Danilo Gallinari to LA Clippers
The Clippers finally got their small forward. In what has been a carousel of mediocre small forwards, they now have a solid 3 and D guy. Danilo Gallinari arrived through a three-team sign and trade in which the Clippers sent out Jamal Crawford, a first round pick and Diamond Stone to Atlanta, Denver received a second round pick and the Clippers obviously received Gallinari.
Of course, they were only able to afford Gallinari because of Chris Paul’s departure. While the cost was an elite point guard, the Clippers are now a much deeper team. The additions from the Chris Paul trade plus Gallinari, Milos Tedosic, and Willie Reed will certainly have the Clippers competing for a playoff spot.
The biggest issue for Gallinari is his health. When Gallinari is on the court, he has proven to be effective. However, Gallinari has not played more than 70 games since 2012, as he has missed several games due to various ailments over the past few years.
Last year, Gallinari had his best year in terms of shooting percentage. Gallinari shot a career high 44.7% from the field and 38.9% from three which is his second best percentage. Gallinari should be a natural fit alongside Griffin and Jordan as he will be able to space the floor with his shooting as well as getting his own bucket. While losing Chris Paul set the Clippers back, Gallinari if healthy can help stop the bleeding.