Is Andrea Bargnani Proving Haters Wrong in His Quest to Prolong NBA Career?

Andrea Bargnani has played the role of laughingstock and functioned as the poster boy for questionable front office decision-making since he was acquired by the New York Knicks two summers ago. 

But with his time in the Big Apple drawing to a close, evidence suggests Bargnani may still have redeemable value as a rotational scorer after missing 49 of the season's first 51 games with leg injuries.  

Such a sentiment runs contrary to the general consensus, of course. Disdain for the former No. 1 overall pick has run deep thanks to humiliating failures that have drawn the ire of fans everywhere. 

However, the Knicks were to blame after they parted with a 2016 first-round pick and second-round selections in 2014 and 2017 in the name of perceived short-term gains. Any deal involving the forfeiture of that many affordable, young assets was bound to place unrealistic and burdensome expectations on Bargnani's shoulders. 

If that context and the accompanying stigmas are wiped away, though, has the 7-footer remained a liability? 

Since returning to action on Feb. 9, Bargnani has been scoring at the most efficient rates of his career—particularly after the All-Star break. 

In the eight games during that span, the Italian big is averaging 16.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists on 50.5 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent shooting from three. 

It helps that Carmelo Anthony's season-ending knee surgery has freed up 20 extra shots per game to be distributed amongst his teammates, but the results have been encouraging all the same. 

Date	Minutes	Points	FGM	FGA	3PM	3PA
Feb. 20	24	11	3	8	0	1
Feb. 22	28	11	5	11	0	0
Feb. 25	25	17	5	13	0	2
Feb. 27	36	25	10	20	1	2
Feb. 28	31	19	6	12	1	2
Mar. 3	18	3	1	4	0	0
Mar. 4	38	25	10	17	2	3
Mar. 7	32	21	10	14	0	0

The surprising aspect of Bargnani's sudden rejuvenation has revolved around the physical aspect of his game.

While tropes regarding a lack of aggression have come to define Bargnani's preferred style of play, he's done his best to shed those labels, as Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix noted during New York's 92-86 loss to the Indiana Pacers Saturday night: 

Under the tenets of head coach Derek Fisher's triangle offense, the Knicks have consistently looked to establish Bargnani in the high and low post. Whether that means he's been backing smaller defenders down on the blocks or facing up and firing from the free-throw line, Bargnani has found a formula for success. 

His three-point attempts are down nearly two a game from last season, and the selectivity has produced more palatable conversion rates. 

A look at his NBA.com shot chart since the trade deadline confirms those observations, with mid-range and paint touches dominating the distribution: 

Credit: NBA.com/Stats

So much for soft.

"I'm able to play," Bargnani said, according to The New York Times' Andrew Keh. "I'm able to stay on the court. I’m healthy. I feel good from that point of view."

This is a different Bargnani. He doesn't appear to be laboring, and he's rarely hesitating. Even against robust defenders, he's letting it fly thanks to a quick flick of the wrist that allows him to rise and fire over smaller 4s. 

Factor in some quick feet, and Bargnani can also still do a bit of damage in the pick-and-roll. 

That's all well and good in a small sample. But is it enough to make him a commodity on the open market this summer? 

As things stand, Bargnani is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, when he'll be facing the reality of a steep pay cut after earning $11.5 million this season. 

And rest assured, Bargnani doesn't want this to be his last year playing ball stateside, according to Newsday's Al Iannazzone: 

"

He was asked if he thinks about how different the season could have been if he had been healthy from the start. 'I try not to do that because it's pointless,' he said. 'It just gets you more frustrated.' Bargnani, a free agent after the season, said he wants to stay in the NBA and not return to Europe. 'Absolutely. What's the point of this question at this point of the season? But yeah, I want to play in the NBA.'

"

To a title contender, Bargnani could represent a low-cost safety net. His defensive limitations are obvious, but if a supposed floor-stretcher like Spencer Hawes (shooting 32.6 percent from three) was worth the full mid-level exception from the Los Angeles Clippers, Bargnani has the potential to be a sneaky bargain-bin addition down the line. 

It has to be stressed that Bargnani wouldn't be inked to play any sort of significant role. But if the last few weeks have been any indication, his quick trigger is still a valuable tool in moderation.

That shouldn't justify anything close to the four-year, $24 million deal that Hawes received last July, but if contenders have space for an offensive specialist between the veteran's minimum and the mini mid-level exception, there's an available risk that could be worth taking. 

As his failed stint with the Knicks exemplified, expectations and circumstances are everything. They contextualize statistical output and amplify the role a player is expected to fill. 

But in a more forgiving spot with diminished responsibilities and some better luck on the medical front, the 29-year-old Bargnani can salvage what remains of his NBA career. 

At this point, that may be the only recourse to help pluck his name from the pesky punchlines that have come to define his existence as a bust. 

All statistics current as of March 8 and retrieved from Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com unless noted otherwise. All salary information retrieved from BasketballInsiders.com unless noted otherwise.