Fansided

NBA Free Agency 2017: Blake Griffin and the 10 biggest player option decisions

By John Buhler

Apr 1, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) reacts to a foul call in the second half of the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. Clippers won 115-104. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 1, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) reacts to a foul call in the second half of the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. Clippers won 115-104. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 10
Next
Mar 13, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari (8) reacts in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 13, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari (8) reacts in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
7

Danilo Gallinari

Small Forward, Denver Nuggets

It’s been six years since the infamous Carmelo Anthony trade between the Denver Nuggets and the New York Knicks. Patience is a virtue Anthony clearly didn’t learn in grade school, as he could have waited until summer 2011 to sign with the Knicks. Had that have happened, maybe he could have played with Danilo Gallinari instead of him being the guy New York had to give up to get Anthony.

Gallinari has been a solid small forward for the Nuggets in six of the last seven years. When healthy, he’s probably the Nuggets’ best player. The problem is he never is. He has only played more the 70 games once since coming to the Nuggets in 2011. Gallinari had to miss the entire 2013-14 season due to injury, interestingly Denver’s best season since the Anthony blockbuster deal.

Having signed a two-year extension with the Nuggets in 2015, Gallinari could be playing on the final year of his contract with the Nuggets in 2017-18. Should he opt in, Gallinari would stand to make $16.1 million. Denver should have ample cap space, so it is probably in Gallinari’s best interest financially to opt out to see if he can’t get a few more million out of owner Josh Kroenke.

Gallinari will almost certainly never become the All-Star level player he was billed as with the Knicks. However, he could be the third-best player on a championship contending team if plopped into the right situation. His player option is still one of the more intriguing heading into late June.

Opting in would indicate that Gallinari likes the direction the Nuggets are going into 2017-18. A solid season with the Nuggets next winter could land him more coin that he’d probably make on the open market this summer. However, Gallinari opting out would mean that he wants more money or doesn’t believe the Nuggets are playoff caliber this upcoming season.

Home/NBA Free Agency