Andrea Bargnani Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Nets Sign Andrea Bargnani

July 17th, 2015 at 11:03am CST by Will Joseph

JULY 17TH, 11:03am: The signing is official, the team announced via press release.

“Andrea will give us the ability to space the floor and complement our other frontcourt players,” King said in the team’s statement.

Bargnani didn’t want to leave New York and personally appealed to the Nets to sign him, Windrem tweets.

JULY 12TH, 5:08pm: The Nets have agreed to sign Andrea Bargnani, Brooklyn GM Billy King announced (Twitter link). The big man will receive the veteran’s minimum on a two-year deal with a player option in the second year, tweets Robert Windrem of NetsDaily.com, who cites a league source.

Bargnani has been linked to the Kings, but instead decided to take less money and join the Nets, ESPN.com’s Marc Stein reports (Twitter link). Sacramento pitched a two-year deal, Stein adds. Earlier Sunday, Stein reported that the Kings were close to signing the big man, but the Nets apparently swooped in and landed him.

It’s a low-risk move for the Nets, who have Thaddeus Young at power forward and Brook Lopez at center. Bargnani is a big man with offensive skills, but is often injured and therefore has missed significant time the last three seasons. He has also never been considered a strong defender.

The nine-year veteran was the overall number one pick in the 2006 NBA draft. He spent seven years in Toronto before being traded to New York in 2013. Bargnani earlier indicated that he was considering several options in free agency, including signing with a team in Europe. The Knicks were reportedly interested in keeping him, but only on a minimum-salary deal. Bargnani, who will turn 30 in October, played in only 71 of a possible 164 games for the Knicks.

Kings Close To Signing Andrea Bargnani

July 12th, 2015 at 2:45pm CST by Arthur Hill

JULY 12TH, 2:45pm: The Kings are finalizing the signing today, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.

JULY 11TH, 8:53pm: The Kings are in “advanced discussions” with former Knick Andrea Bargnani, and the two sides are getting close to a deal, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN. The nine-year veteran was the overall number one pick in the 2006 NBA draft. He spent seven years in Toronto before being traded to New York in 2013.

Bargnani earlier indicated that he was considering several options in free agency, including signing with a team in Europe. The Knicks were reportedly interested in keeping him, but only on a minimum-salary deal.

Bargnani earned $10.75MM and $11.5MM during his two seasons in New York. His production with the Knicks never matched his salary, as he appeared in just 71 games during his time there, averaging 13.9 points and 4.9 rebounds.

The Kings are in the market for frontcourt help after this week’s trade that sent Carl Landry and Tristan Thompson to the Sixers along with Nik Stauskas. The move helped Sacramento clear enough cap room to sign Rajon Rondo. Bargnani may fit into the team’s remaining salary cap room or he could have to accept a minimum deal, tweets former NBA Executive Bobby Marks.

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Bargnani, Shved, Johnson

July 11th, 2015 at 12:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks GM Steve Mills says that the team didn’t strike out in free agency despite missing out on the top available names on the market, but instead New York focused on building a solid team to surround star forward Carmelo Anthony with, Mitch Abramson of The New York Daily News relays. “We tried to be as clear as we could possibly be that we weren’t chasing the biggest stars,” Mills said. “That’s not how we’re trying to build this team. Obviously, when LaMarcus Aldridge says he wants to meet with you and he’s going to meet with six teams, we agree to go meet with him. DeAndre Jordan was willing to meet with us, so of course we go and meet him. And when you go in, you want guys to say yes. But our goal starting out with this was to spend our money wisely and to get guys in who we thought would bring this team along together and fill holes and as it turned out, we were better suited going with multiple guys as opposed to just going after one.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Former Knicks forward Andrea Bargnani, in an interview with La Gazetta (h/t to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com), said he has several free agent options and hasn’t ruled out returning to play in Europe for the 2015/16 season.
Mills said that the Knicks could use their $2.8MM room exception to add some scoring punch to the team, and New York could look to ink guard Alexey Shved, Marc Berman of The New York Post relays (Twitter link). Shved, 26, appeared in 16 contests last season for the Knicks, averaging 14.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 26.4 minutes per game. He already rejected a minimum offer from the team, reports Begley (Twitter link).
In the wake of the Nets‘ reported buyout arrangement with point guard Deron Williams, the team now appears intent on keeping Joe Johnson, Marc Stein of ESPN.com relays (via Twitter). Stein’s sources inform him that moving Williams was always the team’s preferred option.

