12 Boston Celtics that never played a single minute
By Tyler Watts
3. Danilo Gallinari
The Celtics signed Gallinari to a two-year deal in the 2022 offseason hoping he could help them bring a championship back to Boston. Instead, the 6’8 forward suffered a torn ACL and the subsequent surgery forced him to miss the entire 2022-23 season.
Gallo opted into his $6.8 million player option for the coming campaign, but the Celtics traded him to Washington in the Kristaps Porzingis deal.
Gallinari is a professional scorer, but how much would he have helped the Celtics last season? The 6’8 forward would have allowed Boston to play small ball a bit more. They needed additional ball-handling and shot creation, especially when Jayson Tatum was injured in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Gallo could have played a key role, but the 35-year-old could not stay healthy.
Never say never, but it appears he won’t play for the Boston Celtics. He was showing signs of decline when he last played for the Hawks. 18 months and a major knee surgery later, fans should not expect too much from the 13-year NBA veteran. The Celtics plan to be in contention for the foreseeable future, and they are unlikely to bring back Danilo Gallinari unless it is as a veteran at the end of the bench.