NBA Trade Deadline: Raptors, Clippers trying to acquire Danilo Gallinari from Nuggets

The Toronto Raptors (32-23) and the Los Angeles Clippers (33-21) are trying to acquire Denver Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari ahead of the Feb. 23 NBA Trade Deadline, per fresh reports. While the Nuggets haven't actively shopped Gallinari, there is a belief that they would trade the Italian veteran for the right price.

According to ESPN's Mark Stein, the Nuggets, after trading centre Jusuf Nurkic Sunday, could proceed to trade Gallinari ahead of the deadline. "League sources say Danilo Gallinari is a prime Nugget to watch between now and the deadline. The Raptors and Clippers are among the teams said to be monitoring Gallinari's availability, amidst a growing belief that Denver is prepared to move him, given that the Nuggets anticipate that Gallinari will bypass the final season of his current contract (valued at US$16.1 million, AU$20.9 million) and join Millsap on the open market, and they don't plan to spend big to retain the Italian."

Danilo Gallinari trade: Forward will be a free agent in July

Since Gallinari is a free agent in July, the Nuggets don't have too much leverage in potential trades. However, the team that acquires him will capture his Bird Rights and position themselves to out-bird interested suitors during July's free agency period. While Gallinari isn't expected to attract maximum-level contracts, the deals given to Chandler Parsons, Evan Turner, Kent Bazemore and Luol Deng last summer prove that borderline all-star players could get overpaid due to the NBA's rising salary cap.

Danilo Gallinari, who leads the Denver Nuggets in scoring, is averaging a tally of 17.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists this season. In the past, several general managers have hesitated to trade for him due to his long history of injuries. Will the Clippers or Raptors pull the trigger on a Danilo Gallinari trade? Stay tuned for the latest buzz surrounding the NBA Trade Deadline.