Now under the leadership of new general manager Masai Ujiri, the Toronto Raptors will aggressively shop embattled big man Andrea Bargnani over the next month, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The team hopes to unload his contract before July 1, the first official day of free agency for the NBA.
Raptors hope to deal Andrea Bargnani before July 1, according to report
The Raptors’ new leadership will try to unload Andrea Bargnani’s contract before the beginning of free agency next month.
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Raptors HQ: Patience may be key for Ujiri in Toronto
Drafted by the man Ujiri is replacing, team president Bryan Colangelo, Bargnani never fulfilled his potential playing in Toronto. The team still handed him a lucrative contract extension based on some glimpses of the upside that made him the No. 1 overall pick in 2007, but that contract has only proven to be an albatross.
With two years and just over $22 million still remaining on that deal, Bargnani commands a salary that greatly outpaces his contributions on the court. Some team may still find value in his ability to space the floor and knock down shots, but even his shooting ability has wavered in recent years.
Even before the hiring of Ujiri, Colangelo admitted that the Raptors and Bargnani might both benefit from a trade. It’s uncertain which teams might be interested in his services, but Toronto would likely need to take back a similarly unattractive contract in any deal.
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