It could end mercifully and shamefully Friday in Toronto. And you could point to the Knicks’ crash beginning with Toronto, too.
As the Knicks (33-45) face the Raptors (46-32) at Air Canada Centre in what could be the night that coach Mike Woodson’s team officially is eliminated from the playoffs, owner James Dolan will rue his decision to take a gamble on enigmatic 7-foot big man Andrea Bargnani in a blockbuster trade with Toronto in late June.
Bargnani was supposed to be the jewel addition of the Knicks’ offseason — seen as a potential secondary scorer to Carmelo Anthony — to boost last season’s 54-28 juggernaut. The Knicks were convinced Amar’e Stoudemire would play limited minutes all season and likely would not make it to the end.
Turns out it was Bargnani who never got out of January. He tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow on Jan. 22 and never made it back. It’s Phil Jackson’s problem now, as he either looks to buy out Bargnani or trade the expiring deal that has $10 million left on it next season. However, expiring contracts aren’t as big an asset in the new collective bargaining agreement because all deals are shorter-term.
This could be a special night for the Raptors’ esteemed general manager Masai Ujiri on two levels. With a Toronto victory, the Raptors would dethrone the Knicks by clinching the Atlantic Division crown after five seasons of missing the playoffs with Bargnani, their 2006 No. 1-overall draft pick, as a featured piece.
And if the Knicks lose and the Hawks beat the Nets in Brooklyn, they will miss the playoffs and the lottery pick will go to the Nuggets from the Anthony trade. Yes, it was Ujiri who shook down Dolan in February 2011 when he ran the Nuggets.
Anthony takes the court Friday with a strained right shoulder, possibly playing his final week as a Knick. Bargnani is traveling with the club nowadays, but that’s all.
“Getting anything for him was a surprise,’’ a Western Conference executive said. “But you get desperate. The guy has talent, a 7-footer, mobile, his first few years he made shots. But I question his love for the game and mental makeup. I’m surprised the Knicks didn’t do more homework on him.’’
Ujuri said he didn’t want to comment on the Raptors-Knicks trade in which he obtained Steve Novak, Marcus Camby, their 2016 first-rounder and a second-rounder for Bargnani.
“We wanted to give opportunity to our younger players and also for Andrea to find a better fit since it wasn’t working out here,” Ujiri wrote in an email.
Bargnani had played every game before his injury, when he crashed to the court on one of his out-of-control drives to the bucket. His numbers weren’t bad — averaging 13.3 points on 44.2 percent shooting. But his team defense and rebounding were poor. He offered no intangibles, and his chemistry with Anthony wasn’t good. Bargnani often declined to take open jumpers, instead barreling out of control to the basket.
His 3-point shooting was very disappointing (27.8 percent).
“They got him as a stretch 4, but he hasn’t been a stretch 4 for years,’’ an NBA scout said.
Because the Knicks gave up 3-point shooting specialist Novak and let Chris Copeland flee for free agency, they weren’t the same 3-point shooting snipers as a year ago. Novak, in and out of the Toronto rotation, and Copeland also were popular guys in the locker room while Bargnani stuck to his reputation of staying to himself.
The Knicks were 12 games below .500 with Bargnani (15-27) and have played .500 (18-18) since he went down.
Hence, there never was urgency to have him return. In the latest vague response regarding Bargnani, Woodson said a few days ago he hopes to extend the season to give Bargnani a chance to come back.
That a productive Stoudemire vaulted into the starting lineup in March also lessened the necessity for Bargnani’s return.
If the Knicks had their 2016 first-rounder, they would’ve been in position to trade it for Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry in December. Lowry has enjoyed a career year and Friday can break the Raptors’ record for most 3-pointers in a season, needing two. The Knicks offered their 2018 first-rounder, but Ujiri also wanted Iman Shumpert and rookie Tim Hardaway Jr.
After the Bargnani trade, the Knicks made two key free-agent signings, defensive forward Metta World Peace and point guard Beno Udrih. They didn’t make it out of February — bought out after Woodson banished them from the rotation.
You can’t make this stuff up.
The tragic number stands at two. If the Knicks go 4-0, the Hawks must finish 1-3 for the Knicks to get in the playoffs. If Bargnani had become what Woodson thought, maybe Jackson isn’t even here.
“We’re going to need a little luck and probably win out to possibly get in,’’ Woodson said. “We’re at a point the games are running out on us.’’