Andrea Bargnani to Nets: Latest Contract Details, Comments, Reaction

After a tumultuous two-year run with the New York Knicks, Andrea Bargnani is getting a fresh start with the Brooklyn Nets, as the team announced July 17.

The deal in Brooklyn comes after the 29-year-old explored numerous options. ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported on July 11 that Bargnani, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2006, was nearing a deal with the Sacramento Kings. 

ESPN New York's Ian Begley noted Bargnani told La Gazzetta that he was also considering offers to play next season in Europe, though the big man said he was weighing several options. 

Following Brooklyn's announcement, Stein gave insight as to why Bargnani chose to play for the Nets:

Bargnani himself also spoke about his agreement with the Nets on his Twitter account:

"

Glad to join the @BrooklynNets. I'm ready for this new challange. La nuova sfida ha un nome: Brooklyn Nets. Pronto ad accoglierla con voi.

— Andrea Bargnani (@AndreaBargnani) July 13, 2015"

With the free-agent market evaporating quickly, Bargnani quickly became an attractive option for teams in need of size. The 7-footer is more versatile than a traditional center, but inconsistency with his shooting limits him.    

In nine NBA seasons, Bargnani has a field-goal percentage of 43.8. He was a respectable three-point shooter with the Toronto Raptors, hitting 36.1 percent of his attempts, but fell to nearly 30 percent during his two seasons with the Knicks. 

Before Bargnani's deal with Brooklyn became public, Synergy Sports Tech shared the following note about the big man's jumper:

"

Andrea Bargnani, for all the heat he takes, made 42% of his jump shots a year ago. Ability to space the floor is a plus next to Cousins.

— Synergy Sports Tech (@SynergySST) July 12, 2015"

One problem Brooklyn faces is keeping him healthy. The Italian star has only played more than 40 games once in the last four years and hasn't reached the 70-game threshold since 2009-10. 

That long injury history makes Bargnani an interesting buy-low option for the Nets at this point in free agency. He's been a consistent scorer in his career, averaging at least 10 points per game in each of his nine seasons, to go along with 4.8 boards, 1.3 assists and 0.9 blocks.

Kelly Dwyer of Yahoo Sports broke down what fans should expect from Bargnani in Brooklyn: 

"

Bargnani can and probably will tilt the entire floor in bad ways defensively with the Nets, but if he can be a bit player and still hit the league average on three-pointers while at center or big forward, he could help in brief spurts. At the veteran’s minimum for two years, he’s not a bad change of scenery to have in the rotation.

"

Bargnani has a lot to prove at his new home, starting with his health, but he has the upside to be a bargain as he looks to rebuild his value. There is time for him to turn his career around, which makes Brooklyn a promising fit for both parties.

Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.