The Boston Celtics are signing Danilo Gallinari to a two-year, $13.3 million contract, according to the veteran forward’s agent, per ESPN. Gallinari has been linked to Boston for more than a week, but because he needed to clear waivers following his trade from Atlanta to San Antonio after the July moratorium, the two sides could not make it official until now. Boston is using its taxpayer mid-level exception to add Gallinari. The deal is fully guaranteed and will include a player option.
Gallinari, who will turn 34 before opening night, is coming off his lowest-scoring season since his rookie year. At 11.7 points per game, he’s more of a supporting player on offense at this stage of his career, and defensively, his limited mobility has always been problematic. Gallinari has spent the past two seasons with the Hawks, but was the matching salary in their blockbuster deal for Dejounte Murray.
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Boston is fortunately well equipped to fit even an aging Gallinari into its rotation. The Celtics came into the offseason hoping to add two things: playmaking and shooting. They got the former out of Malcolm Brogdon and the latter in Gallinari, and their league-best defense should help protect the former No. 6 overall pick on that end of the floor.
Gallinari has been open about his desire to win as his career draws to a close. In Boston, he joins a team that just came two wins short of the championship. The Celtics have spent lavishly to try to get those last two wins, and if Gallinari continues to shoot as well he has throughout his career, they’ll have a great chance to do it.
