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Bryan Colangelo’s 10th Anniversary of Andrea Bargnani Pick

By Bret Stuter

May 17, 2016; New York, NY, USA; General view during the NBA draft lottery at New York Hilton Midtown. The Philadelphia 76ers received the first overall pick in the 2016 draft. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
May 17, 2016; New York, NY, USA; General view during the NBA draft lottery at New York Hilton Midtown. The Philadelphia 76ers received the first overall pick in the 2016 draft. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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The 2016 NBA Draft is the third first pick of the NBA Draft of the Philadelphia 76ers, but the second first pick of president Bryan Colangelo

Some have agreed with his logic, some have shaken their heads in disgust.  But ten years ago, it was Bryan Colangelo’s first draft selection with the Toronto Raptors, and the Raptors held the first pick of the NBA draft that year.

With the first pick of the 2006 NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors selected center/power forward Andrea Bargnani.   Bargnani was a 7’0″ 245 power forward who was brought in to pair with Chris Bosh.  In his rookie year, despite his selection as first overall, he only started two games but did make appearances in 65 games overall, missing the other 17 due to nagging injuries.

Bargnani was the consensus pick at the time, if there in fact was one.  But the draft had plenty of fire power later in the draft: The Raptors not only failed to select the best player in the draft, Brandon Roy, but they also missed out on LaMarcus Aldridge, the best big man in the draft. Bargnani’s been described as a “slow-to-develop creampuff who is too slow for a perimeter player and too soft for an interior player. Plus, his defense is among the worst in the league. And why would the Raptors invest in a finesse-oriented big man when they already had Chris Bosh?”

Why indeed.

Rajon Rondo and Kyle Lowry were available to help out in the back court, and Paul Milsap was on the board and would eventually be a dominant power forward as well.

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Josh Wilson had written a persuasive article indicating that Bargnani would have been the pick of Sam Hinkie at the time as well. Me?  I’m not so sure.  In that year, the Portland Trailblazers seemed to take the path I’ve seen used by Sam Hinkie in his three years of drafting – in essence the Trailblazers walked away from the 2006 NBA draft with both Brandon Roy and LeMarcus Aldridge.  Their strategy can be found on their NBA website page and describes the series of trades needed to net both players:

"How they got Brandon Roy:Trade #1:Portland Trail Blazers trade Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff, 2008 2nd round pick to the Boston Celticsfor Randy Foye (the 7th pick in the 2006 draft), PG (and former Trail Blazer) Dan Dickau, and Center Raef LaFrentz.Trade: #2Portland Trail Blazers trade Randy Foye (acquired through Celtics trade) to Minnesota Timberwolves for University of Washington guard Brandon Roy.Portland gains: Brandon Roy, Dan Dickau, Raef LaFrentzPortland trades away: Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff, 2008 2nd Round Pick.How we got LaMarcus Aldridge:Portland drafts Tyrus Thomas at #4 in the 2006 NBA Draft.Portland Trail Blazers trade Viktor Khyrapa and Tyrus Thomas (the 4th pick selected) to Chicago for LaMarcus Aldridge and a conditional second round pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.The Trail Blazers also acquired PG Sergio Rodriguez from the Phoenix Suns for cash and selected C Joel Freeland and SG James White.The Trail Blazers then traded James White to Indiana for Alexander Johnson (the 45th pick), and 2nd round picks in 2007, 2008.Alexander Johnson was then traded to Memphis for their 2nd round selection in the 2008 NBA Draft."

This series of trades with a goal of netting a specific player (or players) feels much more like the scenario of the former general manager Sam Hinkie.

The anniversary of ten years is a curious event, as it could be a significant event to the likes of Bryan Colangelo – whether an opportunity to show the world that he too can make draft day trades which will make your head spin, or simply as a mulligan, a do-over to place his career focus on the 2016 NBA draft results and cease the questions of his mindset going in to that 2006 NBA draft – questions which continue to haunt him to this day.

Colangelo assures us that this year things are different – that the presence of a two player draft changes the dynamics to a “can’t miss” environment, and that means Philadelphia 76ers fans have nothing to fear.  While that may be true at the top of the draft, it means nothing to Philadelphia at the 24 and 26 spot, both spots capable of delivering another Kyle Lowry to the NBA if the Sixers choose wisely.

Next: NBA Rumors Leading to Bidding Wars for Jahlil Okafor?

It’s disappointing that the team seems to place so little value on the late first round picks in this draft, as truly skilled scouting departments should be confident in their own abilities to detect NBA starters from even that far into the draft.