Danilo Gallinari Announces Retirement: A Look Back at the Forward’s Impactful NBA Journey
Danilo Gallinari is calling it a career.
The veteran forward officially announced his retirement from professional basketball on Tuesday, closing the book on a 16-year NBA career that spanned 777 games and multiple stops across the league. Gallinari also had a strong presence on the international stage, representing Italy with distinction.
“It’s been an incredible journey filled with countless memories that I will carry with me for the rest of my life,” Gallinari shared in his announcement, a message filled with gratitude and reflection.
For Nuggets fans, Gallinari's name will always be tied to one of the most pivotal moments in franchise history - the Carmelo Anthony trade in 2011. That blockbuster deal reshaped the direction of the team.
Denver sent Anthony, Chauncey Billups, and others to New York, receiving a haul that included Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Timofey Mozgov, Kosta Koufos, and draft picks. It wasn’t just a trade - it was a cultural reset.
While Anthony was the star who defined an era in Denver, Gallinari became one of the faces of what came next: a hard-nosed, team-first group that emphasized ball movement, depth, and unselfish play. Under head coach George Karl, the Nuggets didn’t skip a beat.
In the 2012-13 season, they won 57 games - the most in franchise history at the time - and Gallinari was a major reason why. He averaged 16.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game that season, providing scoring, size, and versatility on the wing.
But just as things were clicking, disaster struck. In April 2013, Gallinari tore his ACL, a crushing blow that sidelined him for the playoffs - and, as it turned out, the entire following season.
Denver fell to the Golden State Warriors in the first round, a series that marked the beginning of Golden State’s rise to dynasty status. For the Nuggets, it marked the end of a promising chapter that never quite got the postseason payoff it deserved.
Gallinari rehabbed and returned, playing in Denver through the end of the 2016-17 season. In total, he suited up for 303 games in a Nuggets uniform, averaging exactly 16.2 points per game - a model of consistency during a period of transition for the franchise.
After Denver, Gallinari’s journey took him to several other NBA cities: Los Angeles (Clippers), Oklahoma City, Atlanta, Washington, Milwaukee, and Detroit. While he never quite found the same long-term fit he had in Denver, he remained a valuable contributor - a skilled scorer with size, a high basketball IQ, and a smooth shooting stroke that aged well with time.
Gallinari’s career might not have included All-Star appearances or championship rings, but he leaves behind a legacy of professionalism, resilience, and quiet impact. In Denver, especially, he’ll be remembered as more than just a piece in a trade. He was a cornerstone of a team that embraced a different kind of identity - one built on togetherness, effort, and belief in the collective.
And for fans who watched him battle through injuries, evolve his game, and keep finding ways to contribute, Gallinari’s retirement is a moment to appreciate a career that was, in many ways, about more than just numbers.
He helped turn a page for a franchise. He gave fans reason to believe in what comes after the superstar era. And now, as he steps away from the game, he does so with the respect of teammates, coaches, and fans across the league.
Grazie, Gallo.