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The Gallinari Conundrum

By Juan Cornejo

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 8: Danilo Gallinari #8 of the LA Clippers stands for thee national anthem before the game against the Charlotte Hornets on January 8, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 8: Danilo Gallinari #8 of the LA Clippers stands for thee national anthem before the game against the Charlotte Hornets on January 8, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Danilo Gallinari has been solid for the LA Clippers, but there are a few numbers that warrant looking at in the next to last year of his deal.

Here’s the thing: Danilo Gallinari has been a gem this season for the LA Clippers.

The Italian forward has been mamma’s home cooked lasagna in his ninth campaign in the league. He is averaging career highs across the board. Averaging nearly 20 points a night, he has been an ATM at the free-throw line and propelled himself into a top 10 three-point-shooter.

Defensively, Gallinari has been a pleasant surprise this season. He has given offensive players the Kraken treatment on defense; using his long length to subdue the opposition. He has really been a defensive anchor for the Clippers. Pun intended.

However, there are some key numbers to keep in mind when considering NBA veteran:

70

Gallinari has only played 70 games in a season twice his NBA career. In his second season he flirted heavily with perfect attendance as he was out on the court for 81 games, but, that was a long time ago. The basketball world hadn’t even loathed LeBron James for The Decision, yet.

Gallinari played 71 games in the 2012-2013 campaign, then an ACL injury forced him to miss the entire next season. Roughly five years removed from the reconstructive surgery to repair his ACL, Gallinari has managed to play 63 games only once.

Let’s be honest, anytime Gallinari hits the ground all of Clipper Nation skips a heartbeat. Talk about having Blake Griffin withdrawals.

$22 million

The forward is still under contract for one more year and scheduled to make roughly $22 million. Now if the Clippers were guaranteed to get the 2018-2019 iteration of Gallinari next season, then Clipper Nation would be thrilled to get that subscription. However, if Clipper Nations gets the breaks-hand-throwing-punch-in-an-international-friendly-match iteration of Gallinari, then it’s face palms all around.

What if the Clippers could land Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant – and Kyrie Irving in free agency? Now stop salivating, and think: Would clearing $22 million from the ledger make this superstar trio signing far easier?

30

Gallinari is 30 years of age. We know what he is as an NBA player: When his body isn’t betraying him, he’s a quasi-borderline-star who can spread the floor and score the basketball in a variety of ways. He’s capable defender, but Father Time is undefeated. It’s unlikely Gallinari has a hidden gear he has yet to unlock.

There is something safe about having Gallinari around: Well rounded players like him ensure the Clippers won’t devolve back to days of Brain Skinner missing wide open dunks and Mardy Collins getting turned into a pretzel on defense.

Keeping Gallinari would go a long way to seeing the Clippers stay in the playoff picture and staving off Lakers fans for bragging rights in Los Angeles.

The problem is that safety comes with a low ceiling. Make the playoffs only to most likely lose a first round six-game series to the Thunder or Rockets. Also, the Lakers acquiring Anthony Davis would supplant the current Clippers roster.

With an injury-prone Gallinari playing some of the best basketball of his career, any stock market junkie would tell you now is the time to sell. It’s feasible Lawrence Frank and Jerry West could swap Gallinari to a middle of the pack team desperate to make the playoffs – Hornets, Pelicans, Timberwolves, etc. – for a first-round pick.

In a league where general managers do dumb things like draft Jimmer Fredette over Klay Thompson and allow Giannis Antetokounmpo to egregiously slip to the fifteenth selection in a draft, that potential first rounder for Gallinari could be huge for the franchise.

Gallinari has become a favorite among the Clipper faithful, but perhaps it’s time to set sail in a different direction.

Hot. LA Clippers: Efficiency Breakdown. light

The irony isn’t lost of this contributor: For eight seasons Gallinari was the perfect small forward we needed. Chris Paul going pick-and-roll with Blake Griffin and Gallinari waiting on the wing to make Ralph Lawler yell “BINGO!”. Now that the Clippers have that ideal small forward they desperately craved, it might be best for the team to see him leave.

Funny how things work.

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