The Toronto Raptors made a big move this season while acquiring Rudy Gay from the Memphis Grizzlies and now that the team has hired new GM Masai Ujiri, they are ready for more, as Andrea Bargnani has been put on the trading block.
According to CBS Sports and Pro Basketball Talk, Bargnani is the prime option to be moved by the Raptors, as he is one contract that was signed by the previous regime and now that Ujiri has taken over, he is planning to shed some big contracts. Bargnani is owed $22 million over the next two years and since Ujiri wants some financial flexibility, he will try and trade him. Marc Stein reports that he hopes to move him by July 1 and he could have some places to go, but the biggest issues will be working out the money for the Raptors. Bargnani has been dealing with elbow injuries over the past two years and while he missed the last 19 games of the season, he should be ready for the start of 2013.
While it seems like it will be hard to get value for the contract due to the money involved, Ujiri was able to swing a great deal for Carmelo Anthony despite not having much leverage and now he will have to do the same again. Ujiri previously worked for the Raptors and after bringing the Nuggets the best season in franchise history, he got a new job and lucrative deal from his former employer. The raptors went 34-48 last season and ranked 16th in the league in scoring and now that they have Ujiri and Gay in the fold, the franchise is expecting to improve over the next few seasons.
Ujiri was named as NBA Executive of the Year and Bargnani was once the number one overall pick in the 2006 draft and now he likely will be moved from Toronto. According to Bleacher Report, some options include the Brooklyn Nets, the Chicago Bulls as well as the Los Angeles Lakers. To make the Lakers trade work that would depend on what the team does with Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard this offseason and the Raps may also have to get rid of Landry Fields and his contract as well. The Bulls could use him to help with their outside shooting and since they have some big contracts of their own the money could work. Ujiri has a full plate, but he has made similar moves before with the Nuggets and Anthony and could pull it off again.
