Nuggets Power Rankings: No. 1, Danilo Gallinari
The Denver Nuggets’ preseason roster includes 19 players, and the team will try to figure out which 15 of them deserve a shot during the regular season throughout the team’s seven-game exhibition slate.
But, for now, how do these players stack up? We polled our staff writers and editor at Nugg Love to get a consensus power ranking of every player on the roster, and we’ll be releasing one player each day throughout October, starting from No. 19 and finishing at No. 1.
Coming in at the top of the list is small forward Danilo Gallinari. He is one of the most consistent scorers for the Denver Nuggets. Not only has he been a strong scorer for the Nuggets but he can play positions 2 through 5 for Denver. Being one of the team’s leaders, expect Gallinari to make a big impact in 2015-16 in Denver.
Who is Danilo Gallinari?
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Gallinari is entering his sixth year in the NBA and fourth year with the Denver Nuggets. Last season, he averaged 12.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.
He was originally drafted sixth overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. He spent two years in New York, averaging 10.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. Then came the 2010-11 season. That season, Gallinari was sent to Denver in the Carmelo Anthony trade. Ever since that season, he has been a member of the Nuggets’ core.
In his four seasons in Denver, Gallinari has averaged 14.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
Strengths
Gallinari stands at 6 feet, 10 inches. You wouldn’t expect him to be a perimeter shooter, but he is an excellent one. During his tenure as an NBA player, Gallinari has shot 36.7 percent behind the three-point line.
Not only has he been effective behind the arc, but he converts his free throws at a fantastic rate. Over his career, Gallinari has hit 85.1 percent of his shots from the charity stripe.
But shooting isn’t the only thing Gallinari is good for.
Another strength of Gallinari is his position flexibility. He has the height to play either center or power forward, quickness to beat the bigger and slower center and power forwards, and he has the scoring ability to play small forward for the Nuggets as well.
Weaknesses
While Gallinari is 6’10”, he doesn’t have some of the skills that most players his height possess.
Gallinari has limited post moves. In the 2014-15 season, he averaged 2.5 drives per game. On those drives, he would attempt 1.3 shots per game on drives and he would convert 0.6 of those attempts. His inside-the-post numbers were not great in 2014-15 as well. Last season he averaged 0.8 paint touches per game. And on those paint touches, he would average 0.2 shots made on 0.4 shots attempted in the paint. So a man of Gallinari’s stature averaging these marginal type of numbers near the basket is very underwhelming.
Gallo isn’t an intimidating defender, either, as he can struggle to keep up with quicker players and isn’t strong enough to lock up bigger guys in the post.
2015-16 Outlook
When I say, “Gallinari is the only legitimate scoring threat for Denver”, it should not come as a surprise. He has been a consistent scorer throughout his career for the Nuggets. And he should be a consistent scorer once again for them during the 2015-16 season.
Expect Gallinari to put up numbers around 16 points, six rebounds and two assists per game this upcoming season. But if Denver wants to contend for the playoffs in the West, the Nuggets may need Gallinari to put up 20-plus points, nine rebounds and four assists per game.
Note: All statistics are from RealGM and NBA.com/stats.