Those poor, poor New York Knicks fans.
As if a lost, 12-49 season and a second consecutive year out of the playoffs weren't enough, one of the lone shining lights at the end of the 2014-15 tunnel may have just been extinguished.
Andrea Bargnani will come off the books at the end of the season, freeing the Knicks of an albatross contract and a frustrating player, one who stands as an avatar for the previous regime that surrendered a first-round pick and two second-round picks to acquire him. That was supposed to be a cleansing of sorts, with his departure ending that chapter in the franchise's history.
But the new regime may look to extend Bargnani's stay in Gotham.
The Knicks, in particular president Phil Jackson, have interest in bringing Bargnani back next season, according to a report from Marc Berman of the New York Post. The Knicks reportedly believe Bargnani's length, scoring ability, playmaking and - get this - post defense could be valuable in the right system at a discount from the $11.5 million he's making this season.
While the report overstates Bargnani's potential impact, he can still score fairly well and is only 29 years old. His man defense isn't terrible, but in general he's a poor defender, and he's no longer capable of spacing the floor as a 3-point threat. The bigger concern may be that re-signing him would rub fans the wrong way.
Helping Bargnani's case with the Knicks could be that he shares an agent with Carmelo Anthony, though he's likely to get a deal somewhere in the league regardless of shared agency.
In 12 games this season, Bargnani is averaging 13 points and 4.3 rebounds in 23.8 minutes while shooting 47.9 percent from the floor. The No. 1 overall pick in 2006 and a borderline All-Star in 2011, Bargnani has fallen on hard times in the last four seasons, playing just 120 games in total and seeing his offensive efficiency dip below league average.
