Wolstat: Bargnani starting to get it

[Built Ford Tough]

TORONTO - Andrea Bargnani doesn’t want to talk about it, but the big man is in great shape as the season finally approaches.

 

Quietly, Bargnani, who has been knocked in the past for not always being the first player to arrive in the gym and the last to leave, has been in Toronto for the past few weeks undergoing vigorous individual workouts.

 

Coming off of a season where he averaged a career-best 21.4 points per game but somehow saw his rebound rate fall and his blocks per game drop in half, it seems Bargnani knows he will have to hit the ground running with new head coach Dwane Casey.

 

Casey is a defensive taskmaster and the relationship between the two should be fascinating.

 

Bargnani has been put through the paces by former Guelph Gryphons star Kyle Julius of A Game Hoops and former NCAA Division I assistant coach Mike Mennenga.

 

Two A Game clients — Holland Landing’s Kevin Pangos and Pictou N.S. native Bryson Johnson — have each nailed nine threes in an NCAA game so far this season.

 

According to a source present or with knowledge of all of Bargnani’s workouts this month, the big man has dropped some weight and is moving extremely well.

 

http://www.torontosun.com/2011/11/28/bargnani-starting-to-get-it

 

I highly doubt Bargnani suddenly flips a switch and reaches his full potential considering what he has done in the 5 years he has been in the league.

 

However, if there is ever a time where we see a change in him, it is definitely this season. After the little offseason back and forth between him and Colangelo combined with his underwhelming play as the Raptors "franchise" player last season, he has to know that this is basically a make or break season for him. With a new coach and a new system in place, there isn't a better time for him to try and rejuvinate his career in Toronto. If he plays poorly this season, it may spell the end of his time in Toronto and he looks like he will be used as a power forward this season.

 

I'm not getting my hopes up or anything like that, but a small part of me is actually looking forward to seeing how he plays in Casey's system.

[headliner]

I’m not going to judge this guy when I haven’t seen him play yet but based on the past few season I believe Andrea has to go. I don’t think he a main guy on any team in the league. Defensively he is a liability and offensively he as times can be great but he takes a lot of bad shots which ultimately makes things difficult for the team defensively. I like to think the team is moving in a different direction and I really don’t see how he fits.

[headliner]

I’m not going to judge this guy when I haven’t seen him play yet but based on the past few season I believe Andrea has to go. I don’t think he a main guy on any team in the league. Defensively he is a liability and offensively he as times can be great but he takes a lot of bad shots which ultimately makes things difficult for the team defensively. I like to think the team is moving in a different direction and I really don’t see how he fits.