OKC Finally Adds a Body to the Wing

The Thunder have acquired Danilo Gallinari, adding a veteran forward to a perimeter rotation that has been hollowed out since June. The move comes after a summer defined by departures — Wiggins, Joe, and then Dort — and one failed addition when Denver matched OKC's offer sheet to Spencer Jones in late July.

Gallinari is a long-tenured NBA wing with a reputation as a floor spacer and secondary scorer. He is not a defender in the Dort mold, and nobody should expect him to be. What he offers is a credible offensive option at a position where the Thunder currently have very little behind their core.

The depth picture is still unsettled. Ajay Mitchell, who averaged 14.2 points and 3.8 assists last season, has been dealing with a conditioning issue and his readiness for training camp remains unclear. Jaylin Williams is the primary forward option behind Holmgren, and he shot just 41.7% last year on modest volume. Gallinari at least gives the coaching staff another name to write on the whiteboard.

Whether he fits the rotation or functions as insurance, the Thunder needed this. The perimeter was bare. Now it is a little less so.