Raptors' future relies on Bargnani

[NJNJ]

Andrea Bargnani is no replacement for Chris Bosh. Instead, he is 7 feet of potential insurance that enables the Toronto Raptors to maintain hope should Bosh leave this summer as a free agent, if not next month in an unlikely midseason trade.

 

"The kid is taking strides in the right direction," Raptors president Bryan Colangelo said. "But he needs to get to the point where he's 20 [points] and 10 [rebounds]. That's the complete product. Now, is it going to be 23 and 8, 24 and 7, whatever? He's far from complete, but he's proven he belongs here."

 

Bargnani is averaging 17.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and a team-leading 1.4 blocks in his fourth season since Toronto made him the No. 1 pick in 2006. The best players from that draft include No. 6 pick Brandon Roy (a two-time All-Star for Portland), No. 21 Rajon Rondo (NBA champion with Boston in 2007-08 and a likely All-Star this year), No. 8 Rudy Gay (20.4 points per game for Memphis) and No. 2 LaMarcus Aldridge (averaging 15.9 points and 7.9 rebounds for Portland). Bargnani belongs among the latter players in that group, with an understanding that his stock may rise as his role escalates in the years ahead. Last summer, the Raptors extended Bargnani through 2014-15 with a five-year deal worth $50 million, nearly $15 million less than the Blazers' extension for Aldridge.

 

Colangelo insists he isn't pursuing midseason trades for Bosh in hopes of re-signing him this summer. Should Bosh stay, it will be a strong signal of his faith in a long-term frontcourt relationship with the 24-year-old Bargnani. "They're fluid players who are both capable of playing the '4' and the '5' positions," Colangelo said. "It's a nice mix."

 

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/ian_thomsen/01/14/andrea.bargnani/index.html#ixzz0chbm2Cr9