The Denver Nuggets and forward Danilo Gallinari are in the process of finalizing a two-year contract extension that will pay him an additional $34 million through the 2017-2018 season, Fox Sports reported Tuesday.
The Nuggets also are close to re-signing veteran reserve Darrell Arthur, the Denver Post reported.
The Gallinari deal restructures his existing contract and includes a $2.5 million increase on the $11.5 million owed to Gallinari as he enters the final year of his contract this coming season. Besides the $14 million Gallinari will make this season, he will receive $15.5 million in 2016-17 and has a player option of $16.1 million for the third year of the deal.
Gallinari, 26, missed the entire 2013-2014 season with a knee injury, and he averaged 12.4 points and 3.7 rebounds this past season. However, he showed significant improvement late in the season.
In the final 19 games, Gallinari averaged 19.3 points and 5.1 rebounds while hitting 40 percent of his 3-point attempts.
The 6-foot-9 Arthur is expected to return to the Nuggets for his third season. He averaged 6.6 points and 2.9 rebounds in 58 games in 2014-15 and is considered one of the team’s best defensive players.
The 27-year-old Arthur spent the first four years of his career with the Memphis Grizzlies.