Gallinari, Nuggets agree to extension
By Sports Network
|
  
|
  Thunder guard Russell Westbrook battles for a loose ball against Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Okla., April 17, 2011. (BILL WAUGH/Reuters) |
DENVER - The Denver Nuggets and Danilo Gallinari have agreed to a multi-year contract extension.
The Denver Post reported the deal to be a four-year, $42 million pact.
Gallinari joined the Nuggets last season in a blockbuster trade that sent Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups to the New York Knicks. The 6-foot-10 small forward had been averaging 15.9 points for New York at the time of the trade.
The Italian is having an even better season in his first full campaign in Denver, averaging 17.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. He was especially productive against his former team last Saturday, dropping a career-high 37 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in a 119-114 win over the Knicks.
"Gallo has been excellent and done everything we have asked since we made the trade last February," Nuggets executive vice president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri said. "Everybody is seeing how talented he is, and he's only 23 years old. He is only going to get better."
Reserve center Kosta Koufos, who also came over from Minnesota in the aforementioned three-team trade, also inked a multi-year extension with the Nuggets on Wednesday.
The seven-footer is averaging 3.3 points and 2.4 rebounds in 8.9 minutes per game during his NBA career.
