Story by
"Kawhi didn't like the names" - Danilo Gallinari on why Clippers traded him and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Story by
- "Kawhi didn't like the names" - Danilo Gallinari on why Clippers traded him and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The 2018-19 Los Angeles Clippers undoubtedly had something going. Despite not having any superstars on the roster, they were a scrappy bunch that just refused to lose. Led by veterans Danilo Gallinari , Lou Williams , Montrezl Harrell and a plucky guard named Shai Gilgeous-Alexander , they pushed the powerhouse Golden State Warriors to the limit, forcing the top seed to play six games to eliminate them.
Despite the tough loss, the Clippers headed into the offseason with their heads held high, looking to use the momentum they gained to propel them further in the coming seasons. Unfortunately for Gallinari, the Clippers had a big plan to bring former NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard to L.A., and unfortunately, he had to be part of the package needed to land the two-way superstar.
Advertisement
Clippers needed a bona fide superstar
The Clippers were the feel-good story of that postseason. But as stirring as it was to see a group of no-names push the mighty Warriors to the hilt, the team's executives knew they needed more to reach the top. Gallinari recalled being consulted about what he thought the Clippers should do in the offseason.
"They asked me, Lou Will, and Pat Bev that year, what do we need? Because we overachieved, went to the playoffs. So we were not far from being a playoff team and a contender. And we all said, 'We need a superstar. We need one superstar. And I think we have a good team to be a contender," Gallinari shared . "Shai, you know, we knew that Shai was going to be a star. We just need one superstar. That's what we told them."
Advertisement
After receiving the input, the Clippers' brass took some time to strategize and then returned to the players with the idea of adding Leonard.
"Kawhi was just perfect. So we were all excited because we were like, 'S–t! next year, same team with Kawhi, we good.' And Kawhi, of course, was in his prime. It was amazing. He's still amazing, but, you know, injuries have been tougher for him," Gallinari continued.
"And so months later, Kawhi didn't like the names that he saw on our team, and he said, 'Well, you guys need to get Paul George . If you guys get Paul George, I'm coming to the Clippers.' So that put pressure on the team to bring Paul George some way, somehow. And that's when everything started and why me and Shai got traded to OKC ," he added.
Advertisement
Just business, nothing personal
Gallinari and Gilgeous-Alexander, along with a host of picks, were eventually sent to OKC as part of a package headlined by Paul George. With that, the Clippers immediately went from a team composed of spunky hoopers to a squad headlined by two All-Stars in their prime.
Advertisement
The Italian forward admitted feeling disappointed at not being able to see how their Clippers team would do had they remained together.
"I was disappointed because we all thought that we all needed just one superstar. We got Kawhi and we are good. But then, of course, Kawhi didn't like what he saw. So it wasn't great. But, you know, I understand the business. Being part of it for many years, I understand," he stated.
Gallinari played only one season with the Thunder and bounced around a few more teams before playing his last NBA game during the 2023-24 season. And as everybody knows by now, SGA went on to lead the Thunder to the 2025 title and win back-to-back MVP awards.
Advertisement
Kawhi's stint with the Clippers, meanwhile, was an unmitigated disaster, and he has since moved to the Toronto Raptors , while his former team deals with the fallout from the salary-cap circumvention fiasco in which he was allegedly involved.
Related: Kawhi Leonard is officially the worst signing in NBA history
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Sep 22, 2026, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
