Gallinari eager to show Celtics
When the Celtics lost to the Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals, it was evident that they needed more scoring punch off the bench. The team appeared to address the need that July by signing veteran sharpshooter Danilo Gallinari to a two-year deal.
But Gallinari was sidelined when he tore his ACL while playing for Italy in a World Cup qualifier that September.
Throughout last season, through all of his rehab, he publicly maintained hope that he would return in time for the playoffs and help Boston’s championship push. And the intensity of his workouts seemed to hint that it was at least a possibility. But it never happened.
So Gallinari shifted his focus toward this season, when he was on track to be fully cleared for the start of training camp and rejoining the NBA title favorites. Then in June, Gallinari was part of the three-team trade that sent guard Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies and brought big man Kristaps Porzingis to Boston.
Just like that, the 35-year-old forward went from a powerhouse in Boston to basketball purgatory with the Wizards.
In an interview on an Italian podcast over the summer, Gallinari expressed the desire to exact some revenge on the Celtics, saying he would circle all of the matchups against them on his calendar. Earlier this month, he acknowledged that he was surprised by the deal, but said that he has moved forward.
“I didn’t expect [to be traded],” Gallinari said. “On a Friday I had a meeting with the team and on Tuesday they traded me. But it’s nothing new to me. It’s part of the business, part of the NBA. I’m used to it now. Sometimes it’s for the better, and every time there’s a chance for a new chapter and to start a new season, it’s always exciting.”
The Celtics will visit the Wizards on Monday, and Gallinari will get a chance to show how far he has come since all of those long days on crutches at the Auerbach Center. He has provided some early evidence that his scoring pop has not vanished, scoring 21 points over 25 minutes in Washington’s first two games this season.
“One of the motivations I’ve got is the older you get, the league is so much younger,” Gallinari said. “I want to prove to everybody that I can still hang out with these young guys.”
Van Gundy has a fan
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, who was an assistant to Jeff Van Gundy with the Knicks and Rockets in his career, says that the former head coach will have an impact with the Celtics in his new role as senior consultant.
“I think [he’ll help] in a lot of ways,” Thibodeau said. “He’s got a lot of experience in the league and he can look at it from a different lens, a broader perspective. I think he’s a great asset to have for the staff. He’s a great asset to have for the front office. Whichever way they want to use him, he’ll add a lot to it.”
Maine’s roster is set
Boston’s G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics, has finalized its training camp roster. The group is headlined by Celtics two-way contract players Neemias Queta, JD Davison, and Nathan Knight. NBA veteran Tony Snell, 31, is returning for his second year with the club, and former Duke guard DJ Stewart, who was on the Celtics’ training camp roster, is also on the squad.