If you could go back in time...how to handle Bargs?

[Loopy]

This is basically just a reflection of Bargs career with the Raps and what could have been...(try to look at this from Bargs position for a moment)

Just wondering what we could have done differently to maximize Bargs potential. Sometimes a player's environment can hinder a player's growth and I think Bargs may have played better if he was drafted by another team. We can't put all the blame on Bargs (though he deserves some for sure), he always did what he was told whether it was playing the SF position...to bulking up, then losing weight....to going to big man camp. He never pouted to the media until it all built up to it recently.

Even Sam Mitchell admitted that Bargs is oozing with talent. I remember even Triano predicted Bargs would be a better player than Bosh. And these guys watched him on a daily basis.

So what could we have done differently?
-Maybe he wasn't coached tough enough
-Maybe he played too many minutes with the extra weight causing his shots to fall short.
-Maybe he realized that everyone in the Raptors organization would coddle him, so he became entitled and lost the will to become better.

I just dont know. Is Bargs really a product of his environment?

I just remember that clutch/motivated Bargs against Miami on Bosh's first game back who was unstoppable. Dare I say that Bargs was the closest thing to Dirk.

This team dediciated to much time and effort trying to develop Bargs from day 1, its sad things just haven't worked out. It tough to find ballers that can have career highs of 40+.

[Rod_Strickland]

draft rudy gay.

[bballsparkin]

Bargs should have been picked later in the draft. Say 10th where he wouldn't have the pressure. He could have stayed skinny and been a spark plug off the bench. Maybe pick up some defensive skills in limited minutes some way down the road.

[MikeM]

Not try to make him a C. He had never been anywhere close to the paint his whole basketball career. It's like if we drafted Rudy Gay but made him a PG.

He should have just been a scoring PF who could play some man to man. Honestly, we should have been working on his scoring to at least make him a #1 offensive option.

[SkywalkerAC]

Tough love like Detroit did with Darko...oh, wait.

Seriously though, he needed constant, consistent training - reflexes, plyometrics, strength, post-game, shooting - and a lot more tape-watching. Anderson Varejao is the guy I think he should start studying.

[sanity]

Being selected #1 always gave him this false sense of entitlement to work hard in certain aspects and totally slack off and ignore in others---mainly the ones requiring an ounce of effort.

Its telling watching old clips of Bargnani from his rookie/pre-NBA days to the player you see now. The one now is more polished offensively, but the one back then played like he cared and looked like a better basketball player

[BigVGroupie]

I would have drafted Rondo or Gay like someone said above.

[Neutral 123]

draft rudy gay.

Pretty much, or Aldridge. I mean what do you do with a guy who just doesn't want to compete, doesn't like basketball, and seems to not care about much of anything.

[Major Giz]

I would have handled him with kid gloves a little more. I think the organization was too tough on him. He needed a real soft touch due to his transition moving to Canada and the NBA. Bunch of meanies.

[roundhead0]

Not try to make him into a C, and then either trade him or Bosh to make room for the other.

[Raps in 4]

I would have started by not drafting him.

[Raps in 4]

draft rudy gay.

And then be stuck with his albatross contract today? No thanks.

[Neutral 123]

draft rudy gay.

And then be stuck with his albatross contract today? No thanks.

I don't know, I like more chances moving 'Gay's contract, than Bargs.

[Canucklehead]

Limit his shot attempts to 2 per rebound until he averages 8 or more.

I'd have traded Bosh 2+ years before he was leaving and had AB play PF full time.

Maybe brought in some former players that he respects/idolizes that could get into his head about the importance of the other aspects of the game besides scoring.

[Neutral 123]

Limit his shot attempts to 2 per rebound until he averages 8 or more.

I'd have traded Bosh 2+ years before he was leaving and had AB play PF full time.

Maybe brought in some former players that he respects/idolizes that could get into his head about the importance of the other aspects of the game besides scoring.

Well he's modeled him game and demeanor after Garfield. Not Heard, but the cat, so I'm not sure how that would work out.