Ciao Gallo: Danilo Gallinari heading to Clippers in sign-and-trade

The proposed three-team deal between the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, and Los Angeles Clippers, that would send Danilo Gallinari to L.A. has been agreed upon in principle, according to multiple reports.

Gallinari will reportedly receive a three-year contract worth $65 million. In his first year Gallinari is slated to make $20 million.

Los Angeles is sending Jamal Crawford, Diamond Stone, a 2018 first-round pick, and cash consideration to the Atlanta, and the Hawks are sending a 2019 second-round pick to the Nuggets.

After Denver reportedly agreed to terms on a three-year $90 million contract with Paul Millsap on Sunday, the door essentially closed on a possible Gallinari return to Denver. The Nuggets simply didn’t have enough cap space to bring back the swingman on a deal of his liking.

The Nuggets will not be able to officially sign Millsap to his contract until the completion of the trade, which will occur when the NBA’s moratorium period ends on Friday.

Denver was reportedly looking to clear space to sign another free agent like Gallinari or point guard George Hill, who they were rumored to have interest in, but no salary-shedding trade came to light.

Gallinari is coming off one of his better offensive seasons in Denver where he averaged 18.2 points on 44.7 percent shooting from the field and 38.9 percent from three. The 6-foot-10 forward also saw action in 63 games, the most he’s played since the 2012-13 season.

With the trade, the door closes on Gallinari’s nearly six-year run in Denver.

After the Nuggets acquired Gallinari from the Knicks as a piece of the 2011 Carmelo Anthony trade, the swingman went on to help Denver to three playoff appearances. He tore his ACL in April 2013, which kept him out of the Nuggets’ 2013 first-round defeat at the hands of the Golden State Warriors.