Exploring the Celtics' Options with the Disabled Player Exception Granted to Them for Losing Danilo Gallinari

Might the Celtics use this new resource to upgrade their depth at center?

Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Danilo Gallinari's ACL tear, which will likely keep him out for the season, cost the Celtics a career 15.6-points-per-game scorer who would've been able to come off the bench and make an impact for them.

How he scores also fits perfectly with what Boston needed. The 13-year veteran is a 38.2 percent three-point shooter on 5.1 attempts per contest; he's a reliable kick-out option who drilled 41.9 percent of his 3.6 catch-and-shoot threes last season. And he made 45.5 percent of the 1.5 wide-open shots he took from beyond the arc and converted his 2.4 open threes at a 35.4 percent clip, per NBA.com.

At six-foot-ten, Gallinari pairs size and veteran savvy to operate effectively in the low post, too, where he likes to catch the ball with his back to the basket, then face up and shoot over defenders.

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One shouldn't underestimate that losing him is a meaningful subtraction from the Celtics' rotation. And they especially shouldn't do so based on a nine-game sample size at the start of the season.

But it is encouraging that Boston's second unit has the second-highest offensive rating in the NBA and ranks in the top eight in net rating, per NBA.com.

The Celtics' new sixth man, Malcolm Brogdon, has done an excellent job anchoring Boston's second unit, generating 14.9 points and nearly four assists per game.

Where the Celtics might miss Gallinari the most is not having him in their center rotation. Blake Griffin hasn't made much of an impact, and before starting in Al Horford's absence in Saturday's win vs. the Knicks, he hadn't played in a week.

Luke Kornet's performance is encouraging, but after the NBA granted Boston a $3.23 million disabled player exception for the loss of Gallinari, the team may use it to beef up its center rotation without trading Payton Pritchard to accomplish that.

While the Celtics might wait until the buyout market heats up, if they want to sign a player at the pivot now, here are their best options.

Hassan Whiteside

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Hassan Whiteside's coming off a season where he produced 8.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game while backing up Rudy Gobert for the Jazz.

Defensively, the need for him to play in deep drops might dissuade Boston from signing him, and he might not be open to a role that includes not getting into every game and fewer minutes than he'd like when he does. However, he's the best overall center who's unsigned.

Dwight Howard

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The Celtics could also bring in Dwight Howard, who, in a recent appearance on Shannon Sharpe's show, Club Shay Shay, expressed his interest and stated his case for why Boston should do so.

.@DwightHoward on playing with the 2022 Celtics:

“I fell like I could be the Bill Russell of this era with that team.” pic.twitter.com/2U7ksreBvE

— Club Shay Shay (@ClubShayShay) November 2, 2022

Howard can protect the basket and help out on the boards. Regarding the latter, the Celtics are only surrendering ten offensive rebounds per game, two more than the Kings, who yield the least, per NBA.com.

And Boston's giving up just 2.9 more second-chance points than the Sixers, who are atop that category, relinquishing ten second-chance points per contest, per NBA.com.

Still, there's been nights where the Celtics pay the price for struggling to limit opponents to one shot per possession, like in consecutive losses, first giving up 16 second-chance points against the Bulls in Boston's first defeat this season. The Celtics then returned home and surrendered 14 points on extra opportunities in an overtime loss to the Cavaliers.

And while Howard's not as athletic as he once was, he's still a lob threat. He'd come with durability concerns and might not be open to the type of role Griffin accepted, but if he is, it's a tempting option to beef up at the center spot.

Tristan Thompson

Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Boston could also opt for a reunion with Tristan Thompson, who averaged six points and 5.1 rebounds while spending time with the Kings, a four-game stint with the Pacers, and finishing last season with the Bulls.

However, that seems unlikely. As does signing LaMarcus Aldridge, one of the many options the team explored in the wake of Gallinari's knee injury.

Last season, Aldridge averaged 12.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and a block per contest in 22.3 minutes of floor time in 47 appearances. However, with scoring being his primary contribution and the Celtics generating the most points per game, concerns about his mobility might dissuade them from adding Aldridge.

Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

Robert Williams made the trip to New York over the weekend, a small but encouraging sign. Before Boston's win against the Knicks, he shared he’s "stepping it up" in workouts and can do "really anything."

Williams also relayed that "they just try to hold me (back from) being a little too explosive sometimes, take my time with it. But pick and rolls, running the court, really doing a lot."

After undergoing an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee in late September and getting a PRP injection in that same knee, the Celtics are taking a cautious approach with the Timelord, who likely won't return to the court until late December or early January.

Boston could justify relying on lineups featuring Al Horford without Williams, and its second-unit centers, Kornet, Noah Vonleh, and Griffin, plus the lineups it deploys without a traditional option to play the pivot, to manage Williams' minutes. The same goes for doing so with the 36-year-old Horford.

The Celtics might also decide it's worth trading Pritchard and, or a second-round pick or two to upgrade their depth at center than sign one of the free agents mentioned or someone who gets bought out of his contract. But at least the $3.23 million disabled player exception they've been granted gives them greater flexibility while exploring their options.

Further Reading

Celtics Granted Disabled Player Exception for Danilo Gallinari

Here's Three Prop Bets to Look at Before Celtics-Grizzlies Matchup

The Top 5 Plays from Saturday's Celtics-Knicks Game

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Knicks: Boston Sets Franchise Record for Threes and Saves Its Best Quarter for Final Frame

Eager to Skip Ahead to the Playoffs, the Celtics Must Not Squander the Time Leading Up to It