No player encapsulates the plight of the New York Knicks quite like Andrea Bargnani. Acquired from the Raptors for a preposterously high price, he was supposed to provide floor spacing as a 3-point shooting big man, though his shooting numbers had been on a steady decline. He certainly didn’t endear himself to fans in his first season with an abysmal 27.8 percent shooting mark from 3-point range, or with bonehead plays like this:
Now he’s no longer a Knick, and, apart from Carmelo Anthony, nor are any of the players he was brought in to complement. He wasn’t the Knicks’ only problem, nor their biggest, but considering all the money he made and the first-round pick and second-round picks the Knicks gave up to get him, there likely aren’t many Knicks fans who are missing him.
That said, in the games he wasn’t hurt during this last season, he had his best shooting season in years. While it was hardly fortune-changing for the Knicks, he was not a complete black hole offensively.
So maybe it wasn’t all that surprising that a couple teams thought there was a space for him on their roster. Then again, those two teams were the Kings and the Nets, whose recent histories have not entirely engendered a great deal of respect for their decision-making.
When Bargnani signed with the Nets today, after previously being rumored to be close to a deal with the Kings, the reaction was… interesting.
Oh darn. We “missed out” on Bargnani.
— Vacation! (@Aykis16) July 13, 2015
Even Andrea Bargnani will leave money on the table to play somewhere other than Sacramento. What a time to be alive.
— Jimmyist (@jimmyist) July 12, 2015
I’d give up a limb to see Billy King and Vivek in a room outbidding each other for Andrea Bargnani.
— Michael Levin (@Michael_Levin) July 12, 2015
I assume the Nets signed Bargnani just to troll the Knicks as a reminder why they don’t have a first round pick? Only logical reason.
— Robin Lundberg (@robinlundberg) July 12, 2015
Someone signed Andrea Bargnani. It doesn’t matter who. OK, the Nets. After Sacramento was interested. This is good. The world needs laughter
— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) July 12, 2015
Kings fans breathe a sigh of relief as Andrea Bargnani spurns their team, possibly for being too trash
— ☕netw3rk (@netw3rk) July 12, 2015
Will Bargnani produce for the Nets? He might. And at minimum salary, it’s not a big deal if he doesn’t. But it’s safe to say that Knicks fans won’t look back fondly on his two seasons in Madison Square Garden.