Bargniani "we are the worst team in the NBA "

[enlightenment]

I think the rest of the raptors are sending a message to Bargs at DALLAS.

[jamiemaca]

The self proclaimed best player on the team has too big of an ego to come off the bench, plus he wouldnt add ANYTHING more than scoring, I want my bench players to add a spark and Bargnani isnt anything more than a chucker/black-hole

So many quotes I could have started from, this one just stood out. Andrea Bargnani is Andrea Bargnani - a talented shooter (much better than a 'chucker/black hole) who more often than not gives minimal effort on defence, and when things aren't going his way, offence too. However, I don't once recall him ever saying in public that he should be the centrepiece of the franchise, that he would refuse to come off the bench or that he was too big for the team. He is a role player thrust into a position into which he's not suited by a GM who has now lost all credibility and by a coach who may or may not have been pressured into making Bargnani his number one option - I doubt Casey was, but that's merely my opinion.

Blaming Bargnani for the Raptors' ills has become a hobby horse, just as Jose's defence or Bosh's lack of 'toughness' was in years past. Andrea is a good role player on a bad team, expected to do more than he's capable of because he's been dressed up by higher management as the team's saviour. Give the guy a break, he is the least of our teams problems.

[jamesk]

I dont know if it's all him, he's not the guy and never will be to have put all our chips on his shoulders is probably BC's and Casey's fault they should have known that, its their JOB. Ive always thought he would be an excellent 6th man, if you look back in his second season i think was his best year. He would come off the bench and shoot 3's and drive against the other teams much weaker bigs. He's being used wrong IMO yes he has been inconsistent but i believe he cant handle that role of being the MAN and its been proven for the last two years.

His second year was his worst, actually. What blame there is for this team falling short so far is Colangelo's; who's idea do you think it was to up the tempo, to make sure lowry got his shats, to make all the moves that were made, including and especially landry fields, BryCo, the big turnaround has turned into the big miscalculation and cast a shadow on all his previous, and unsuccessful moves, instead of saving him from them.

What is unfortunate, however, is it only would have taken one win plus the jazz and spurs ot games and the hand wringing wouldn't be nearly as intense, nor would their playoff chances; now, it will obviously be very difficult to stay motivated. What is more unfortunate, there will likely be just as much continuity next year as there has been the last...every year B.C. with Calderon, Kleiza, Anderson, Fields, Bargnani, Lowry, Gray and Johnson in various degrees of limbo and hopefully DeRozan is available but likely won't be going anywhere, ever, so Its TRoss, JV Ed and DD as a core that scares nobody, and instead of dealing from a position of relative strength with a playoff contending team and pieces, Bryan has to sell losers who lose and are sick and tired of losing but still lose on the trade market; the real tragedy of this season, in my opinion, is that it was about that trade for a 3 later in the year, but is getting harder and harder to see happening.

[Brandon]

It is at least partly their fault. Certainly BC's. I don't think they ever had a good defensive coach (before). During all his developmental years the organisation hasn't done a good job in development. That's strictly on BC. It's also their fault because they don't need to play him. If he doesn't do enough or didn't do enough in the past they should have acted upon it; e.g. by benching or trading him.

Like I've mentioned before, even if they have the basketball talent, not all talented players have the mental talent like the great players; some develop it, but most don't. He might be interested to be great, but (in my opinion) he lacks the mental toughness to overcome adversity and play through adversity (when he's tired it shows, when results aren't there it shows). People can blame him all they want for it, but it's going way too far for me to question his character just because he lacks the mental make-up to become a great player (or even a good player). It would be the same to attack Reggie Evans for his lack of skills. It's just silly.

"mental make-up"? Jesus Christ, there's a lot of deep thinkin' goin' on here. He's not good. You don't need to attach electrodes and Ghostbusters-type equipment to him to try to figure out the bloody why of it. Does it matter why? Bottom line, he sucks. He doesn't produce. He's gotta go.

[pcrombeen]

I dont know if it's all him, he's not the guy and never will be to have put all our chips on his shoulders is probably BC's and Casey's fault they should have known that, its their JOB. Ive always thought he would be an excellent 6th man, if you look back in his second season i think was his best year. He would come off the bench and shoot 3's and drive against the other teams much weaker bigs. He's being used wrong IMO yes he has been inconsistent but i believe he cant handle that role of being the MAN and its been proven for the last two years.

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/andrea...eer_stats.html

Take a look at Bargniani's second season. It was his worst as a pro (though this year is close). I assume you mean his third season but by then he was mostly starting. Bargniani has never been a productive piece off the bench.

