Disclaimer: What follows are quotes from an article using Google Translate. This is a rough translation, and should be taken as such. However what he says in the interview is fairly clear. Shout out to Adam Mares for making me aware of the translation on Twitter.

Danilo Gallinari gave an interview with La Gazzetta Dello Sport in Italy talking about his role on the Denver Nuggets and if he believes he can win a championship in Denver. Here are some choice cuts of that conversation.

Danilo, are you ready to be the next leader of Denver?

“I’m always ready, but clearly serve a coach and a company that will give me that role. The goal must be to not finish the season in mid-April: you have to go to the playoffs and try to go there as far forward as possible. The company has the best intentions, so we have to build a winning team.Although I am known for a time my friends and I hope that the current roster is almost the same.”

The Nuggets have not a coach: you would have Melvin Hunt?

“Yes, I hope that he is our next coach. Very familiar with the basketball, not only the US but also the European one, a feature that in a NBA coach can make a difference. It ‘a very positive person, very good at motivating players.I know what he wants to do and I think the coach has the opportunity to succeed. It would be nice to do it together.”

By difficulties with his predecessor, Brian Shaw, what have you learned?

“A not take anything for granted. He had no patience with me, and when you have a player who has a certain status in the NBA and the team have to have it. I think of people like Rose and Westbrook, who had injuries similar to mine and that the return still played 35 minutes and had people around patients. Things would have gone differently if he had been with me, as it was now, with which I have a great relationship and the same views. But the company and Shaw were never on the same page.”

What goal have you given to this stage of your career?

“I want to win the ring and do it as a protagonist. A trophy team gives you something that you do not have an individual from.”

Do you think there are conditions to do in Denver?

“Yes, and it shows that before changing coach and gm we made ​​the playoffs for 10 straight years, since I was 3 on the team and not having much luck. We were on the right track , we can go smoothly.”

If you were to realize that in Denver there are the conditions to win, are you ready to change?

“I do not want to think about it now because I really like Denver. I have a good relationship with society and with the people, the environment around the deductible is beautiful. It would be a dream to do something important there.”

Are you feeling your friend Mozgov?

“Yes, almost every day. He called me the last time after he took photos with the trophy of the Eastern Conference. It ‘very happy, he deserves everything that’s going on because it’s a smart guy and good. The thing that impressed me most, however, is when I said I do not know how I am, I’m so tired I do not understand what my body is telling me. I’m happy for him. “

What's interesting about this interview is the general positive tone that Gallinari has about the Nuggets current situation. Something that isn't often expressed around these parts. The desire to be THE leader of the team is something that he has expressed with growing volume as the offseason has progressed. Also Gallo has made no secret about how much he likes the city of Denver and has said it repeatedly. Nice to hear though, as questions often surround veteran players on teams in transition.

Also, his thoughts on Brian Shaw aren't new. Quite frankly I saw Shaw's lack of patience with Gallo myself and pointed it out repeatedly. Melvin Hunt has a pre-existing relationship with Gallo and obviously the player is a big supporter of the interim coach. However, if it's not Hunt, the next coach will have to find that way to use Gallo in the best way possible going forward.