And-Ones: Thunder, Warriors, Bargnani

April 29th, 2015 at 10:29pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Thunder will be over the league’s luxury tax line this season for the first time in team history, and will likely do so again next season if the team wishes to retain restricted free agent Enes Kanter, Tom Moore of Calkins Media writes. If OKC decides it wants to avoid the extra cost associated with paying the luxury tax, the Sixers could end up being the beneficiaries, Moore opines. Philadelphia will have enough cap room to add three OKC players who have fallen out of the team’s rotation — forwards Steve Novak and Perry Jones III, and guard Jeremy Lamb, which would in turn lower OKC’s 2015/16 payroll by approximately $8.82MM, though it would likely cost GM Sam Presti the team’s 2015 first-rounder to get the Sixers to bite on such a trade, Moore adds.

Here’s more from around the league:

Stiff opposition has arisen against the Warriors‘ plan to construct a new arena in San Francisco’s Mission Bay area, Phil Matier and Andy Ross of The San Francisco Chronicle write. “This arena is going to essentially ruin decades of good work and planning in Mission Bay and make it impossible for people to access the hospital there,” said public relations expert Sam Singer, who has been hired by the group opposing the project, the scribes relay. This opposition comes just a month before the final environmental impact report for the proposed arena is due to be released, which could suggest that the effort is largely aimed at trying to force the team to scale back its ambitious plan for developing 12 acres next to the University of California, San Francisco, the Chronicle duo adds.
Knicks unrestricted free agent Andrea Bargnani spoke with La Gazzetta dello Sport about his future (translation by Emiliano Carchia of Sportando), and indicated he intends to remain in the NBA next season, and favors a return to New York. “I am happy with the Knicks. I love the city and the organization. There is an important project here,” Bargnani told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “I will consider all the offers I receive from July. I want to remain in the NBA. And I will. I am at the peak of my basketball career and I want to win in the NBA.” The Knicks are reportedly open to re-signing Bargnani to a minimum salary deal.

Atlantic Notes: Amundson, Clark, Celtics

April 6th, 2015 at 9:19pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Louis Amundson plans to play in Europe if the Knicks do not re-sign him, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports. The 32-year-old power forward, who becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer, has played on 10 NBA teams and doesn’t want to look for another if New York declines to make him an offer, Berman continues. “I would like to play. I’ve been in this league, so I know what that’s like,” Amundson told Berman. “So, I think going overseas would be a new experience for me I think I’d enjoy. I’d get an opportunity to play. So yeah, everything’s on the table.’’ Knicks GM Steve Mills told season ticket holders last week that the team was interested in bringing Amundson back, Berman adds.

In other news around the Atlantic Division:

The Knicks should also consider offering Andrea Bargnani a veteran’s minimum contract, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com opines. While Bargnani has generally been a disappointment in his two years with the Knicks, his play since the All-Star break has made coach Derek Fisher take notice, Begley adds. Bargnani becomes an unrestricted free agent after the season and the club has indicated it would consider making a minimum-salary offer to him. “I think the way he’s finishing this season is not only showing us, but also showing other teams as well, that he’s a very capable player still at this point in his career,” Fisher said to New York reporters. “I think he’s trying to prove that to everyone, including us.”
Earl Clark’s new contract with the Nets is non-guaranteed for next year, with a partial guarantee if he makes the opening-day roster, a source told Devin Kharpertian of The Brooklyn Game (Twitter link), The team announced on Monday that it had reached a two-year agreement with the 27-year-old forward. Clark has appeared in six of the team’s last seven games, including Monday night’s victory over Portland.
The Celtics, who made several trades this season with an eye toward the future, are now scoreboard watching as they fight for a playoff spot, Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com reports. Boston controls its playoff destiny and the players want to experience the postseason, Forsberg adds. “Even when we’re playing, I’m trying to look at the [out-of-town] scores throughout our game,” Isaiah Thomas said to Boston beat reporters. “And then, after the games, I’m looking at the standings. It’s fun, but it’s hectic a little bit.”