For some people, a bench demotion would serve as motivation, but in Bargs' case I highly doubt that. Anyways, the same flaws are there whether he starts or comes off the bench. Frankly, I don't want a guy that doesn't defend or rebound anywhere in this lineup. Bargniani is not even a potential piece here. Maybe a franchise with better player development can get some useful contribution from him down the road, but that will never happen here.

The only question now is if we can get rid of his contract without having to give another team a goody to take him on. If nobody wants him, then I think it's amnesty time this off season. Then Colangelo, Gerhardini, and Bargniani can all take a gondola ride into the sunset, and this team can finally move on from our one of the darkest periods in our brief history.

[BasketballCrush]

Andrea is not that bad of a player on his own.


My biggest problem with him is that he does not play as a big and makes for a lopsided roster, because you have to correct for his deficiencies. Today, Ed Davis and Amir were kicking rebounds back to the guards, if they could get their fingers on it they did. I could of sworn it happenedend at least 5 times and 3 of those times we got 2nd chance buckets.

I have to think long and hard to the time Andrea did one of those, and he is a seven footer. It's that tenacity that I want from the PF spot. I would love to use Andrea as a guard, but he is not quick enough to guard the position. So you are stuck using him as a big man, and that is what hurts the roster, because he does not always play like one.

[GameBreaker]

He's a HUGE part of the reason we suck. He's a frikkin 7ft. basketball player...ball players that tall play PF/C and rebound/play defense. It's almost 5 on 4 with that LOSER on the floor. Trade his ass to a high school team in need of a mascot.

[Top5Pick]

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/andrea...eer_stats.html

Take a look at Bargniani's second season. It was his worst as a pro (though this year is close). I assume you mean his third season but by then he was mostly starting. Bargniani has never been a productive piece off the bench.

For some people, a bench demotion would serve as motivation, but in Bargs' case I highly doubt that. Anyways, the same flaws are there whether he starts or comes off the bench. Frankly, I don't want a guy that doesn't defend or rebound anywhere in this lineup. Bargniani is not even a potential piece here. Maybe a franchise with better player development can get some useful contribution from him down the road, but that will never happen here.

The only question now is if we can get rid of his contract without having to give another team a goody to take him on. If nobody wants him, then I think it's amnesty time this off season. Then Colangelo, Gerhardini, and Bargniani can all take a gondola ride into the sunset, and this team can finally move on from our one of the darkest periods in our brief history.

Yes the third season thanks for the correction ! He started 58/79 and I recall him being more consistent coming off the bench then starting, was like night and day. There's still value for bargs in the market so I don't think amnesty is the way to go yet, Someone else said that it would hurt Bargs coming off the bench, but he has to know its for the teams best interest and hopefully he would take it as motivation because to say it wouldn't, you would have to have insider information to know that he would respond that way.

[Eric Akshinthala]

Nothing but IGNORANCE. It was said from a certain point of view and is perceived by Raptor fans from a different point of view. This is simply a CULTURAL gap. How do I know? First hand experience to a point of regretting moving to Canada. Anyways, notice that he was speaking to Italian reporters. Andrea would not have said what he said to North American reporters 'cause he knows that he would have been misunderstood. He said it to Italiian reporters knowing they would understand him only he never expected it to leak locally and become an issue. The fact that some of you may conclude that I'm trying to defend Andrea itself proves my point.

[minks77]

Nothing but IGNORANCE. It was said from a certain point of view and is perceived by Raptor fans from a different point of view. This is simply a CULTURAL gap. How do I know? First hand experience to a point of regretting moving to Canada. Anyways, notice that he was speaking to Italian reporters. Andrea would not have said what he said to North American reporters 'cause he knows that he would have been misunderstood. He said it to Italiian reporters knowing they would understand him only he never expected it to leak locally and become an issue. The fact that some of you may conclude that I'm trying to defend Andrea itself proves my point.

It's not a cultural thing. I live in Rome, bargnanis home town, and the talk around here boils down to shaking ones head at the sorry representation of Italian basketball talent in the NBA. Hell, if you read the comments on the article it's a bunch of people calling him out for being so mentally soft. They are a little nicer about it because he's one of their own but the hold up bellineli as a guy with less talent but who maximizes it best he can and doesn't go whining in the press.

Romans are some hard headed people so this doesn't go down well here.

