Fans of the Boston Celtics were really excited when Danilo Gallinari was signed to the team last offseason.
His brand of smart offense is exactly the sort of thing that would make the already-great Celtics even better.
But then disaster struck shortly after he was acquired: Gallinari suffered a very serious knee injury and was sidelined before his first season in Boston began.
He has sat out the entire year but it looks like he is getting close to a big return.
NBA writer Jared Weiss posted a video of Gallinari on the Celtics’ practice court, moving with ease and putting up shots.
Danilo Gallinari is running some live drills now at Celtics practice pic.twitter.com/82zDR4cf97
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) April 11, 2023
He isn’t running at full speed and it’s clear he still has some way to go but he’s obviously getting much better.
The Celtics have been great this season and are in a strong position before the playoffs but they definitely wish that Gallinari was on their roster.
During his last season with the Atlanta Hawks, he averaged 11.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists.
It was imagined that he’d be a special, clutch player who could join the team’s bench.
Since he’s been gone all year and the Celtics have still surged, some have wondered if there will still be a place for him when next season begins.
Will the Celtics keep him on board or will they trade him away in the summer while his trade value is still high, despite the recent injury?
It looks like the Celtics are going to give him his chance to prove himself once he’s healthy but it won’t be until 2023-24.
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