Danilo Gallinari Undergoes ACL Repair

The Celtics signed Gallinari to fortify their rotation and provide a needed boost in offensive production from their second unit.

Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

In the fourth quarter of a FIBA World Cup Qualifier in late August, Danilo Gallinari, suiting up for the Italian national team, suffered a non-contact knee injury on a fast break.

The result was a torn ACL. Gallinari hasn't abandoned hope that he'll suit up this season, but Friday's left knee revision ACL repair will likely sideline him for the 2022-23 campaign. He's had numerous knee injuries throughout his career, including tearing an ACL in 2013.

The Celtics signed Gallinari with the taxpayer mid-level exception. As a career 15.6 point per game scorer, the 13-year veteran was brought to Boston to provide a needed scoring boost to a second unit that ranked in the bottom five in points per game in the regular season, averaging 30.2 per contest. In the playoffs, they ranked 14th out of 16 teams, providing only 22.5 points, according to NBA.com.

Gallinari also factored into the Celtics' center rotation, and it may have become his primary position. Losing him, likely for the season, and Robert Williams, who also underwent knee surgery on Friday, an arthroscopic procedure that comes with a recovery timeframe of 8-12 weeks, meaning he might not make his season debut until late December or early January, highlight the need for Boston to acquire a reliable center to upgrade its depth at the pivot.

Further Reading

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