NBA Rumors: Danilo Gallinari Could Leave Thunder For Warriors In 2020 Free Agency
Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Danilo Gallinari is expected to be one of the most coveted free agents this fall. Despite surpassing expectations from them last season, Gallinari hasn’t given any assurance that he will re-sign with the Thunder, and there are speculations he is eyeing to join a legitimate title contender in the 2020 free agency. One of the best free agency destinations for him this offseason is the Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors may have finished the season as one of the worst teams in the Western Conference, but they are already emerging as one of the heavy favorites to bring home the Larry O’Brien trophy next year. Though they could only offer him the taxpayer mid-level exception, Marcus White of NBC Sports Bay Area believes that idea of chasing his first championship ring alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green in the 2020-21 NBA season may be enough to persuade Gallinari to leave the Thunder for the Warriors.
Though they suffered a first-round exit in the 2020 Playoffs, Gallinari has managed to prove he’s capable of helping a legitimate title contender, especially those teams that are in dire need of an All-Star caliber big man who could knock down shots from beyond the arc. White thinks Gallinari is “close to an ideal fit as a complementary piece” to Golden State’s roster next year.
“Gallinari, 32, can score from just about any spot on the floor, and he’d give the Warriors another capable ball-handler. He’s also a career 38 percent shooter on 3-pointers, knocking down nearly 42 percent of his shots from beyond the arc over the last two seasons. Gallinari averaged 18.7 points per game with the Oklahoma City Thunder last season, although he was used on a career-high 24.6 percent of OKC’s offensive possessions.”
As White noted, the potential acquisition of Gallinari would also ease the return of Thompson to the court in the 2020-21 NBA season. Having another reliable scoring option like him would lessen the pressure for Thompson to immediately perform at a high level and give him more time to regain his touch.
Signing a one-year contract with the Warriors in the 2020 free agency would be beneficial for Gallinari. Aside from having a realistic chance of contending for the NBA championship title, Golden State could also help him further increase his value when he tests the free agency market again in the summer of 2021 when more teams are expected to have more salary cap.
