Ever since new Boston Celtics wing Danillo Gallinari went down with an ACL tear last weekend, rumors have been swirling on how the reigning Eastern Conference Champions will fill the void. Gallinari tore his ACL while playing for Italy in a FIBA World Cup qualifying game.
There has been plenty of discussion amongst fans and media on what the team will do without their sharpshooting Italian coming off the bench. One suggestion that has been going around is that Sam Hauser, who just signed a new three-year deal, fills the minutes. Hauser, like Gallo, can shoot it. He shot 43% from deep in 26 NBA appearances last season. Of course, that sample size is small, but in 13 G-League games he shot it at a 40% clip.
Another suggestion that’s been flying around is that Boston should sign 10x All-Star Carmelo Anthony. Anthony is still a free agent after playing 69 games for the Los Angeles Lakers last season. He shot a very similar percentage to Gallinari; 42% from the field and 37% from behind the arc. The former scoring champ could be an asset in limited minutes off of Boston’s bench.
According to a recent report from the Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn, Melo’s move to the Celtics is ‘starting to gain traction.’ Washburn wrote:
"“This is starting to gain traction because Anthony may be the best shooting forward left on the market, and he has shown to be productive offensively despite his age. He turned 38 in May, but he managed to play 69 games last season and average 13.3 points off the bench. Anthony has been criticized for his lack of 3-point shooting, but he has improved dramatically. Anthony was in exile from the NBA after a short stint in Houston because of his reluctance to take shots from behind the arc. That has changed. Anthony has remained in great shape and can still score. He had 20 or more points in 11 games last season and played 26 minutes per game, showing his durability. Anthony wants an opportunity to win a championship, and this could be his best chance.”"
Anthony seems like he’s primed to fill the hole in Boston’s rotation. He proved that he could be a secondary scorer off the bench in a catch-and-shoot role. The prospective move really is low-risk-high-reward. If the Boston Celtics decide to sign the 38-year-old wing, they won’t have to pay him more than a minimum contract and could wind up getting some serious production.