Danilo Gallinari is heading to the Los Angeles Clippers as part of a three-team deal.
Look for the Hawks to buy out the contract of Jamal Crawford in the coming days.
The LA Clippers, Denver Nuggets, and Atlanta Hawks have agreed to a three-team trade that sees Gallinari moving on to the Clippers in a sign-and-trade after inking a brand-new 3-year, $65 million contract.
The Nuggets receive a 2019 second round pick from Atlanta. That pick was previously acquired by the Hawks from the Washington Wizards.
The Hawks agreed to eat the contract of Jamal Crawford, while also receiving Diamond Stone and a 2018 first-round pick that originally belonged to the Houston Rockets.
The biggest piece in this trade is obviously Gallinari.
The 6-10, 28-year-old becomes the outside shooter and floor spacer that the Clippers have been lacking for years.
Last season Gallinari averaged 18.2 points and 5.2 rebounds a game for the Nuggets while shooting nearly 39% from 3-point range (on 5 attempts a game) and 90% from the free throw line.
While the rest of the NBA seems to be going small, he joins the 6-10 Blake Griffin and 6-11 DeAndre Jordan in one of the NBA’s tallest frontcourts.
Reports suggest that the Hawks and Crawford are already engaged in buyout talks. One of the best 6th men in NBA history, the 6-5 Crawford turned in another solid season last season, but the now 37-year-old is certainly showing signs of slipping.
Expect him to be bought out and for him to latch on with a contender in a final run at a ring.
The 6-11, 20-year-old, Stone gives the Hawks a project big man to work with. Highly touted coming into to college and during the draft process, he played just 7 games with the big club last season averaging 1.4 points and 0.9 rebounds in 3.4 minutes a content.
