Danilo Gallinari — who spent most of this season with the Washington Wizards and then was traded to the Detroit Pistons, who waived him — has agreed to join the Milwaukee Bucks, according to multiple reports.
Gallinari had conversations with the Clippers, among other teams, but ultimately chose Milwaukee and teaming up with his former coach Doc Rivers (not to mention Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard), a story broken by Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Gallinari seriously considered several teams – including Clippers, Cavaliers and Bulls – before choosing the Bucks where he'll have opportunity for a strong role under his old coach Doc Rivers. https://t.co/6BfxVW0ztl
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 15, 2024
Doc Rivers was asked about the report before the Bucks took on the Grizzlies Thursday night and he could not comment on a non-finalized deal but did say this, reports Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
“Shooting and size, it matters. And veteran leadership. A guy that knows how to play the game. Great passer. Someone like that [could help the team].”
At age 35 and having missed all of the 2022-23 season recovering from a torn ACL, Gallinari is not the scoring threat he once was — he’s averaging 7.3 points a game for the season and has been coming off the bench for two of the worst teams in the league. That said, he is still a floor-spacing threat, shooting 35.5% from beyond the arc this season, which is why teams such as the Suns and Bulls had expressed interest in him.
Gallinari steps into the roster spot opened up when the Bucks traded Robin Lopez to the Kings last week (Sacramento later waived him).
