Sean Marks has made his first move as GM, waiving Andrea Bargnani. It is a rather uneventful first move seeing as Bargnani and the Brooklyn Nets had long been in talks of a buyout for the Italian forward. It seems that Bargnani got what he wanted, and the Nets won't be too heartbroken either.
Bye Bye Bargnani
Bargnani's short stint with the Nets was a pretty rough one. He averaged 6.6 points and 2.1 rebounds in 46 games this season. The Nets picked up Bargnani in July for the vets minimum on a two-year deal. It seemed like the signing could even turn out as a potential steal for Brooklyn, as long as Bargnani could produce decent numbers off the bench. The problem was that he did the exact opposite of that.
His time with the Nets has caused him to have his worst statistical season to date. Bargnani averaged 8.2 points less than his last season with the New York Knicks. On top of that, his rebounding numbers went down from 4.4 to 2.1 this season. At least the Nets didn't trade a first round pick for him.
The Italian Dirk?
Bargnani's career has been considered rather sad and disappointing thus far. He was selected 1st overall back in 2006 by the Toronto Raptors. Initially touted for his offensive skills, Bargnani was a highly scouted player coming out of Europe. Like most 7-foot European players, Bargnani was frequently compared to Dirk Nowitzki. He played in Italy for four years before joining the Raptors organization. The nine-year NBA veteran put up solid numbers in his rookie season, but could never quite live up to the height of being chosen #1 overall. After seven seasons with the Raptors, he was traded to the Knicks. His time with the Knicks was plagued with injuries and bone-headed plays. Despite all that, in the summer of 2015, the Nets decided to sign Bargnani.
Now that he's free from Brooklyn, Bargnani's best-case scenario is to sign with a playoff team looking to add a veteran presence in the paint. It won't be an easy time for the 30-year-old Italian, a few solid players are in his same scenario and they bring much more to the table. But hey, he could just get a ring. If that fails, he can always return overseas and even play for his home team in Rome.
Open Spot for the Nets
With Bargnani gone, the Nets now have room to sign a player to their roster. It will be interesting to see if Marks will decide to move in on a player or stick to the current lineup. A few players are available now due to trades from the deadline, but Marks has also talked about scouting both D-League players and players overseas. Be on the look-out for a potential signing in Brooklyn.