Report: Clippers, Raptors "monitoring" Danilo Gallinari's availability

The Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers are among teams “monitoring” the availability of Nuggets’ swingman Danilo Gallinari, according to ESPN.com’s Marc Stein.

Stein writes that there is a growing belief throughout the league that the Nuggets are prepared to move Gallinari with the 29-year-old set to decline his player option and enter unrestricted free agency this summer. Denver doesn’t plan to “spend big” on Gallinari this offseason, per Stein.

“Now that the Jusuf Nurkic trade we’ve been anticipating for weeks has materialized at last, league sources say Danilo Gallinari is a prime Nugget to watch between now and the deadline. The Raptors and Clippers are among the teams said to be monitoring Gallinari’s availability, amid a growing belief that Denver is prepared to move him, given that the Nuggets anticipate that Gallinari will bypass the final season of his current contract (valued at $16.1 million) and join Millsap on the open market and don’t plan to spend big to retain the Italian.”

Gallinari, 28, is averaging 17.2 points and 4.9 rebounds for Denver this season. He’s shooting 43.2 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from three, Gallinari’s highest percentages since his rookie season in 2008-2009. Gallinari has missed Denver’s past six games with a left groin strain and reportedly could be out through the All-Star break. Gallinari will not play Monday against Golden State, the team announced Sunday.

Gallinari’s love and affection for the city of Denver and the Nuggets’ organization has been well documented. Just this past week, while the Nuggets were in New York where Gallinari played his first two years in the NBA and owns an Italian restaurant, the 6-foot-10 forward said he wants to end his career in Denver.

“I would love to end my career in Denver,” Gallinari said to Altitude’s Vic Lombardi. “I would love to see when I’m older my jersey retired at the Pepsi Center. I would love all that. Is it going to happen? I hope so. I don’t know.”

It seems unlikely the Nuggets would look to move Gallinari now, especially in the heat of a playoff race with the Portland Trail Blazers without netting a player of Gallinari’s stature and skill in return.

Denver will have ample salary cap room next summer and could look to re-sign big man Mason Plumlee, who was reportedly acquired Sunday in a trade that will be made official Monday. Plumlee will be a restricted free agent this summer but the Nuggets could have room for him in addition to Gallinari if Denver wants to hold onto both.

It’s difficult to find a trade with either Toronto or Los Angeles that would keep Denver on a path towards the playoffs without incorporating a third team.