Danilo Gallinari Injury: Updates on Nuggets Forward's Recovery from Knee Surgery

Updates from Wednesday, June 11

NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper has the latest on Gallinari's recovery:

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He said he is ahead of schedule in being able to run and jump without limits in June — after surgery in January that marked the second procedure on the knee within nine months.

Next, he plans to join the Italian national team for seven to 10 days of practices, but not games, in mid-August.

Those would be his first full workouts, free of restrictions, and become a major progress report. If there are no setbacks in his native Italy, and the scheduled visit with his doctor in late August in Colorado goes well, Gallinari is hopeful of being cleared for Day 1 of Nuggets camp and the chance to play in exhibition games.

“I think training camp is realistic,” he said. “It’s something that we really talked about with the doctor. It’s something that we really want to achieve and we believe is going to be possible.”

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Original Text

It has been quite some time since NBA fans saw Danilo Gallinari on the basketball floor, but he was on the practice court Thursday as he continues to recover from the ACL tear he suffered in April of 2013.

Aaron Lopez of Nuggets.com provided some details:

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Four months removed from knee surgery, Denver Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari is moving without restriction as he works out in the weight room and on the Pepsi Center practice court.

Starting next week, his offseason conditioning program will continue in his native Italy as he gets physically and mentally prepared for a highly anticipated return to the NBA.

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Gallinari has been working out with the Denver Nuggets’ strength and conditioning staff, but he will likely train with the Italian national team a bit while in Italy.

He commented on his condition after training Thursday, via Lopez: “I’m doing very well. I’m able to go back to Italy and do everything I want. I can play a little basketball and come back ready for training camp.”

Rick Bowmer/Associated Press

That is good news for a Denver Nuggets team that missed the postseason entirely in the 2013-14 campaign.

Gallinari scored 16.2 points and grabbed 5.2 rebounds a game for Denver in the 2012-13 campaign and would give the team’s offense a much-needed boost if he returns fully healthy at the start of next season. What's more, he provides solid depth as a versatile forward who can slide in at multiple positions. 

Stay tuned for more updates as they develop.