Andrea Bargnani contract actually makes sense for Nets
When Andrea Bargnani came to an agreement with the Nets over the weekend, basketball Twitter went up in arms.
How could the Nets bring in Bargnani??? He was terrible with the Knicks!
But on just a minimum contract, there's really no risk signing anyone, unless he's a guy who will tear apart your locker room. Even then, you can just cut him with almost no financial burden.
ESPN's Mike Mazzeo dives into just that argument, saying the Bargs contract is actually a nice signing. Here's more from him:
Injury issues have held the 29-year-old to just 137 games over the past four years. He's known as a shooter, though he's hit just 30 percent of his threes during that time period. Maybe the Nets, though, can find some way to fix him. Even if he's nowhere near what he was when he was scoring 20-plus a game in Toronto, the former No. 1 overall pick could be some form of a contributor if the Nets work him right.
(H/t ESPN's Mike Mazzeo.)
Photo Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports
The Nets are basically taking a $1.4 million gamble on Bargnani (and also giving him a second-year player option) in hopes that he's able to revive his career. Low risk, potentially high reward.
Bargnani joins a frontcourt reserve group that also includes Thomas Robinson, Willie Reed and Cory Jefferson.
The biggest question with that contingent is whether they can be reliable, especially given Brook Lopez's history of foot injuries.
Like Bargnani, Robinson is an underachieving journeyman former lottery pick, although he did have a strong stretch at the end of this past season with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Reed, who received a $500,000 guarantee as part of his deal with the Nets, has been a D-League player during his career.
Jefferson has some guaranteed money coming his way July 15, but will Brooklyn decide to cut the cord before then?
It's a patchwork group. The Nets hope it all works out. History suggests it won't. We'll see.
