Danilo Gallinari says he refused trade from Denver at last year’s deadline
How do you say “unwavering commitment” in Italian?
Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari revealed over the weekend that he declined multiple opportunities to be traded from Denver at last year’s deadline.
“In Denver I am very well, there was a chance last year to go to some other team before the deadline in February, but I refused,” Gallinari said at an event in Milan on Sunday, per Orazio Cauchi of Sportando. “It made no sense to go at that time.”
The 28-year-old Gallinari has been with the team since 2011 when he was acquired from the New York Knicks as a part of the Carmelo Anthony trade. Though he has struggled with multiple injuries in recent years, the former No. 6 overall pick had a career year in 2015-16 with averages of 19.5 points per game, 5.3 rebounds per game, and 2.5 assists per game.
Functioning in a makeshift “point forward” role of sorts, Gallinari has emerged as the linchpin of the Nuggets offense and also doubles as perhaps their deadliest threat from downtown. Now that Denver appears to be on the upswing with their nucleus of young talent that includes Gary Harris, Nikola Jokic, Jusuf Nurkic, Juan Hernangomez, Malik Beasley, Emmanuel Mudiay, and Jamal Murray (all age 22 or younger), it’s great to see that The Rooster’s dedication to the Nuggets remains as strong as ever.
H/T theScore
