtics?
Celts/Denver discussed Gallinari deal, but nothing doing as of now. Some conflicting talk from sources, but may want to keep an eye on this.
— Steve Bulpett (@SteveBHoop) July 13, 2015
If he stayed healthy, Gallinari could provide the Celtics with a constant scoring threat. After his rookie year, the forward hasn’t averaged less than 12 points per game (with a career average of 14.2 PPG).He can also rebound well for his position and would be a welcomed sight in Boston’s transition game.
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Gallinari also fits another need the Celtics have, which is being a “capable” small forward. The Celtics have desperately needed someone to fill that void since Paul Pierce was traded from the team. Gallinari’s certainly an upgrade over Jeff Green. When comparing the two forwards, their numbers were eerily similar. Gallinari came out ahead in points, assists, eFG, steals, and turnovers. Green’s strength was rebounding and shooting percentage. This could mean that the two players are the same and wouldn’t make a difference to Boston’s current situation. Or it could mean that Gallinari is an upgrade that the Celtics would want to have.
The big IF in this whole scenario is, if Gallinari can stay healthy for an entire season. He’s had three injuries (two major ones), which have caused him to miss significant time: his back issues, tearing his ACL, and needing knee surgery after a setback. Seeing that makes me skeptical about Gallinari becoming a contributor to the Celtics. Knee injuries can be tricky, and can cost him some of his mobility. So would Gallinari be able to create his own shot as his career continues?
Can Gallinari stay healthy to warrant a trade from the Boston Celtics? Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Another question is who would the Celtics be willing to surrender in exchange for Gallinari? Would Denver ask for unprotected first-round picks, or can they just swap players. The Celtics have a lot of guards and power forwards, which could be desirable in the eyes of some teams. Of course the only guard I’d be willing to part with, would be Phil Pressey. However, the team’s forwards might be a bit more difficult to trade away.
The biggest question would be if the Celtics are willing to trade Jared Sullinger for Gallinari? Former NBA executive Bobby Marks mentioned on how Sullinger is ready for a contract extension, which puts the Celtics in a tight spot. Do they believe Sullinger will be part of the future, and are willing to extend him before the October 31 deadline? It might be wiser to trade the former-Buckeye so they won’t have to make that choice. The team just added David Lee (so no point to trade him now), and I doubt Tyler Zeller would be enough to make Denver bite on a Gallinari trade. There is still some interest in Sullinger, so that would be the best bargaining chip the teams has at the forward position.
Right now it’s being reported that the Nuggets are not interested in trading Gallinari away. I think it might be better for Boston to stay away. The last thing the team needs is another injury-plagued player to their roster. They are already taking a chance on David Lee, and having too many “ifs” on a team can lead to a downward spiral and a horrible season. I don’t believe the Celtics are planning on tanking anymore, especially with what happened during free agency.
C.J Maffris is a Celtics writer for Hardwoodhoudini.com. He enjoys trade rumors, especially when the Celtics are involved. Feel free to send him some trade ideas @SeaJayMaffris
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