Eastern Notes: Dragic, Bargnani, Carter-Williams

April 6th, 2015 at 12:37pm CST by Chuck Myron

All of the former NBA coaches and players who will be inducted this year into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame have Eastern Conference ties. Former Hawks, Sixers, Nets and Knicks center Dikembe Mutombo, one-time Nets coach John Calipari, former Knicks and Bullets power forward Spencer Haywood are going in, the Hall announced today, as Michael Marot of The Associated Press relays. Joining them are longtime Celtics point guard Jo Jo White and his coach, Tom Heinsohn, who was already in as a player. Louie Dampier, who played for the Spurs and most prominently with the ABA’s Kentucky Colonels, is also in this year’s Hall class, and while he doesn’t have a connection to any present-day Eastern team, San Antonio was in the East when he donned the silver-and-black. Here’s the latest on a few current-day notables from the East:

Goran Dragic is almost certain to hit free agency this summer, but he made it clear he likes the idea of playing with Chris Bosh when the big man is expected to be healthy enough to hit the floor again next season, observes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Still, the Heat point guard cautioned that he hasn’t made up his mind about where he’ll sign, Winderman adds.
The Knicks aren’t planning to commit any cap space to Andrea Bargnani next season and would prefer to re-sign him using the minimum-salary exception, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post, advancing his report from last month on the team’s openness to a new deal. Berman passes along comments from coach Derek Fisher indicating that he’d welcome the idea of having Bargnani back.
There were rumors dating back to the summer that the Sixers were talking about trading Michael Carter-Williams, but the deadline deal that sent him to the Bucks took him by surprise, as he tells Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. “I didn’t know it was coming,” he said. “But I’m in a good situation now. I’m trying to move on from it. It’s good to be stable and have teammates for more than however time. It’s good to know that I’m going to be here growing with guys and knowing the chemistry, just to build on relationships. [Losing in Philadelphia] was tough, but Philly treated me great. I’ve got nothing really bad to say about them. I’m a Milwaukee Buck now and I hope I’m here for a while.”

Atlantic Notes: Bargnani, Lopez, Bogdanovic

March 18th, 2015 at 8:58am CST by Chuck Myron

Soon-to-be free agent Andrea Bargnani isn’t making any promises, but he would like to remain with the Knicks, as agent Leon Rose indicated to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. An earlier dispatch noted that the Knicks are open to re-signing him for the right price, and Isola advances that report, writing that the team will “strongly consider” doing so.

“Andrea is optimistic about what [team president] Phil [Jackson] is trying to accomplish and he certainly wants to be part of it,” Rose said. “But he’s a free agent this summer so it’s too early to predict what may or may not happen.”

While we wait to find out where the former No. 1 overall pick plays next season, here’s more from around the Atlantic Division:

Brook Lopez revealed that he’s building a home at Disney World in Orlando, but he also said again that he wants to remain with the Nets as he spoke with Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. Lopez has a player option worth more than $16.744MM for next season, but he hasn’t lent any clarity to conflicting reports about whether he’ll exercise it.
Bojan Bogdanovic and the Nets were both somewhat skeptical about just what sort of impact the draft-and-stash product would have even after he signed a three-year deal for the taxpayer’s mid-level exception this summer, writes Tim Bontemps of the New York Post. Inconsistency earlier this season validated that uncertainty, but he’s played well since the All-Star break and is showing signs that he’s capable of helping the Nets through a period of roster transition in the years ahead, Bontemps observes.
The Celtics are having success with undersized perimeter players, but that’s out of necessity, not by design, writes Paul Flannery of SB Nation, who hears from president of basketball operations Danny Ainge on the state of the team’s rebuilding. “We will make an attempt in free agency for sure but we have to be careful that we spend [money] correctly and on the right players and not just spend it because it’s available,” Ainge said of the offseason ahead. “We have to maintain that flexibility to get the right players.”

Knicks Open To Re-Signing Andrea Bargnani

March 9th, 2015 at 9:57am CST by Chuck Myron

Suddenly resurgent former No. 1 overall pick Andrea Bargnani has Knicks president Phil Jackson interested in re-signing him on a reasonably priced deal this summer, a league source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post. Berman heard from an executive that the Leon Rose client would command at least a one-year deal for the minimum salary, though another exec told Berman that the forward/center would merit no more than that. Bargnani almost certainly won’t end up with a salary anywhere close to his $11.5MM pay for this season, yet the interest from the Knicks is a sharp turnaround from earlier this season, when the club reportedly shopped him on the trade market and mulled buyout talks.

The Knicks have the ability to sign Bargnani to a veteran extension between now and June 30th, the final day before his contract expires, but such extensions are rare and that outcome is probably remote. He’ll nonetheless represent a $17.25MM cap hold on New York’s books should he indeed hit free agency, so the Knicks seem destined to renounce his Bird rights to clear that hold and open cap room to sign other free agents, though that’s just my speculation. The Knicks would have to use cap space, an exception, or the minimum salary to sign Bargnani if they renounce him.

