The Brooklyn Nets have signed Andrea Bargnani to a free agent contract over the weekend and now the former NY Knicks forward joins Joe Johnson following the buyout of point guard Deron Williams, who is signing with the Dallas Mavericks on a two-year deal.
The Nets have been an active this team this summer in keeping Brook Lopez and signing back Thaddeus Young and now they have Bargnani as another offensive option. The team just bought out Deron Williams and reports have the Nets looking to keep Joe Johnson this year despite shopping him in a trade earlier this offseason.
The Nets announced the news on Twitter on Sunday about the deal with Bargnani, writing that the team "reached an agreement in principle" with the free agent forward. Bargnani had strong interest from the Sacramento Kings and there were reports that he was going to sign with the team on Saturday. According to the New York Post, Tim Bontemps reports that deal is a one-year contract for the veteran minimum and it has a player option for the second year of the deal.
Marc Stein later reported that the Kings gave Bargnani more money that the Nets were giving, but that the two year deal made the difference. The Knicks previously said they would be open to bringing back Bargnani on a minimum deal, but there is a chance they also did not offer a second year in a contract. The Nets have been an active team this offseason, adding Thomas Robinson, Willie Reed and Wayne Ellington along with Bargnani while also singing back Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young.
Last season Bargnani averaged 14 points and four rebounds per game in 29 games while dealing with injuries for the Knicks. Bargnani has not played in more than 70 games since back in 2009 with Toronto and he could be a solid option off the bench for the Nets. The Nets worked with Williams on a buyout of his contract and now he is set to join the Mavericks on a deal worth a reported $10 million for two years. Williams' buyout will be over $20 million and it could mean the Nets keep Joe Johnson after shopping him in trades this year.
Johnson reportedly was a target with the Cleveland Cavaliers a couple weeks ago, but the two sides did not come close to making a deal. Marc Stein at ESPN reports that with Williams now out of Brooklyn, the Nets are likely to keep Johnson over making a trade. Mike Mazzeo reported the news that the deal talks with the Cavaliers had become "stagnant" and it had to do with the contract for Anderson Varejao. Johnson is on an expiring deal at over $24 million and if the Nets are bad this season, he could be a target at the trade deadline.
Bargnani gives the team a solid option off the bench and he can help replace the production of Mirza Teletovic, who left for the Phoenix Suns in free agency. Lopez and the Nets agreed to a $60 million deal and Lopez comes in after staying healthy this season and playing in 72 games, averaging 17 points and seven rebounds.
Check here for more on the Nets deal with Andrea Bargnani, the news about Joe Johnson likely not getting traded and for more on Deron Williams, the buyout and his move to the Mavs.
