Best Potential Landing Spots for Andrea Bargnani in 2015 NBA Free Agency

The case against Andrea Bargnani is well-chronicled by now. His defense is inadequate. His effort is uneven. And his injury history has overshadowed his time on the floor in each of the 29-year-old's last four seasons. It's been a rough road for a guy taken with the No. 1 overall draft pick back in 2006.

But that road hasn't reached a dead end, not officially anyway. Bargnani is now a free agent after his two forgettable seasons with the New York Knicks, and someone has to make a run at him. 

Right?

Last season, the nine-year veteran showed signs of the talent that brought him into the league, averaging 14.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in his 29 games. It's a small sample size, but it's also an encouraging one. Though it might be nice to see a few more rebounds, Bargnani remains a 7-footer with legitimate range. That should count for something.

There were even times when Bargnani somewhat resembled a two-way presence, including in an April 5 win over the Philadelphia 76ers in which he added eight rebounds and four blocks to his 25 points.

"He's an extremely talented player, and the injuries limited him reaching his ceiling," head coach Derek Fisher told reporters after the contest, per Marc Berman of the New York Post. "Whatever the future holds, the way he's finishing the season is not only showing us, but other teams as well, he's a very capable player at this point and trying to prove that to everyone, including us. If he's back, that's great. If not, he'll do great no matter the situation."

And what might that situation be? We've ranked five of them based on which team offers Bargnani the best fit going forward. And yes, somehow even New York makes the cut.

5. Milwaukee Bucks

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Greg Monroe, Jabari Parker, Giannis Antetokounmpo and John Henson will mop up most of the minutes in the paint for the Milwaukee Bucks, but the roster could use some depth after the departures of Zaza Pachulia and Ersan Ilyasova. Given the latter's ability to shoot from range, they could also use a stretch big.

That's where Bargnani could come into the picture. It would be a nice departure from the bright lights of New York and an opportunity to rebuild his career on the bench of a good team. The Bucks were one of the East's surprise teams a season ago, and it's conceivable that Bargnani could be one of their surprise performers a year from now. 

Given Milwaukee's relative depth at the position, there wouldn't be a whole lot of pressure on Bargnani. Unfortunately, there might not be that much need for him either. There is, after all, a reason the franchise deemed Pachulia and Ilyasova expendable.

But Milwaukee still might be a nice opportunity for Bargnani to latch onto an up-and-coming club with a chance to do some big things.

4. Dallas Mavericks

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With Deron Williams reportedly on his way to the Dallas Mavericks, according to ESPN's Marc Stein (by way of a buyout from the Brooklyn Nets), owner Mark Cuban and general manager Donnie Nelson have addressed the team's needs at the point guard position. With Dirk Nowitzki, Chandler Parsons and newly acquired Wes Matthews in the fold, the big priority is replacing Tyson Chandler at the center spot.

Zaza Pachulia will join the team via free agency, but he could use help. And while Bargnani might be redundant with Nowitzki were they paired together in the starting lineup, he actually makes sense as a reserve, perhaps as even something of a sixth man to spark the second unit offensively. Most of Bargnani's suitors probably aren't playoff teams, so the Mavericks might be an attractive option. They have a real need for depth in the middle.

Dwight Powell could also see minutes behind Pachulia, but he's not much of an offensive threat. Bargnani's skill set lends itself to a second unit that could be a bit short on scorers (though guys like J.J. Barea and Devon Harris certainly help).

The Mavericks don't have much money to offer after acquiring Williams, but Bargnani might be willing to take a pay cut in return for the opportunity to rejuvenate his career with a semi-premier franchise like Dallas. He's made a good amount of money in his career, so the chance to prove himself with a winning club may prove paramount in his thinking.

3. Los Angeles Lakers

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Recently acquired via trade with the Indiana Pacers, center Roy Hibbert will likely earn a starting job with the Los Angeles Lakers. Aside from Tarik Black, however, L.A. doesn't have a whole lot of depth behind Hibbert. And the team will almost certainly address that before the summer comes to an end.

In his seven-year career with the Pacers, Hibbert never averaged more than 30 minutes per contest, and he won't be winning any endurance awards. That creates a fairly acute need for someone like Bargnani, another center who can offer at least 20 quality minutes per contest.

The Lakers have shooters, but they don't have a big man who really stretches the floor. Even if power forward Julius Randle's mid-range game is for real, Bargnani can step out to three-point range and contribute to the club's spacing.

The prospect of a Bargnani addition may not excite many Lakers fans, but the organization's major shopping is almost certainly complete with the acquisitions of Hibbert, Lou Williams and Brandon Bass. Put in that context, Bargnani would be an option with little risk and just enough upside to make sense. 

2. Brooklyn Nets

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Per Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com, Mirza Teletovic's departure from the Brooklyn Nets via free agency creates a couple of needs for the rotation. It now needs some additional interior depth, and it could use a big man capable of vacating that interior and spacing the floor on the offensive end.

Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young will return, but there's now additional need for depth behind them on the bench. That's a role Bargnani could fill, a role that would give him ample opportunity to resurrect his career and potential make a real difference for a franchise that's somewhere between rebuilding and denial.

The Nets ranked 25th in three-point accuracy a season ago, making just 33.3 percent of their attempts, according to TeamRankings.com. Bargnani made 36.6 percent of his long-range attempts last season, so he's plenty capable of elevating Brooklyn's ability to space the floor.

Remember, Brooklyn recently arrived at a buyout agreement with veteran point guard Deron Williams, according to David Aldridge of NBA.com, and expectations will be low for the franchise—even with Lopez and Young returning. That could create a low-stress opportunity for Bargnani to find his niche and build some rhythm, perhaps amid a short-term deal in which he could prove himself in advance of a return to free agency in 2016 or 2017.

For the moment, the Nets are probably finished trying to make headlines. It wouldn't hurt to make a savvy under-the-radar move instead.

1. New York Knicks

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Sure, the notion of Bargnani returning to the scene of the crime seems ludicrous on face. He's not exactly a fan favorite, and no one has forgotten that the organization forfeited 2016's first-round pick (along with two second-rounders) in order to originally acquire the Italian from the Toronto Raptors via trade.

But, in part, that's precisely what makes such a reunion so compelling. Bargnani has motivation in New York, more so than he'd have just about anywhere else. He suited up for just 71 games (total) in his two campaigns with the club, and that might translate into an interest in finishing the job there. He also has familiarity with the system, and that counts for something on a team that's looking for a quick turnaround.

There's a real sense in which his stint with the Knicks was incomplete, and there's still time to remedy that. Phil Jackson inherited Bargnani, but he might be willing to give him another chance.

Here's what the New York Post's Marc Berman reported in March:

"

According to an NBA source, Jackson still is a fan and has interest in bringing Bargnani back for the right price because of his length, post defense and ability to score and pass in the structured system. Bargnani’s market value is one of the great mysteries of the summer, pending how he finishes the final 21 games.

"

Bargnani showed signs of life throughout the season, but that hasn't translated into much free-agent buzz. If the Knicks have competition for his services, it hasn't leaked into the countless reports and rumors to emerge so far this summer. That could entail a bargain price for the big man's services, and that has to intrigue Jackson and Co.

The addition of center Robin Lopez via free agency should do worlds for the club's notable defensive woes, but there's still room for someone like Bargnani on the bench. And given the roster's lack of veteran depth, a proven scorer wouldn't be such a bad investment for that second unit.

That is, of course, only if the price is right. Whatever the Knicks do for the remainder of the offseason, they'll be careful to avoid jeopardizing their available cap space for next summer.