Bargnani: Raps are the worst team in the NBA

[KnickerBonkerz]

^That's the best analogy

[Death Knight]

I have no problem with Bargnani's comments.

The worst team comment is fair, but him not taking any responsibility is fu*king bullsh*t.

[BorisDK1]

He's become this franchise's Emmanuel Goldstein. That's kind of cool. Nobody ever deserved it more.

[AndreasLeftCalf]

best number one pick of all time: Andrea Bargnani

[dagger]

I have no problem with Bargnani's comments.

Pretty much bang on.

Just the usual complaints from the same crowd with perpetually knotted panties.

I seriously doubt he's back on this team next season - things reach a point where a parting is the best thing for all concerned. But a lot of people use him to cover up their unwillingness to single out other problems with the team because maybe it runs counter to their hopes for that player.

The most interesting thing in his comments is the lack of trust among the players, and that begs the question, WHY? I'm sure his poor play is part of it, but that doesn't explain why we don't play with a whole lot of trust when he's out. Increasingly, the spotlight is going on Lowry for his hard headedness. Wolstat did a piece on that today.

[joeyt618]

There is a difference in saying "Raptors are the worst team in the NBA [because the rest of my team sucks], and "Raptors are the worst team [and I am part of the problem]. Without further context, it's hard to judge what he really wants to say by making that comment.

[3thomas]

I find his statement more damning to BC. He is honest and I do feel for him he was mishandled by his country man Maurizio and Co. He is not will not be what they wanted him to be, that should have been clear as daylight by year 4 or 5. To continue the course with him as a centre piece was just not right neither tot he franchise nor to him. Worse is now he feels the team surronding him was never up to par. BC, again with his unrealistic expectations on these players, with Demar, with JV and.

[Patman]

I understand what bargnani is saying with the last quotes posted but what he means is that if you want to put me as a franchise player at least surround me with talent. I've played well at times (last year) and we were still losing, so it's not entirely my fault.

No. He doesn't give a sh*t about the role the franchise entrusts him with, nor does he care whether or not the team improves:

Emiliano Carchia ‏@SportandoBasket
Bargnani's interviewer, @dchinellato, told him that in LAL he would play with Howard, a dominant center which could be what Bargnani needs

His response:

Andrea Bargnani: 'I'm having my career and improving year-by-year. It's the team that needed a dominant center more than I do'

He doesn't care about playing beside a dominant centre, b/c it's not benefiting him, it's mostly benefiting the team.

[J-Roc]

I have no problem with Bargnani's comments.

Pretty much bang on.

Just the usual complaints from the same crowd with perpetually knotted panties.

But my panties are knotted and I didn't have a problem with anything Bargs said.

[James_Raptors]

If you take emotion and distaste for Bargnani out of the picture...

1) We are the worst team currently in the NBA (or a coin flip away, at most).
Should he have lied? That's not for me to say. His honesty can be interpreted as defeatist or just telling it the way it is. I tend to think he should have given a more politically correct, cliche-ish answer. In the other hand, when Bryan's golden boy talks openly about how god awful the team is, I can't imagine it has a positive reflection on BC, and if that leads to Bryan getting removed quicker, then... (yes, that's a reach)

2)Bargnani is not the only reason we are this bad. To even consider such things is a disservice to the abysmal efforts made by Bryan and his ridiculous vision of the 2012 Raptors as a playoff team and/or our roster not having talent issues. Bargs should not be a starter on this squad. We know that, but even with him on the bench or DNP we are nowhere near good enough to be remotely close to a playoff team.

He isn't innocent in all of this. He was pampered in T-Dot and given minutes and a role which he has proven he did not deserve. But that decision is/was on BC (and coaching, depending on who is truly pulling the puppet strings here). He doesn't give enough effort on the court and his attitude drives me nuts. In fact, regardless of his talent his behaviour alone sets a horrible example and if I was coach he would be parking his butt on the bench. But, these particular comments , I believe are being fueled by our frustration and venom. Some of it is justified, but not all...

