Celtics' Danilo Gallinari's Knee Injury Diagnosed as Meniscus Tear, No ACL Damage

Boston Celtics forward Danilo Gallinari was diagnosed with a torn meniscus after suffering a non-contact injury on Saturday in the Italian national team's FIBA World Cup qualifier against Georgia.

A statement released Sunday by national team doctors said Gallinari suffered no damage to his ACL.

Italian coach Gianmarco Pozzecco initially told reporters the team feared Gallinari tore his ACL, which would have ruled him out for the entire 2022-23 NBA season.

As it stands, Gallinari will likely be able to make it back at some point in the early part of the season. How much time Gallinari ultimately misses will be determined by a combination of surgical strategy and how his body recovers.

Players have returned in as little as four weeks or missed several months. Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III returned less than a month after his meniscus surgery last season, whereas Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman missed the entire 2021-22 campaign amid a meniscus injury suffered in April 2021.

Gallinari signed a two-year, $13.3 million contract with the Celtics this offseason. The deal carries a player option for the 2023-24 campaign, which gives him some level of security if his recovery is on the longer end of the spectrum.

Gallinari spent the last two seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, largely playing a reserve role. He averaged 11.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting 38.1 percent from the floor last season.

Malcolm Brogdon and Gallinari were the Celtics' two most notable offseason acquisitions as they attempted to shore up their depth after winning the Eastern Conference in 2021-22.