I know it seems stupid to question Bryan Colangelo, one of the finest GM's in the biz, for drafting Italian uber-stud Andrea Bargnani with the No. 1 overall pick, but what does he give you that Chris Bosh and Charlie Villanueva don't already bring to the table? What's the point of having three rail-thin 7-footers who have similar offensive skill-sets? Toronto has no interior defensive/rebounding presence (no, Rasho Nesterovic doesn't count), no steady point guard, no slashing swingmen (Joey Graham is a little too mechanical for that role), and no steady three-point shooters. I'm not questioning whether Bargnani can or cannot play (I believe he's legit), but I am questioning how he fits in with the Raptors.
Top five draft selections that don't complement a team's roster:
1) Andrea Bargnani and Shelden Williams - discussed above.
2) Shawne Williams - Why did the Indiana Pacers draft him when they took Danny Granger last season? Why not draft Marcus Williams and send the inconsistent Jamaal Tinsley packing?
3) The Hilton Armstrong/Cedric Simmons picks - I like both guys, but they essentially give you the same things. Why wouldn't New Orleans just go with one and then draft a stud like Rodney Carney to fill the lanes and give Chris Paul another perimeter scoring option? Doesn't this team also have David West holding down the 4-spot? I'm confused.
4) Oleksiy Pecherov - The Wizards got killed defensively last season, so they logically draft a 6-10 Ukranian who can't guard anybody. Why not go after Josh Boone?
5) Dee Brown - Can't you see him trying to run a 1-on-4 fast break with his Utah Jazz teammates lagging behind and shouting, "Yo, wait up!" every time Brown enters the game? This subplot is even more interesting than the emotional Brown/Deron Williams reunion.
Top five players who will fit in better than expected:
1) Maurice Ager in Dallas - A poor man's Michael Finely who can already defend exceptionally well.
2) Quincy Douby in Sacramento - The Kings have struggled filling Bobby Jackson's instant offense role for some time, and Douby will provide exactly that.
3) Shannon Brown in Cleveland - I'll bet anything Brown is starting for the Cavs by December.
4) Rodney Carney in Philly - Yeah, they already have Andre Iguodala (a fact Stephen A. Smith repeatedly forgot during the telecast), but the Sixers need all the athletic defenders they can find. Plus, if the NBA ever decides to sponsor a tag-team dunk contest, I can't see anyone toppling the Iggy-Carney team.
5) Jordan Farmar to the Lakers - He should've been gone way earlier. Kobe Bryant and the Pips land a local boy who's already better than Smush Parker.
This is a great pick for the Raptors. Bargnani is ready to contribute now and he can play three positions on the floor. He will allow the Raptors to go big and fast like Phoenix with Chris Bosh at the five, Bargnani at the four, and Charlie Villanueva at the three. Colangelo has the Raptors back on the winning track. It will be interesting to see what he does this summer with his cap room.
Bryan Colangelo stuck his neck out by taking Andrea Bargnani No. 1.
I think it was the right thing to do. He's not the best player in the draft, but he's a great fit in Toronto.
Most of the people telling you that they prefer other players to Bargnani haven't seen him play in person.
He's bigger and quicker than you'd think as a 7-1 forward, and he's more experienced than most realize. He played more than 70 games last season in a league with more talent than the NCAA.
And one thing that doesn't come across on video is the confident way he carries himself. That will be critical to his success in the NBA.
In the final analysis, Colangelo thought Bargnani had the physical tools and the mental makeup to be the No. 1 pick.
The comparisons to Dirk Nowitzki or Pau Gasol aren't really fair. But he does have the potential to be mentioned in the same breath as both of those guys someday.
From Marty Burns
Bargnani -- a top international prospect for the NBA's international city. The big Italian's shooting touch should make him a good fit alongside Chris Bosh in a new wide-open Raptors attack.
I agree with Chamberlain, he wil for sure be a 20/10 player. I honestly dont know whats with all the hate against Bargnani, almost every player in the draft in this year is just a prospect and we dont know who will be better than who, give him a chance.
Man, if you don't like what Bryan's doing you're a moron. Get the hell outta here.
He said no steady three point shooting? Mo Pete? over 40%. Now we getting Garbajosa, and Bargnani, two silky european shooters. The guy needs to shut his ignorant trap.
BC has a lot of assets with all his forwards. Maybe he wants to use Charlie V (I would hate to see him go if it came down to that) in a trade to make a significant impact at PG or SG or both at the same time.
There will always be someone questioning a GMs decisions. Usually someone who has no faith or patience or knowledge. I mean come on. If the Raptors don't win a championship within 3 years BC has to be considered a complete failure. lol
Let's at least give one season to see how all these players do and learn more about them.
It's hard to say what Bargnani will be like. Let's say he turns out decent, the next question is what do you do with all of the big bodies that you have up front. Someone has to or should be moved and this offseason shouldn't be judged by the draft alone but by what BC does with James (sign and trade?) and the forwards that he has.
It's hard to say what Bargnani will be like. Let's say he turns out decent, the next question is what do you do with all of the big bodies that you have up front. Someone has to or should be moved and this offseason shouldn't be judged by the draft alone but by what BC does with James (sign and trade?) and the forwards that he has.
Not necessarily. Colangelo's plan, as it seems right now, is to have a future line up having Bargnani at 5, Bosh at 4, Charlie at 3. This could all change if Charlie is infact moved to another team, but until then, this seems to be the game plan.
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