After being slowed by injuries throughout last season, Clippers forward Danilo Gallinari has proclaimed himself healthy as he prepares for this weekend’s NBA Africa Game, relays Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Hand and glute issues limited Gallinari to 21 games in his first season with the Clippers after being acquired in an offseason trade. It’s a familiar story for Gallinari, who has only reached 70 games in a season twice in his career.
“Of course I will play. I got to show you some of the Gallo magic,” Gallinari joked in Wednesday’s conference call with reporters. “Yeah, yeah, everything is good. I’m very excited. I’m healthy now, body is good. So I can’t wait to start.”
Gallinari still has two years remaining on a three-year, $65MM deal he signed prior to a three-team trade that brought him from Denver to L.A. last summer. He will make $21,587,579 this season and $22,615,559 in 2019/20 with no team or player option on the final year. Gallinari fractured his right hand late in the season, but says it has fully healed.
There’s more this morning from Los Angeles:
- Former Raptors assistant Rex Kalamian has officially joined the Clippers‘ coaching staff, the team announced on its website. Kalamian, who broke into the NBA as a scout with the Clippers in 1992, worked under Dwane Casey in Toronto for the past three years. L.A. also promoted G League coach Casey Hill to an assistant role with the NBA team.
- Lakers guard Joel Berry has a huge goal for a player who wasn’t drafted. In an interview with Drew Ruiz of Hoops Hype, Berry said he hopes to be among the contenders for Rookie of the Year and talks about the feeling of being passed over on draft night. “It was pretty tough,” he recalled. “It’s always a dream to hear your name get called, but honestly, I’ve always taken the path where I was always overlooked and my game is not the flashiest – I just win – and that speaks more than being a flashy player.”
- Kobe Bryant‘s wife is quashing any speculation that he might be thinking of a comeback, according to Alysha Tsuji of USA Today. Shaquille O’Neal sparked rumors of a return in a TMZ interview over the weekend, but Vanessa Bryant made it clear that it won’t happen. “Kobe will not be coming out of retirement to play again,” she wrote on Instagram. “He doesn’t want to play again and frankly we really enjoy spending time together as a family without the crazy game schedule interfering with birthdays, holidays and special events.”
Kobe sounds whipped
I’d be whipped with a woman as hot as Vanessa lol.
He had a lot of making up to do and power to give over to her post-Colorado too
Kobe’s wife is a mean woman, I’ve met her several times. Frankly they deserve each other.
Duh he’s whipped. Don’t you remember 2003
Kobe “Frank The Tank” Bryant…..
Happy wife, happy hubby… it is what it is!
Westbrook used to be always overlooked to… didn’t go to bad for him, MVP, so go for it Joel, see if you can do it! I like underdog stories.
Westbrook was a Top 5 pick
It must hurt thinking.
So, IF Kobe really idolizes MJ as he has always portended to be, this would be the time to come out of retirement like MJ did in 2001. Kobe could play some SG, some PG, he could start, but have his minutes monitored so as to be fresh for the playoffs (and YES-the Lakers WILL be in the playoffs next year). Yes, Vanessa is hot and whatnot, but this is basketball, NOT BasketBall WIVES. Let him play IF he still has that fire to do so. Am sure Kobe can still produce. Go for it!!
IF the Lakers are in a “Win NOW” mode, then having vets around would make sense. All the while developing the youngsters so they can take over in the next several yrs.