[Strategist1]

He missed the Memphis game which we lost by 21 points, most of the Portland game and Wednesday night's game. Like I said - the better part of three games.

Although on the road, the Memphis game was not a stop on this last road trip. I think there was a Phoenix game held at home.

But again, the truth is that... We had little chance against Memphis (who had the best record in the NBA at the time), LA , and Portland

We have upcoming games against Dallas, Houston, Cleveland, Detroit, Orlando with 4 of the 5 being played at the ACC.

[Jambo]

I have no problem with Bargnani's comments.

Pretty much bang on.

Just the usual complaints from the same crowd with perpetually knotted panties.

I seriously doubt he's back on this team next season - things reach a point where a parting is the best thing for all concerned. But a lot of people use him to cover up their unwillingness to single out other problems with the team because maybe it runs counter to their hopes for that player.The most interesting thing in his comments is the lack of trust among the players, and that begs the question, WHY? I'm sure his poor play is part of it, but that doesn't explain why we don't play with a whole lot of trust when he's out. Increasingly, the spotlight is going on Lowry for his hard headedness. Wolstat did a piece on that today.

Truer words have never been said .

He's getting the basketball version of how the Leaf fans blamed everthing on Toskala . Funny thing is the Laughs haven't played any better since Tosks been gone .

[jonas_franchise]

i'm not even upset by his remarks. gives me hope that his raptor days are numbered and we can finally move on from this bargnani era.

[DonMega]

At least he speaks the truth, hope bargniani is a cancer in the locker room and won't leave bc a choice, he'll have to trade him.

[dagger]

I have no problem with Bargnani's comments.

Pretty much bang on.

Just the usual complaints from the same crowd with perpetually knotted panties.

But my panties are knotted and I didn't have a problem with anything Bargs said.

I did say the complaints about his comments, now didn't I.

So you don't wear underwear?

[Trilogy]

Cliches, narrative and canned statements are **** annoying in sports, so I've always enjoyed Bargs somewhat blunt honestly.

Still probably should of bit his tongue on a couple things though. But, that's the Caliper for you.

[BorisDK1]

I seriously doubt he's back on this team next season - things reach a point where a parting is the best thing for all concerned. But a lot of people use him to cover up their unwillingness to single out other problems with the team because maybe it runs counter to their hopes for that player.

That's true. If Bargnani were to fall off the face of the earth today, we still wouldn't be a playoff team or really close to it (unless Fields plays really well when he gets back). Slightly improved, perhaps, but not by a significant amount.

The most interesting thing in his comments is the lack of trust among the players, and that begs the question, WHY? I'm sure his poor play is part of it, but that doesn't explain why we don't play with a whole lot of trust when he's out. Increasingly, the spotlight is going on Lowry for his hard headedness. Wolstat did a piece on that today.

Interesting read on that issue. Koreen was pretty clear that the bulk of that meeting was fixated on Bargnani (as well as it should have been after that game, and the lack of effort he exerted on the court that night). Not to say that Lowry doesn't need to be reigned in a little, but let's not pretend that this was a merry old ship floating along until Kyle Lowry got here and upset everybody's apple cart.

Mind you, if I were Lowry I'd respond by asking which of the useless wing players we have we're supposed to be relying upon to relieve me of a significant share of the offense. But that's just me.

[tecumseh18]

I know others have observed how the Raptors have tried to make leaders out of players who don't have leadership in them - Carter, Bosh and now Bargnani.

It's not a question over whether we "have a problem" with his comments. It's that his comments reflect the same lack of leadership and personal accountability that infuriates many on this board about Bargs (in addition to his crappy BBIQ and unbelievably bad and getting worse rebounding).

[The Duke]

Very fair comments by Bargnani.
I have no problems with it to be perfectly honest.

[theonlyeastcoastrapsfan]

I think he's saying he has to take responsibility for his play, but when a team is bad for four years in a row, that's not his responsibility.

I think what he's saying with the Howard comment is it's not about a him having to play with a Center for his own game; he's had good individual years without that, but for a team to be successful they need that.