Danilo Gallinari to the Hawks?
By Nile Goodwyn
The Hawks are actively searching for ways to become contenders. Could Danilo Gallinari be the final piece in bringing Atlanta a championship?
The Denver Nuggets are a team searching for an identity. Their future looks to be in the hands of backcourt tandem Emmanuel Mudiay and their #7 pick Jamal Murray, who averaged 20 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists during his freshman season at Kentucky. Aside from the electric young guards, the Nuggets have a talented mix of bigs, including Kenneth Faried, Nikola Jokic, and their No. 15 pick, Juan Hernangomez. While they are not expected to win many games next season, the team has multiple pieces that could develop into something special. The Nuggets also have cap space, and a lot of it. They are currently sitting at almost 20 million dollars under the cap, which gives them much flexibility in making moves.
While the Hawks do not have any gaping holes in their roster, the front office would always be open to making moves to improve the team. The closest thing the Hawks have to a go-to wing scorer is either Kent Bazemore or Tim Hardaway Jr., neither of which averaged more than 12 points last season. Bringing in another scorer, especially one that has shown ability to create for himself, could make the Hawks a dangerous team for the rest of the Eastern Conference. Enter Danilo Gallinari. The 6’10” Italian small forward averaged nearly 20 points a game last season for the Nuggets, and has been one of the league’s top wing scorers for the past six seasons.
Gallinari’s main issue since being drafted by the New York Knicks in 2008 is durability. Since his second season, he has only played in 70-plus games twice. He suffered a right ankle injury in late February and was shut down for the season, with the Nuggets out of playoff contention. He tore his ACL in April 2013, and the injury caused him to miss the 2014-15 season in its’ entirety. With the Nuggets attempting to move their organization in a new direction, an injury-prone score-first player may not be a perfect fit to lead a team. But what would it take for the Hawks to bring Gallinari to Atlanta?
Hawks Receive: Danilo Gallinari and Jusuf Nurkic
Nuggets Receive: Tim Hardaway Jr.,Tiago Splitter, Mike Scott, Thabo Sefolosha, and a future first-round pick
This trade, though completely speculative, makes sense for both sides. The Hawks would gain one of the league’s best scorers and a bruising big man to back up Dwight Howard. Nurkic only played in 32 games last season, and with the unexpected rise of Nikola Jokic and the drafting of Spanish forward Juan Hernangomez, his spot on the team is likley expendable. The Nuggets would create much-needed depth in the short term, and an opportunity for plenty of cap space in the long run.
The Nuggets would receive an adequate return for Gallinari. Mike Scott is one of the best streak shooters in the league, and isn’t afraid to take the ball to the hoop. Ask Brad Beal. Tim Hardaway Jr. still has the potential to be a premier scorer in the league, and at only 24 years old, his development likley isn’t over. Splitter, while mostly in the trade to cover cap, would bring the Nuggets a veteran presence, which is important for an inexperienced team. Losing Sefolosha would be a disappointment, as his lockdown perimeter defense and athletic finishes around the rim have made him a Hawk fan favorite. But, in order to obtain a borderline All-Star like Gallinari, the Hawks would have to move some of the team’s staples. The draft pick would likley put the deal over the top, especially with the rebuilding effort currently going on in Denver.
The only foreseeable downfall for the Hawks is Gallinari’s pending free agency in 2018, which could make this deal nothing more than a two-year rental. Nurkic’s durability is just as suspect as Gallanari’s, only playing in 94 total games in his first two seasons. The Hawks would be taking a risk if this trade with this trade, as both players have glaring injury history, which makes their talent harder to fully estimate. Meanwhile for the Nuggets, all four of the players they would obtain are on the last guaranteed year of their contracts, giving them a choice to create even more cap space in a loaded 2017 free agency class if they choose not to re-sign any of the players.
Next: Al Horford's Return To Atlanta
Who do you think would win this proposed deal? Which team says no?