In recent news, it has been reported that the Cleveland Cavaliers had discussions with veteran player Danilo Gallinari regarding a potential signing with the team. However, according to The Athletic, Gallinari has ultimately decided to sign with the Milwaukee Bucks after being waived by the Detroit Pistons.
Gallinari's agent, Michael Tellem, confirmed that his client chose to join the Bucks because he saw an opportunity to make an impact on their frontline. This means that Gallinari will have a chance to actually play for the team, as opposed to being signed for depth purposes only.
With a 16-year NBA career under his belt, Gallinari has played for multiple teams, including the Pistons, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Washington Wizards. Although he spent a year with the Boston Celtics, he was unable to participate in any games due to an ACL injury.
Throughout his career, Gallinari has maintained respectable averages of 15.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, with a shooting percentage of 38.2% from the field. This season, in his appearances with the Pistons and Wizards, he has played in 32 games and averaged 7.3 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.
Had Gallinari chosen to sign with the Cavaliers, it is likely that he would have been signed for depth purposes rather than being expected to play significant minutes. At the age of 35, Gallinari's skillset as a 6'10' forward who can stretch the floor and provide offense still holds value in the league, but only in the right circumstances. The Bucks, with their need for more shooting options around Giannis Antetokounmpo, fit that mold.
However, Gallinari's style of play does not align with the current needs of the Cavaliers. He wouldn't be able to replace Evan Mobley in the starting lineup, nor would he be a better option than Dean Wade or Georges Niang as a bigger, more versatile forward coming off the bench. Wade, in particular, is a two-way player and offers more on offense than Gallinari does. Meanwhile, Niang is younger, sturdier, and has a slightly broader offensive skillset than Gallinari at this stage of his career. Additionally, the Cavaliers value Niang's presence in the locker room.
So, while it may seem like the Cavaliers missed out on Gallinari signing with their conference rival, the Bucks, the reality is that they don't actually need him. He may contribute to the Bucks in certain ways and potentially make them better, but he simply isn't good enough to crack the Cavaliers' rotation. Therefore, the Cavaliers aren't missing out by not acquiring Gallinari, as they have a solid roster composition that doesn't require his specific skill set.
