Andrea Bargnani's season is already off to a familiarly disappointing start.
New York Knicks coach Derek Fisher admitted that there's a chance Bargnani won't be ready for the team's season opener, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. The Knicks open the regular season on Oct. 29 against the Chicago Bulls.
Bargnani has been sidelined with a hamstring strain for nearly two weeks. The Italian big man hasn't suited up since the Knicks' preseason opener on Oct. 8 against the Boston Celtics.
Bargnani has dealt with a slew of calf, elbow and hamstring injuries over the last few years, hasn't cracked the 60-game mark since the 2010-11 season, and has missed 138 games over the last four years combined.
Bargnani's durability and overall performance will be crucial this year, as the former No. 1 overall pick is set for unrestricted free agency after the season. He'll earn $11.5 million this season, the final year of a five-year, $50 million contract.
Barring a career-year, Bargnani is surely in for a steep decrease in pay.
Bargnani's value is in his ability to space the floor offensively and his unique offensive skill set for a seven-footer. However, he's posted an Effective Field Goal Percentage of 47.0 over the last four seasons and hasn't hit the 35 percent marker from three-point range in five years.
