matt wrote:
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I think a lot of people are just realizing that with his skillset, he has the potential to be a great addition to a lineup featuring Gay, DeRozan, Lowry and Valanciunas/Amir. If he is told in no uncertain terms that he's now option #3 and that he has to make a better defensive/rebounding effort to EARN his playing time, he could deliver. If he doesn't, then no harm done - trade him - it's not like his value could decline further than it likely already has.
At the very least, he would be a huge improvement over Gray (no offense) or Valanciunas (rookie) right now. A healthy Bargnani would have made that Miami game very different, simply because teams actually have to respect (and cover) Bargnani on the offensive end. Whether it was him scoring or just minimizing the double-teams thrown at Gay/DeRozan/Lowry, his presence would have drastically changed the team's offensive execution. With the improved defense, especially on the perimeter (more Lowry, addition of Gay, improving DeRozan), I even think his defense shortcomings wouldn't be as destructive.
Just try it out... playoffs are a longshot and his value is already at rock bottom, so why not? He can still be traded at the deadline or in the offseason if it doesn't work out.
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