The Hawks and free agent forward Danilo Gallinari are finalizing a three-year deal worth $61.5MM, agent Michael Tellem informs ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Gallinari, 32, had a strong season in Oklahoma City in 2019/20, averaging 18.7 PPG and 5.2 RPG on .438/.405/.893 shooting in 62 games (29.6 MPG). He’ll now head to Atlanta, where he’ll become one of the Hawks’ go-to scoring threats alongside Trae Young and John Collins, stretching the floor in the frontcourt.
Gallinari spoke last month about potentially prioritizing the chance to win a title over finding the most lucrative contract possible in free agency. While Atlanta is a team on the rise and badly wants to make the postseason in 2021, joining the Hawks certainly won’t give the veteran forward his best chance at a championship.
Still, it’s hard to fault Gallinari for opting for a lucrative long-term deal, since this may have been his last, best opportunity to secure a big multiyear payday. According to Wojnarowski (via Twitter), the $61.5MM that Gallinari will receive is the largest amount ever on a multiyear contract for a player in his 30s who has never made an All-Star team.
The Hawks, who entered the evening with more cap room available than any other NBA team, still have about $26MM to work with, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link).
An earlier report indicated that Atlanta was confident about landing at least two players from a group that included Gallinari, Rajon Rondo, Joe Harris, and Davis Bertans, so those are the players to watch for the Hawks. Given the positional overlap between Bertans and Gallinari and the fact that Harris is considered likely to re-sign in Brooklyn, Rondo looks like the team’s best bet.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Gallo
Real value 3 years 42m because of age
Market value 3 years 60m
I think Instagram would say it best: “iTs NoT aBoUt ThE mOnEy I jUsT wAnT tO wIn”
You know who said “Last time I checked, there weren’t any W’s and L’s in my paycheck”?
Curtis Rowe
That’s a good line.
lol but a whole bunch of Zeros tho
Gallinari, Young, Capela, Collins, Reddish, Huerter, Hunter, Okungwu. Maybe Rondo If not a playoff team they will be close and def a fun team to watch
I think thats a playoff team even in a normal (only 8) year in the East-
Love the fact they’ve added some good def down low to cover up for Trae up top
Rondo would be a superb fit even on an overpay
And the hawks spending spree starts
This time of my career I want to win. Lol. 61.5 million reasons why he changed his mind.
lol can you blame him…realistically only 3 or 4 super teams have a legit shot of ‘winning’ these days
I don’t blame him but he makes himself look stupid when he makes those comments. Should have just kept quiet and or just yelled “SHOW ME THE MONEY” lol
Nothing about signing for 61.5 mil makes him look stupid
When he says i made money and I want to win and will play for less and then goes out and does the opposite signs for the most with a team that has no chance of winning a title. I don’t blame him. I just think he is stupid for making that comment in the first place.
Crazy smh needed him to stay in okc
Wait a minute, I thought this guy said that winning is his priority now, not money.
Lmao money talks!
Well if it gets them from the 14th spot to the 13th spot in the EAST ……. that’s probably something.
My exact thoughts…
He just forgot to elaborate. His priority was winning 40 games and getting swept in the first round.
Idk there are worse places to be overpaid. Atlanta is trending upward, its not like he signed with the kings or Knicks
I feel the hawks are going to trade one of their bigs. Maybe Collins since they don’t want to pay him? Maybe a trade with Celtics for Hayward?