Denver Nuggets NBA Trade and Roster Rumors: Danilo Gallinari Would 'Love' to Stay With the Nuggets
Danilo Gallinari will likely opt out of the final year of his contract and become a free agent this summer. But don't be surprised if he ends up signing a new long-term deal with the Nuggets.
In a recent interview with BlitzTV, the Italian forward said he would love to remain in the Mile-High City and play for the Nuggets.
"The relationship between me, the city and the organization is great. This is the reason why I would love to reach an agreement to remain in Denver. I love it here. And I would love to remain with the Nuggets," Gallinari stated, according to Sportando.
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Last week, Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly also said bringing Gallinari back would be a top priority this offseason if he decides to opt out.
"He's been here for a long time, one of our core guys. It'll be interesting to see what happens this summer. Gallo loves Denver, Connelly said, according to ESPN.
"If he doesn't opt out, we'd be very happy with that. If he chooses to opt out, he's certainly going to be one of our primary focuses," he continued.
Signing Gallinari to a long-term contract is not without its risks. He's just an injury-prone player who has missed a lot of games since the Nuggets acquired him in 2011. He actually missed the entire 2013–14 campaign with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
Still, Gallinari's a perfect fit in head coach Michael Malone's offensive system and he's arguably the best outside shooter on the roster. He can space the floor if they play him at power forward next to Nikola Jokic. Too bad Gallinari isn't much of a cutter because Jokic is just a gifted passer who can thread the needle.
The question right now is, do the Nuggets have enough money to bring him back this summer? Because a lot of teams are going to go after him once he hits the open market. Stretch bigs may no longer be a rarity in the league, but Gallinari remains one of the best at what he does. If he's healthy, of course.
