Toronto Raptors: Will the Raptors Play Andrea Bargnani at SF?
As most Raptor fans know, Andrea Bargnani is not a true center in this league. He's not very good at rebounding the ball (mainly because he does not hustle for it) and is not a very good low-post player.
The former first overall pick is well-known around the league by players and fans as the next Dirk Nowitzki. Although it is highly unlikely Bargnani will ever be a league MVP, or guide a team to the NBA Finals, Bargnani is the most Dirk-like player since...well, Dirk.
Bargnani is a player who is offensive-minded. For a center, this is not very good, but in Bargnani's case, it is somewhat positive.
He is one of the only players in this league that can score from virtually every single area on the court, literally.
Barg can shoot the three, make the midrange J, get the close-range shot and occasionally get down-and-dirty in the paint.
Obviously, as most Raptor fans can notice, the Raptors need to bring in a true center to fill the inside-post void that Bargnani leaves. If they can bring in someone like Tyson Chandler (who they tried to acquire last season) or Marc Gasol, this void can be filled.
Now most of you are wondering why small forward?
Well, first of all, Bargnani was born to play as a forward, whether it be small or power forward. His ball-handling skill have improved vastly, meaning he can take players off the dribble and make smart plays.
Secondly, when Jermaine O'Neal was brought in to play center in the past, Bargnani actually played the three-position either as a starter or coming off the bench. In this period of time, Bargnani actually had some pretty decent games.
The main advantage of putting Bargnani in this position is his height. Considering the fact that he is 7'0", he can use his incredible arm length to make shots over other small forwards.
This is something that the Toronto Raptors staff should consider, as the depth chart for the Toronto Raptors at the power forward position is so deep and adding Barg to that depth chart will stop development for players such as Ed Davis and Amir Johnson.
Thanks for reading!!
