3. Danilo Gallinari, Denver Nuggets
Soon to be 29, Gallinari is poised to be one of the most coveted free agents this summer.
At 6-foot-10, Gallinari’s ability to stretch the floor at his height is certainly a sought-after trait to possess in this day and age. And with the ability to switch between the 3 and 4 spots, Gallinari presents as a multidimensional player who can be used in various lineups.
This season, the Italian native posted 18.2 points and 5.2 rebounds in 33.9 minutes per game. Impressively, he notched shooting splits of .447/.389/.902 shooting splits, demonstrating a great deal of efficiency from all areas of the floor.
Over the course of the season, the Nuggets had an offensive rating (points per 100 possessions) of 112.1 with Gallinari on the floor, and just 107.5 when resting. Furthermore, Gallinari’s effect when connecting from deep has been evident. This season, Gallinari had 20 games in which he converted on three or more three-pointers. The Nuggets posted a 13-7 record during these performances.
His premier game of the season was a 34-point, 10-rebounds performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder. This included hitting 4-of-9 from three-point range.
Unlike Porter, Gallinari is an unrestricted free agent, having declined the player option on his existing contract. And considering his age, Gallinari is likely to seek a maximum return on this upcoming deal as it likely represents his last opportunity for a significant contract.
For their part, the Nuggets seem quite keen for Gallinari to return. recently, Nuggets’ general manager Tim Connelly noted:
"“Gallo has been a core piece of this team for a very long time. We have a fantastic relationship, so we’re always very up front and honest. If he opts out we’ll figure out how we approach that. He’s a guy who really enjoys Denver. He had a career year in a bunch of different statistical categories. He’s a guy who we know very well, and he knows us very well. I think it will be a pretty easy approach when you have that type of relationship.”"
The main downside with Gallinari has been his inability to healthy, having missed 71 games over the last three seasons. He also missed the entire 2013-14 season recovering from ACL surgery.
So with an expected asking price in the four-year, $80-90 million range, the Heat would need to be convinced on Gallinari’s overall health if they were to make such an investment.