Is Andrea Bargnani A Bust?
Watching Kwame Brown take the reigns at the center spot in LA while Andrew Bynum is down got me thinking: I am absolutely tired of hearing the number 1 pick in ‘06 is a bust.
Andrea Bargnani’s numbers are down from last season, his rookie year, while many expected him to have a breakout campaign. Watching those offensive skills he exhibited for a good stretch of the regular season sent some serious shivers down the spines of fans.
Was that a flash in the pan? Are we talking about a Michael Olowokandi or Joe Smith here? Not even close. Bargs has not regressed. His goods are still very evident at the offensive end. So, why hasn’t he taken off like people predicted? There are many, many reasons for that.
Bargnani is starting at center for the first time in his life, not his NBA career, in his life. He was a small forward for much of his youth and has played the last few years as a power forward. It’s not kosher to compare him to Brandon Roy, the stud taken in the same draft that has been handling the ball for all of his career. Bargnani is playing at a new position in a much different style of game. He hasn’t adapted well to the less physical style of the NBA. It takes a lot more for a big to foul a player in Europe and Bargnani has been plagued by committing touch calls while guarding highly athletic fours and fives (the likes of which he’s never seen before).
While backing up Rasho Nesterovic last season, Bargnani had the luxury of playing against team’s second units. Il Mago’s minutes are virtually the same as last year, but that time was spent playing against guys he could easily hang with. He started only 2 games in ‘06-’07 and his numbers are down minimally: 11.6 vs 9.4 PTS, .427 vs .390 FG%, and half a board. That is all while playing against better players.
As for the rebounding criticisms, Il Mago does not have that knack of getting after it on the boards. It’s not in him at this point but it is something that can be taught. He’s just never had to do it the way he’s needed to on this team. His numbers in Europe reveal he wasn’t much of a glass cleaner there either. Jorge Garbajosa’s absence at the small forward spot magnifies Bargnani’s inability to rebound the ball, especially considering Chris Bosh’s slow start. Yes, Jorge Garbajose is the solver of all problems.
Being taken out of the starting 5 can be a difficult transition for any player, and it was especially hard on Bargnani. He was yanked after only 5 games at the start of the season and has been playing in various roles since. Bargs was reinserted with the top dogs in late December but he’s still feeling out his situation. He’s always been a star on his team and has had to adapt to being less of a focal point. Bargnani’s only 22 years old and add in the fact he missed some time with knee trouble, and you can see there are a ton of variables to consider.
I’m not trying to make the point that Bargnani will be a superstar in this league, but it is way too early to judge him now, considering all he is going through. He has the fire to learn and the desire to be a superstar. A better question to ask is, was he the right player to draft for this team? Chris Bosh is the centerpiece of Toronto and he’s always been an average rebounder and defender. He does some nice things to effect the game inside, on both ends, but Bargs might not be tough enough to really compliment CB4.
If GM Bryan Colangelo drafted the Italian with the hopes the Raptors would outscore teams, a la those Phoenix Suns he built, then that would could be a more viable option once Bargnani becomes a little more competent. With an eye towards the future, Colangelo made these additions over two years: T.J. Ford, Jason Kapono, Anthony Parker, Bargnani, Juan Dixon, Fred Jones, etc. These are athletic players that can score. Bargnani might very well be a huge part of the team in the future, but it makes sense he isn’t right now.
Comments (17)WeTube: Bargnani and Belinelli’s Nike Ad
I’ll admit it: my Italian is horriblio. But if a certain YouTube commenter is to be trusted, Bargnani’s telling Warriors’ rookie Marco Belinelli that he’ll soon be in charge of making breakfast, folding laundry and defending Kobe Bryant. Or something like that.
Comments (14)Andrea Can Also Be A Manly Name
When I turned on the Mavs-Raps game Sunday afternoon, Dirk had the ball at the elbow with Andrea Bargnani guarding him. Dirk made one of his usual shimmy-shakes to lose the kid and hoisted up a shot but Il Mago got up and swatted it away. The two spent the rest of the game going at each other. Dirk was really getting in to it, making those ugly stick-out-your-tongue faces at the Raps’ bench, especially when he posterized Bargnani with a monster two-handed jam. Andrea took a few bad shots and Dirk definitely won the battle but there were more similarities than differences between the 7-foot Euros. Bargnani is getting recognized occasionally, especially by coaches and scouts, but he’s being slept on by a lot of NBA fans. No, the kid’s not a superstar but he’s showing brilliant flashes on a nightly basis. He’s a natural when it comes to passing, shooting and driving. His ability to block shots and defend players on the perimieter and inside has already improved a lot. I can’t count how many times he’s brought me out of my seat (check the vid). Only 3 months in to his career, people should start to see the potential this kid possesses. Dirk sure does:
“He’s a better player than when I was 19 or 20,” Nowitzki said of the 21-year-old Bargnani. “He’s going to be a heck of a player. He’s a little more athletic than I even was back then. He can drive a little better than me.”
Dallas 97, Toronto 96 [Yahoo! Sports]
Comments (2)Tas: Fred Jones Will Style And Profile This Year
Here’s another small bite of a Raptors Q&A Tas just did. This time the Q’s come from fellow Canadian blogger Mutoni, who’s currently representin’ for SLAM Online. To read Tas’ entire piece, click here.
And yes, Tas — our Raptors season previewing machine — runs on AA batteries and cinnamon. True story…
Q. Fred Jones always seemed like a player who should have been doing more in Indy. Can he thrive in Sam Mitchell’s system?
A. We will see Fred Jones style and profile all over the court this year. Jones feels a sense of freedom after getting out of the shackles that is Rick Carlisle’s system. He has made comments about going back to playing the free-flowing style the way he did in high school and college. Expect him to get out on that fast break and show people why he was the 2002 Slam Dunk Champion. Even though he will likely be coming off the bench, Mitchell has shown he trusts Jones by allowing him to handle the rock when running his trademark pick-and-roll. 14 ppg, 4 rbs, 2 ast, 1 stl.
Raptors Preview [SLAM Online / Mutoni’s Spot]
Comments (2)Barg-NAH-nee … Top FIF-tee?
As a last minute sub, SLAM asked me if I would write a quick three hundred on the Italian Stallion that is Andrea Bargnani. I did.
While you’re over there, make sure you pay close attention to the comments. Yeah, I’m pretty sure someone refers to me as CBS SportsLine’s Tony Mejia. Suh-weet!
46. Andrea Bargnani [SLAMonline]
(Note: My weekend plea for Atlanta’s Air Force music video to find rotation on the triple-dub has finally grown some wings. Yeah, apparently Lang’s got connections and he’s damn well going to use ‘em. Stay tuned.)
Comments (3)About
The Basketball Jones is a NBA blog and podcast, written and recorded five times a week by J.E. Skeets, Tas Melas and Jason Doyle. Comments, questions and cold hard cash are always welcome and much appreciated. Contact us.
Podcast
Latest Episodes
- Ep. 329: Finals, Game 6 – Wednesday, June 18th
- Ep. 328: Finals, Game 5 – Monday, June 16th
- Ep. 327: Finals, Game 4 – Friday, June 13th
- Ep. 326: Finals, Game 3 – Wednesday, June 11th
- Ep. 325: Finals, Game 2 – Monday, June 9th