The L.A. Clippers have agreed to a three-team swap with the Denver Nuggets and the Atlanta Hawks for small forward Danilo Gallinari, who agreed to a three-year, $65 million contract with Lob City, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The deal will send Gallinari to L.A. via sign-and-trade from the Nuggets, the Clippers will send guard Jamal Crawford, center Diamond Stone, a 2018 first-round pick (from Houston) and cash considerations to the Hawks, as Atlanta sends a 2019 second-round pick to the Nuggets to complete the exchange.
Gallinari had his hopes set on a return to Denver, but the Nuggets chose to sign free agent forward Paul Millsap to a three-year, $90 million contract, as the Clippers created the salary cap space necessary to make him an offer too hard to resist.
L.A. is re-tooling after the departure of point guard Chris Paul last week, as the dime wizard opted into the final year of his deal and was traded to the Houston Rockets after making his intentions known to the organization.
The 28-year-old Italian marksman posted 18.2 points per game while shooting 39 percent from deep and 90 percent from the line during his last season for the 40-42 Nuggets, who missed the playoffs by only one game.
The Hawks decided not to sign hybrid forward Paul Millsap after first-year general manager Travis Schlenk's plans to rebuild Atlanta’s roster.
At 37 years old, Crawford won't factor into their plans for the future and is expected to either be traded; as the team prefers, or work out a buyout if trade talks don't progress accordingly.
He also expressed willingness to play with the team, given his familiar stint with the franchise from 2009-11.
Among some of the contenders vying for the three-time Sixth Man of the Year are the Golden State Warriors, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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