If you regret moving to Canada because of fans attitudes toward athletes you are more than welcome to leave. Maybe move to a soccer or cricket crazy nation where something like this would ruin the player forever or get him shot at by the mob. Think Andrea has it rough? Look how the media treat Rooney in England or bellitelli here in Italy. It's much worse.

[Soft Euro]

"mental make-up"? Jesus Christ, there's a lot of deep thinkin' goin' on here. He's not good. You don't need to attach electrodes and Ghostbusters-type equipment to him to try to figure out the bloody why of it. Does it matter why? Bottom line, he sucks. He doesn't produce. He's gotta go.

Swoosh

[j bean]

There are some things you don't say publicly when you are a member of a team. Of course he is frustrated with his awful season to date and it would have been more appropriate to point to his deficiencies as a big reason for much of the losing. Guaranteed they are going to be better without him.

[Frynoodle]

AB7 is not the guy Raptors want!

Beside one on one low post def (he just okay but not great). AB has nothing else on the table at the D end. No matter Lowry or Calderon, we need our big guys to protect the board, AB is fail as a pro basketball player, I could see lots of players even rookie could play the P&R or zone D much better than him, not even need to mention the rebound issue. In lots of game, his body language is terrible right after the opponent get an easy bucket even Raptors only down few points, this kind of attitude show his checking out and affect his teammate in the game.

His not a rookie anymore, his a former no.1 pick. he should carry the team, he should encourage the team when the team feel frustrated like Yao (who doesn't speak English good as well).

I don't care he could get 20+ or even 30+ points a game, he just like a Black hole on our def. , the fundamental problem of BC, as well as Raptors

[Long Suffering]

Now they are winning so we keep lottery pick this year!! Yikes!!

[Matt52]

Ryan Wolstat ‏@WolstatSun

An emotional Andrea Bargnani made it clear he was misqoted by Italian media. Not pleased. Teammates knew he didn't say it like that

Ryan Wolstat ‏@WolstatSun

Bargnani reiterated nobody is happy with record but did not say they were worst in league. Said he wouldn't ever do that to his teammates

I have a hard time believing this.

Not that he was misquoted - that would actually make a lot of sense because I don't think Andrea is stupid.

The unbelievable part is 'an emotional Andrea Bargnani....'

[Eric Akshinthala]

It's not a cultural thing. I live in Rome, bargnanis home town, and the talk around here boils down to shaking ones head at the sorry representation of Italian basketball talent in the NBA. Hell, if you read the comments on the article it's a bunch of people calling him out for being so mentally soft. They are a little nicer about it because he's one of their own but the hold up bellineli as a guy with less talent but who maximizes it best he can and doesn't go whining in the press.

Romans are some hard headed people so this doesn't go down well here.

If you regret moving to Canada because of fans attitudes toward athletes you are more than welcome to leave. Maybe move to a soccer or cricket crazy nation where something like this would ruin the player forever or get him shot at by the mob. Think Andrea has it rough? Look how the media treat Rooney in England or bellitelli here in Italy. It's much worse.

From your post I can tell that even though you mention you live in Rome, you are not of Italian descent rather Canadian or American. I'm saying this because not a single thing you say in your post indicates that you understood my post. I'm simply talking about "POINT OF VIEW". In other words, something said meaning something(from a certain "point of view") can be misunderstood as something else because the person/s listening understands from a different "point of view". You're talking about the general perception of Bargnani in Italy of which no mention is made in my post.

You also mention me regretting moving to Canada because of fan attitude of which again no mention is made in my post. Being misunderstood(when I first came) got so frustrating that I regretted moving to Canada. That would have been the case no matter which Country. In time you learn and I'm sure people like Bargnani do too, but once in a while things like what happened yesterday end up happening and things get blown out of proportion.

[DoNDaDDa]

im glad Bargs went public with this whole Raptors "worst team in the NBA" statement... IMO this pretty much puts the final nail in his coffin..hopefully i never have to see him wearing the raptors jersey again!

[psrs1]

A big part of the reason for the Raptors being a bottom feeder falls squarely on his shoulders.

#tradeBargnani

I wonder if he gets that?

[psrs1]

im glad Bargs went public with this whole Raptors "worst team in the NBA" statement... IMO this pretty much puts the final nail in his coffin..hopefully i never have to see him wearing the raptors jersey again!

The only problem with this is it may decrease his trade value if he does not prove he is healthy prior to any potential trade.

[NoPropsneeded]

I just hope they ship him out west. I really don't wanna see him torch us 4 times a year.