Atlanta Hawks: 3 goals for Danilo Gallinari in the 2021-22 season
When the Atlanta Hawks traded for Danilo Gallinari last offseason, they did this for a number of reasons. Firstly they were looking for a potential replacement for John Collins if they needed to trade the power forward out of Wake Forest.
Secondly, they were looking for some quality veterans to fit around the talented young core of players the Hawks had accumulated over the past three seasons. Gallinari had just come off a successful season with the OKC Thunder where he had been helping their young core develop.
As Sam Presti decided to blow the roster up, Travis Schlenk was sniffing out a good deal for Gallinari. Fortunately for the Hawks Gallinari, who wanted to make sure that the Thunder got something back for him, only cost the franchise a 2025 second-round pick which is a bargain for Gallinari’s skillset.
Did the Atlanta Hawks get value for money from Danilo Gallinari last season?
Given that Gallinari was the highest-paid player on the roster last season, he needed to produce. He came to the team knowing that he was going to be on the bench last season and the way that he took the role without complaining says a lot about the man.
So, what did the Hawks get for their $19.5 million last season? Well, apart from the veteran leadership this team needed, they got 13.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 24.0 minutes per game. While these numbers may seem low, Gallinari was not given a role under Lloyd Pierce. However, he grew into the role that Nate McMillan gave him and he was one of the most important Hawks players during the playoffs.
Now, let’s look at three goals for Danilo Gallinari for next season.