Danilo Gallinari may have officially hung up his sneakers, but he’s still thinking about what could’ve been-especially when it comes to his brief, ill-fated stint with the Boston Celtics.
The veteran forward recently joined former Celtics teammate Derrick White on the White Noise podcast, and while the conversation touched on a range of NBA memories, it was Gallinari’s reflection on the 2022-23 Celtics season that stood out. To this day, he believes Boston had a real shot at winning it all-if only his knee had cooperated.
“I really believe that with my help, we could have gone to the championship,” Gallinari said. “We could have won a championship.”
It’s not just wishful thinking from a player looking back on a missed opportunity. Gallinari wasn’t brought to Boston to be a star-he was brought in to be a savvy, floor-spacing veteran who could stabilize the second unit, stretch defenses, and bring playoff experience to a team that had just made the NBA Finals. His ability to knock down shots, operate in the pick-and-pop, and play smart, switchable defense made him a potentially perfect fit for a Celtics roster that already boasted elite talent in Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart.
But fate had other plans. Gallinari tore his ACL while playing for the Italian national team in FIBA competition that summer, before ever suiting up in green and white. It was déjà vu for the forward, who also saw a promising season with the Denver Nuggets derailed by a torn ACL years earlier.
“My two chances of winning a championship were Denver that season-I tore my ACL. Boston-I tore my ACL,” Gallinari said.
That Denver team he referenced? A 57-win squad in 2012-13 that had all the makings of a deep playoff threat before Gallinari’s injury took the wind out of their sails. And while the Celtics still managed to reach the Eastern Conference Finals without him in 2023, it’s fair to wonder how much more dangerous they could’ve been with a healthy Gallinari in the mix.
Gallinari also took time on the podcast to reflect on the high points of his NBA journey, and there were plenty. “I always say that my four best teams and four best seasons were my third year in Denver, the year that I got hurt, my second year in Denver, the season in LA with the Clippers, my year in Oklahoma City, and then my first year in Atlanta,” he said. “These were three, four very good teams.”
Each of those squads had something in common: they were competitive, well-coached, and had a real shot at making playoff noise. Gallinari was a key piece on all of them, often playing a critical role as a high-IQ forward who could score in bunches and provide veteran leadership.
Now retired, Gallinari’s tone isn’t bitter-it’s reflective. He’s clearly proud of the career he carved out, and he’s not wrong to think he could’ve been the missing piece in Boston. Injuries are the cruelest variable in sports, and in Gallinari’s case, they showed up at the worst possible times.
Still, his belief in what that Celtics team could’ve been with him in the lineup? That’s not just nostalgia talking. That’s a player who knows the game, knows what he brings to the table, and knows just how close he came to the mountaintop-twice.