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Now that the buyout season has started, the Miami Heat could add more reinforcements to their roster. One possible option is Danilo Gallinari, who the Pistons waived on February 8. However, the Sun-Sentinel’s Ira Winderman explained why he thinks it would be best for the Heat to avoid Gallinari.
“The Heat basically already have Danilo Gallinari in the form of Kevin Love. So, at best, a Gallinari acquisition on the buyout market would be redundant unless you are envisioning Danilo as an emergency fill-in should Love be sidelined. That rarely is what tempts a player to join a team, longshot odds of playing,” Winderman wrote in a February 12 story.
Besides seeing Gallinari as superfluous, Winderman explained why Gallinari wouldn’t have big a role with Miami.
“Otherwise, I can’t see Erik Spoelstra playing Danilo ahead of Caleb Martin or Haywood Highsmith. Now, if Danilo was amenable to being around solely as an emergency fill-in, then go for it if willing to add the cost to the luxury tax.”
The Celtics signed Gallinari in 2022, but he never saw the floor for them after suffering a season-ending ACL tear. They then traded him to the Wizards in their deal to acquire Kristaps Porzingis.
Danilo Gallinari Floated as Mid-Season Addition
While Winderman believes Gallinari wouldn’t help much, Sports Illustrated’s Anthony Pasciolla explained why the Heat should give him a flyer.
“At 6-foot-10, Gallinari showcases the ability to knock down shots from the arc. He is shooting 35.5 percent this season. The 35-year-old veteran can mesh with a multitude of forwards and big men on the Heat’s roster, including Bam Adebayo, Haywood Highsmith, and Jimmy Butler. Gallinari has played for seven teams in his 13 seasons, which has given him experience with a variety of coaches and teammates,” Pasciolla wrote in a February 9 story.
“With Gallinari beginning to meet with teams, the Heat should take advantage of the opportunity to add a veteran forward to the rotation.”
There have been no reports linking Gallinari to the Heat since the Pistons waived him. However, Gallinari’s market will heat up in the coming days if it hasn’t already.
Heat Interested in Danilo Gallinari After Celtics Trade
The Heat have been interested in acquiring Danilo Gallinari in the past. After the Celtics traded him to the Wizards, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson reported the Heat’s interest in him in the wake of a potential buyout.
“One league source mentioned veteran forward Danilo Gallinari as a Heat possibility if he receives an expected buyout from Washington,” Jackson wrote in a June 27, 2023 story. “Yahoo’s Jake Fischer said a buyout is likely.”
While the Wizards did not buy out Gallinari, they traded him to the Pistons, who didn’t keep him for very long before they waived him.
This, in fact, was not the first time the Heat have had interest in Gallinari. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported via his X account that the Heat tried to acquire him from the Thunder in 2020.
Miami, Memphis and Oklahoma City are working on an elaborate three-team deal that would land the Heat both Andre Iguodala and Danilo Gallinari, league sources tell ESPN. Talks are ongoing and could extend into Thursday, sources said.
That did not work out, but the Heat ended up with Jae Crowder and Andre Iguodala instead.
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Heat Potentially Adding Ex-Celtic Called ‘Redundant’: Analyst