Former Nuggets Star Is Eyeing Return to NBA After Signing Overseas

Gallinari played 14 years in the NBA, not including two seasons that he missed entirely due to injury, and his best time was with the Denver Nuggets. Gallinari was traded from New York to Denver in the 2010-11 season, and he was with the Nuggets until the 2017 offseason.

Gallinari's best season was in 2016-17, when he averaged 18.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game with 44.7/38.9/90.1 shooting splits, becoming Denver's leading scorer and being a great piece alongside future three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.

Gallinari also spent time with the Atlanta Hawks, LA Clippers, OKC Thunder, Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks, and Detroit Pistons throughout his career.

Gallinari jumps overseas

After falling out of the NBA, most recently suiting up for the Bucks in 2024, Gallinari made his way to Puerto Rico, where he recently won his first professional championship and Finals MVP with the Vaqueros de Bayamón.

Since Gallinari is from Italy, it would not shock anyone to see him move to the European basketball world. Gallinari spent the few years leading up to the start of his NBA career with Olimpia Milano, becoming one of the team's best players before getting drafted. However, in a recent episode of the A Cresta Alta podcast, Gallinari revealed that his former team has not offered him a spot.

"Coming back to Milan has always been a dream. But to come back, you have to be wanted," Gallinari said. "Even during my last years in the NBA, I thought about coming back to Milan... I've received calls from Italian and EuroLeague teams, even recently. I've never received a phone call from Milan. To come back, you have to be wanted. At 37, it’s now very difficult to return to Europe for both basketball and non-basketball reasons."

A return to the NBA?

While Gallinari has dreams of returning to Milan, he also has aspirations of an NBA comeback.

"Hopefully, I always hope [for a return to the NBA]. If I were to return, it would be as a veteran, kind of like insurance for a franchise," Gallinari continued. "I wouldn’t play much and would serve as a helpful presence."

The 37-year-old forward would likely be a great veteran presence on any NBA team, but of course, one that comes to mind is the Nuggets. Returning to Denver, the NBA franchise that he has spent the most time with, to reconnect with European superstar Jokic and be a depth piece toward the bottom of the bench seems like a great idea for both sides.