Pitch-a-free-agent: Sending Danilo Gallinari our best offers
Free agency is when everything is possible. No matter how small your market is, all it takes is one sensational pitch. Because we’re helpful people here at The Step Back, we’re each picking teams and penning our best offers to the free agents we think those teams should chase. Here’s what we have for Danilo Gallinari.
Minnesota Timberwolves
No one else thinks you have anything left in the tank. We think otherwise. Come expand your career here and be the ultimate stretch-four to compliment Karl-Anthony Towns as he rises up to dominate the NBA in the coming years. Denver isn’t really that much different than Minnesota, also you’re closer to sea level here (bonus points).
Our Offer: Two years, $32 million, with player option for third year ($16 million a year flat)
— Brandon Jefferson (@Jefferson_Hoops)
Philadelphia 76ers
Danilo, if you want to escape the Golden State Warriors’ reign of terror out west, come to the Eastern Conference and join the team with the brightest long-term future. We’re hoping to add shooting and veteran leadership in free agency this summer, both of which you’d provide in spades. After playing with mediocre floor generals such as Emmanuel Mudiay and Jameer Nelson over the past few seasons, Markelle Fultz and Ben Simmons would be a welcome breath of fresh air for you, and Joel Embiid will have you asking “Nikola Jokic, who?” We also promise to keep our beleaguered medical staff at least 100 yards from you at all times if you sign with us.
Our offer: Three years, $60 million
— Bryan Toporek (@btoporek)
Oklahoma City Thunder
I’ll cut right to the chase. You’re a small forward. We desperately need a small forward. So, what are we waiting for? You’ll be the starting small forward on a playoff team, playing alongside the MVP of the league. We have around $11 million in cap space that we’re willing to give you on a one-year deal. Why take a paycut? Because the Warriors already won the 2018 NBA title. Why not spend a year inflating your stats playing alongside Westbrook and then really cash in next offseason?
Our offer: One year, $11 million
— Jeremy Lambert (@jeremylambert88)
Atlanta Hawks
Danilo, winning is something that’s hard to sustain in the NBA. You probably know that all too well. Four years ago, you won 57 games — since then, it’s been a constant stream of turnover and injuries. We know you’re ready for a change in scenery.
We also know what you can be — a number one scorer, initiating off designed screen curls and motion concepts and keeping the offense alive by getting to the rim. You’ve been your team’s best offensive player over the last two seasons, and about to turn 29-years-old. Hopefully you’re not ready to give that up to be an afterthought and ring-chase, because we believe you can still be an All-Star level player.
So come to Atlanta. You’ll get the best of both worlds. Next to Dennis Schroder, you can be the offense’s primary initiator without having to be its only self-creating threat. Coach Budenholzer is just salivating at the idea of springing you off flare-screens and complex pin-downs to create some beautiful opportunities for you to get open looks. We think your ability to play the four will also unlock some wonderful lineup possibilities for us. And probably of great interest to you — we’ll do our best to keep you healthy, as we’ve had the fourth-fewest games lost due to injury over the last decade.
Next: Pitch-a-free-agent: Sending Gordon Hayward our best offers
We’ve made ten straight playoff appearances in Atlanta, and we don’t plan on having that streak stop any time soon. We want you to be the reason we keep it going.
Our Offer: Four years, $72.4 million (18.1 million per)
— Trevor Magnotti (@IllegalScreens)