Tim BontempsESPN
Boston forward Danilo Gallinari suffered a torn ACL in his left knee while playing for the Italian national team, the Celtics announced Friday, an injury that could cause him to miss the entire 2022-23 NBA season. Gallinari previously tore the same ACL in April 2013 and missed the entire 2013-14 season after undergoing two surgeries. The typical recovery time for an ACL tear is six to 12 months, and a source told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that Gallinari is determined to try and return sometime late in the 2022-23 season. “This has been a difficult week for me as I learned the extent of my injury,” Gallinari wrote in a social media post. “This game means everything to me and not being able to be on the court with my Celtics teammates hurts. I plan to give everything I can to the Celtics organization and my teammates as we chase a title.” The 34-year-old Gallinari was injured Saturday during a FIBA World Cup qualifier against Georgia. He grabbed his left knee after a bounce in the lane before going to the sideline, holding the back of his knee as trainers rushed to his aid. Gallinari then went to the locker room with the help of a staff member and a teammate. The Italian team had announced that Gallinari had suffered a torn meniscus. Gallinari signed a two-year, $13.2 million contract — including a player option for the second season — with the Celtics as a free agent last month. The power forward, who averaged 11.7 points and shot 38.1 percent from 3-point range in 66 games for the Hawks last season, came — alongside Malcolm Brogdon, whom Boston acquired in a trade against the Indiana Pacers in July — bolster the Celtics’ depth and give them some extra offensive punch after the Eastern Conference champions saw their offense struggle at times in their NBA Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors. Gallinari has never played in the Finals in his 13 NBA seasons. Long considered one of the NBA’s top shooters, Gallinari is a 38.2% career 3-point shooter, and his 1,426 career 3-pointers rank 23rd among active players and third — behind Kevin Durant and Kevin Love — among players 6. -foot-10 or taller. According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the Celtics will be able to claim a designated player exception to replace Gallinari. That would give the Celtics $3.2 million to either sign, trade or claim a player on a contract up to that amount. Including Al Horford’s nearly fully guaranteed deal, Boston has 11 guaranteed contracts on its roster along with several players on non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed deals who are expected to compete for roster spots in training camp.
