In a recent report by NBA insider Michael Scotto he said the Washington Wizards expect to “field calls” from other teams pursuing shooting and a back up point guard. This intel drop comes to nobody’s surprise as most fans of the team expected the Wiz to be pretty active in trade discussions this year.
The only names included in the article were Danilo Gallinari, Landry Shamet, and Delon Wright. All three are veterans who have been around the league and have had great impacts on winning basketball. Two of them were acquired by the Wizards this summer during the blockbuster duo of trades involving Kristaps Porzingis and Bradley Beal.
The clear outlier here is Gallinari. While Shamet and Wright both have established trade value due to their excellent play last season and are both relatively healthy, he does not. The 35-year-old suffered a torn ACL prior to last season and did not suit up for the Boston Celtics.
His trade value plummeted due to his injury. Now his age and injury history are factors rival franchises must consider before trading for the Italian forward. This will likely mean that he will spend the first half of the season rebuilding his trade value.
However, there are still a few teams that should be interested in the services of Gallinari as a stretch big off the bench.
The Dallas Mavericks could trade with the Washington Wizards for Danilo Gallinari
After losing both Christian Wood and JaVale McGee this offseason, the Dallas Mavericks could use some direction in their front court. Danilo Gallinari not only fits that need to a t but would also fit next to the dynamic duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving almost perfectly.
The only obstacle for this trade partner is the fact that making this deal work is a little difficult for the Mavericks without bringing in a third team to make salaries work. They could expand the trade, but it’s unlikely that they are too interested in the other players the Wizards have on the trade block.
The Mavericks also have very little in terms of assets the Wizards are looking to acquire in trades. They only have two second round picks, one from the Toronto Raptors and one from the Miami Heat. They also only have a few young assets, none of which should be available in a trade featuring a post injury Gallinari.
If the two teams can come to terms on a deal, this would be one of the best places for the 13-year NBA veteran to land. However, it’s unlikely that both teams can find a way to leave the trade happy.
Team No. 2: The Cleveland Cavaliers
While the Cleveland Cavaliers may already have a dominant defensive frontcourt, they are severely lacking in terms of scoring at the 4 and the 5. Adding Danilo Gallinari could offer a much-needed boost to their bench.
They even have manageable contracts that the Washington Wizards may be interested in. Isaac Okoro is likely the lead candidate here as a player with potential to do great things as a role player on a team.
Finding a way to pick up Okoro while providing frontcourt depth and possibly relieving the cap strain for the Cavaliers front office without giving up any picks would be seen as a huge win for both franchises.
A possible trade could include Ricky Rubio in an effort for the Cavs to send out over twice as much money as they would be receiving. He could be bought out or waived by the Wizards shortly after if they choose that direction.
The largest issue stopping this trade is the fact that Gallinari has never been the healthiest player in the league. In fact, he only has four seasons in his career where he has played over 65 games.
As they say, the best ability is availability. The Cavaliers may not be willing to trade for a player who may not play, especially since they are a contending team this season.
Team No. 3: The Golden State Warriors
No other team in the league is in as much desperate need for size on their roster than the Golden State Warriors. The tallest player on their roster is Kevon Looney at six-foot-nine. Adding the six-foot-ten Danilo Gallinari from the Washington Wizards could help soften this issue.
If they were to move for the 35-year-old, he could fit into a similar role to what Nemanja Bjelica did for the team in their most recent championship run but better.
However, they have little to no trade assets that are both intriguing to the Wizards and also make enough money to make the trade legal outside of Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody. Neither of those players would ever be involved in a realistic trade for Gallinari at this stage in his career.
The only clear direction to making a trade like this work is if Jonathan Kuminga were to request a trade ahead of the deadline. Even then, it’s unlikely as there are other teams who will likely outbid the Wizards in that scenario.
While these teams may not have the best packages to offer the Washington Wizards, they are definitely the best teams for Danilo Gallinari and his goals for next season and his fit with the teams. His size and skillset mesh perfectly with all three options.
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