Bargnani appeared a likely buyout candidate as the trade deadline approached, but Jackson publicly cast doubt on that idea, pointing to the 29-year-old’s scoring ability. He’s put up 18.6 points on 13.4 field goal attempts in 31.1 minutes per game in five appearances as a starter over the past 10 days, and he was a 21.4 PPG scorer in 2010/11 for the Raptors.

The native of Italy made it clear last week that he wants to remain an NBA player rather than head back overseas, though he wouldn’t specifically address a long-term future with the Knicks when asked, Berman notes. Rose, his agent, is also the representative for Carmelo Anthony, as Berman points out, though the influence of the Creative Artists Agency on the Knicks hasn’t appeared as widespread as it was before Jackson’s tenure began.

Alexey Shved Not Planning Return To Europe

March 6th, 2015 at 12:29pm CST by Zachary Links

When the Rockets dealt guard Alexey Shved to the Knicks at the trade deadline, the club did so believing that he was likely planning a return to Europe next season, an NBA source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post. However, Shved, a pending free agent, says that’s not the case.

“I don’t know who said this,’’ Shved said regarding rumblings that he’d be heading overseas next season. “But I’ve never said this. I’m not thinking about that. I want to stay here.”

Shved, 26, didn’t get much playing time in Houston but he’s seeing decent minutes in New York (10.0 minutes per contest through six games) and he says he’d like to make a future with the Knicks. From the Knicks’ perspective, they have to be pleased with the 6’6″ guard’s skill set and his ability to succeed in the triangle offense. Shved obviously won’t be retained at his current salary of $3.5MM, but president Phil Jackson and GM Steve Mills will be evaluating him for the remainder of the year and could look to re-sign him at a more reasonable price.

In six games for the Knicks, Shved is averaging 10 points, 2.3 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per night. The Rockets sent Shved and second round choices in 2017 and 2019 to the Knicks for guard Pablo Prigioni last month.

Teammate Andrea Bargnani was also asked about his own level of interest in returning to Italy after the season and he made it clear that he wants to remain in the NBA, Berman writes.

“Absolutely, I don’t see this question at this point,’’ he said angrily. “What’s the point of the question at this point of season? But yeah, I want to play in the NBA.’’

Bargnani has struggled to stay healthy in recent years, playing just 119 games across the last four years and just eleven games this season. Still, the big man has scored at least 17 points in four of the last five games and hit for 25 twice, including Wednesday’s loss to the Pacers. Like Shved, Bargnani is slated to hit the open market this summer.

Atlantic Notes: Prokhorov, Bargnani, Smart

March 5th, 2015 at 10:20pm CST by Will Joseph

Nets CEO Brett Yormark told reporters, including John Brennan of The Record, that he does not “think anything’s gonna happen” and that “we have an ownership group that is very committed,” when asked about rumors of a sale of the team by Mikhail Prokhorov. Yormark also added to the pressures of the Nets, who dropped from the eighth seed to the 10th seed after Wednesday’s loss to the Hornets, by saying he wants the team to “own” New York City.

“This market is very competitive,” Yormark said. “As much as I say we don’t compete against the Knicks or the Garden, we do. That’s the reality of it. I’m opportunistic, right? They’re struggling, and – it’s going to be cyclical. So I want to own this city. That’s critical for us. I think the way you own it is by winning and getting to the playoffs this year.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Andrea Bargnani, who’ll be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, and who missed all but two of New York’s first 51 games with leg injuries, has stepped up in scoring for the Knicks with Carmelo Anthony out for the season, Peter Botte of The New York Daily News writes. The veteran big man has averaged 17.8 PPG over his last five contests. Bargnani was a buyout candidate as the March 1st deadline for waived players to still be playoff eligible approached.
Citing Kevin Garnett‘s sharp statistical decline, Andy Vasquez of The Record opines the Nets are a better team since they traded the future Hall of Famer for Thaddeus Young. In his first seven games as a member of the Nets, Young is averaging 12.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 22.7 minutes per night. Garnett has made four appearances for the Wolves, contributing 8.5 PPG and 5.0 RPG in 19.3 minutes per game since the swap.
Marcus Smart, who was named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for February, is having a growing impact on the Celtics and as a result, Boston coach Brad Stevens’ confidence in the point guard has increased, Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com writes.