SkywalkerAC

I think he will.

I'm expecting 14-16 ppg and 5-7 rpg.

I understand Raptor fans' frustration with the big Italian but chances are he's going to be starting alongside Bosh next season and will be at least somewhat improved.

I've got high hopes for his offseason training. Is it a definite that he won't be playing for Italy this summer? I've heard Lucas' name and I've heard big man camps mentioned. Bargs has the frame, mind, and athleticism to make drastic improvements under the right tutelage IMO.

Bargnani has two NBA seasons under his belt. He's well acquainted with Sam's system, his teammates, and his NBA competition. Will he win and hold the starting spot all season or will that be Rasho's job or will BC bring in a new big to start?

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seifer0406

I don't think he'll be a starter next year period.

I think Rasho will get the start and eventually someone we get either from a trade/fa or draft will take over. Bargnani will be our back up C or PF until he gets traded before the deadline.

SkywalkerAC

Sam and BC went with him this year and he wasn't ready. Next year I expect him to be ready and I expect Sam and BC to expect him to be ready. Get ready to expect him to be ready and to start.

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billfindlay10

I think he will be the starter as well. Italy did not qualify for the Olympics or for the qualifiers (I think) so he will have all his time to put in work. Bargs showed good low post defense, he does need to work on his help "D", but he was not terrible. His boxing out improved, he just needs to now learn how to go and get the ball.

This summer we will see him add a back to the basket move. Put that with a better shot selection next year (more dribble pull up, less 3 pointers) and Bargs percentages will go up and his scoring should reach 14 points or so. Rebounding is a problem, but 6 plus would be great.

Go Bargs, get it done!

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Junkyard Dog13

he is to slow defensively to play SF.

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billfindlay10

I am with you...he is not a 3, he has some nice perimeter skills for a big man, but by no means is he a small forward. I am confidant he will work on his bigman skills this off season and give us more of what we are looking for.

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DWADE4

I don't think AB has the ability to play the C consistently on a nightly basis. Thats not his style of play at all, he has shown some flashes of good man to man D, and tries to box out, but I cant see him avg at least 7rpg which should be a MINIMUM for a starting C.

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billfindlay10

I think he will do very well at the 5 spot. Howard is a beast, Yao is Yao, and Odom will be something to see, but guys like Haywood, Camby, Boone, Miller, Kaman, Horford, Okur, Dalembert, Perkins, and Wallace should be godd match ups for Bargnani.

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NeoSamurai

I sure hope not...He just is too timid to fight inside to be an effective big man beside Bosh. You want someone who will allow Bosh to rest on defense a bit and allow Bosh to expend more effort on offense since hes our best offensive option. I'd rather have Rasho play the 5 or have us look elsewhere than to have Bargnani play the 5. Ideally, I'd like Bargnani to look good coming off the bench, then try to deal him to a squad looking to rebuild for a veteran player - thats how much I have soured on Bargnani as a player...

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Dee-Zy

If he is, I will be ashamed that my team's starting C avg like 4 rebounds per game.

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BaLLiStiX17

I say we give him one more chance before trading him or whatever we do with him.
Still could see him fitting in this team well. Just needs to be more consistent every game on both sides of the floor.

Junkyard Dog13

he needs to really work on getting comfortable playing offensively in the post, work on fade aways, hook shots, slowly get away from forcing the 3, learn to drive it and get to the line.

Once offensively he gets into a good comfort zone offensively I think he will be more confident on D then, they need to hire a good big man coach to tutor Bargs, Dwight has become a better C since Ewing started coaching him.

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MrkLrn13

If I was Smitch I'd start him, and if he still doesn't show any improvements then trade him before the deadline.

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spuriousjones

i hope so.

getting *****ed by orlando made a lot of people clamor even more for a howardish centre. there just aren't any. and playing that way against a guy like that will only put the team on the losing end. you can't go head to head against a howard-like monster. you have to play against his strengths not into them. that's the kind of centre andrea can be.

i think of the knicks-lakers series from some years back. shaq was still in his prime and there was just no way to "out shaq" him. no, the knicks didn't win, but they were very competitive because they played a different game. it wasn't the type of game that andrea plays--camby outran to take shaq away from his sweetspots and disaffect his actionable abilities--andrea can be a different breed of big that's able to change the dynamics of the game.

even with a stinker season, bargnani showed pretty good post defense. he will get stronger and better at defending opposing bigs. and his offense will come. his rebounding certainly can't get worse.

we need andrea to get better, of course. i'd hope for, but i don't expect, dramatic improvement in his c-style game next season. it may not even be until the end of his rookie contract that he's converted. i'm glad the team finally seems to be investing in him. we still don't have a bigman coach for him like howard's had and bynum's had but the camps are a start.

so he'll go some camps, hopefully add strength. but the team also needs to exercise what he's learned and practiced. we have to at least try and get him the ball down low. how many times would you see bargs get position (or at least try to) and call for the ball but be passed over? set up some plays specifically designed to get him the ball down low and let him make mistakes and grow from them.

i keep remembering rasho's comments about hedo: how svg gave him confidence to grow into what he's become by letting him play through mistakes and know he would be on t