Danilo Gallinari picks up $6.8million player option to return to Celtics in 2023-24

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported the news on Thursday.

The 13-year veteran from Italy missed the entire 2022-23 season after tearing his left ACL while playing for his native country in a FIBA qualifying game last August - a month after signing a two-year, $13.3million contract with the Celtics.

Expected to be a regular in the rotation for a Boston team with NBA title aspirations, the 34-year-old Gallinari signed with the Celtics after averaging 11.7 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 38.1 per cent from 3-point range in 66 games for the Atlanta Hawks in 2021-22.

His best season came in 2018-19 for the Los Angeles Clippers, when he averaged career highs of 19.8 points and 6.1 rebounds and shot 43.3 per cent on 3-pointers to rank fifth in the NBA among qualifying players.

Last summer's injury marked the second time Gallinari missed an entire season with a torn left ACL after tearing it a first time in April 2013.

He came back in 2014-15 with averages of 12.4 points and 3.7 rebounds in 59 games for the Denver Nuggets.

Selected sixth overall by the New York Knicks in the 2008 draft, Gallinari has career averages of 15.6 points and 4.8 rebounds and an average of 2.0 made 3-pointers per game.

Since his 2008-09 rookie season, the only player 6-foot-10 or taller with more made 3-pointers than Gallinari's 1,426 is Kevin Durant with 1,804.