The Toronto Raptors are close to finalizing a trade to send PF/C Andrea Bargnani to the New York Knicks, according to Yahoo Sports.
Knicks three-point sharpshooter Steve Novak, aging big man Marcus Camby, a 2016 first-round pick, and two future second-round selections will head to Toronto in exchange for Bargnani.
There has been a multitude of trade rumors concerning Bargnani, especially after the Raptors hired Masai Ujiri to be their new general manager.
Bargnani has vastly underachieved since he was drafted by Toronto with the number one pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, primarily with consistency. His inconsistencies were most likely one of the main reasons Ujiri decided to trade the PF/C, his big contract aside.
The seven-year veteran had two years and $22 million left on his contract, a deal which has severely limited the Raptors ability to acquire good players in free agency.
Clearing up Bargnani’s contract is a good step in the right direction for the struggling franchise as this will give them more flexibility to negotiate with high-level free agents. The Bargnani experiment was for the most part a failure and this was a good move by Ujiri to part ways with him for the betterment of the franchise down the road.