Gallinari Goes Back To Italy

With no end to the NBA lockout in sight, Denver Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari has decided to pack his bags and head back to Olimpia Milano. Olimpia Milano is the Italian team that he played for from 2005-2008 before entering the NBA Draft.

@alanhahn: Former Knick Danilo Gallinari signed w/ his Italian team, Olimpia Milano; deal has an NBA out, via La Gazzeta dello Sport.

The deal with Olimpia isn’t official yet as the sides have some insurance issues to work out. Once it is finalized you can expect Danilo to join the team. Unlike the deals some players are signing with Chinese teams he DOES have an opt-out clause should the NBA return during the Europa League season.

Personally, I think this is a great decision for Gallinari. Over four seasons Gallinari has enjoyed mild success in the NBA, averaging 13.8 points and 4.4 rebounds over 30.48 minutes per game. 2010-2011 was without a doubt his best seasons in the league but he still has a long way to go to live up to the hype he came with.

His performance in the recent Eurobasket Tournament also left much to be desired. In the tournament he did average 15.2 points and 6.4 rebounds, not much different then his NBA numbers. So again, he performs but not to the level everyone thinks he can.

The good thing for him is that he’s still only 23, which means he does need to keep playing ball during this lockout. The Europa League will be a good fit for him to continue doing so and hopefully keep improving his game.

Like what you read? Then follow us on TWITTER for more updates

Tags: Danilo Gallinari, Denver Nuggets, NBA