Move on from Danilo Gallinari
Is Danilo Gallinari coming off the best season of his career? Yes. Was he crucial to the LA Clippers’ success this season? Yes. Is he a risk? Yes. Too much of a risk? Perhaps. Is it time to move on from Gallo? Most definitely.
Gallinari was part of a sign-and-trade once Chris Paul made his departure. The sweet-shooting Italian was expected to be the new third-wheel of LA’s new “big three” that already consisted of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. His first season disappointed everyone, as Gallo spent three-fourths of the season sidelined with injury. His roughly $20 million salary looked like one of the worst contracts in the NBA, and if Gallo wished to remain in LA, he would need to step it up significantly the following season.
Step it up, he did. In 47 more games than his previous season, Gallinari averaged 19.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and shot 63.3 true shooting percentage. These numbers would suggest that keeping Gallinari is the right move, but the if the Clippers look beyond his stats, there are two main reasons why it would be best for them to part ways.
The first reason is his contract. Next season, Gallinari will make over $22.5 million. With the ever-increasing NBA salary cap, players are earning more than ever. Still, Gallo isn’t worth $22.5 million. If the front office is convinced they can land the big-name stars in free agency this summer, then moving Gallo to another team with ample room to eat his salary would be the best move. Gettting rid of his contract would allow the Clippers to have more money to play with in the summer. The team is targeting Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant. Both out-play Gallo on either end of the floor and can take over any game. They should not let Gallo’s massive contract from acquiring stars.
The second reason is his health. The Clippers have firsthand experience of waiting for Gallo to return from injury. The man is made of glass, and the smart move would be to sell high on his recent success. His trade value is higher now than ever before. The Clippers need to trade Gallo before he suffers another grueling injury.