If Andrea Bargnani does somehow turn out to be a success story for the Brooklyn Nets, it would be a surprise.
Bargnani has been considered a bust ever since the Toronto Raptors selected him No. 1 overall in the 2006 NBA draft.
In addition to struggling mightily on the defensive end, Bargnani has been prone to injury. Over the past four seasons, Bargnani has missed 175 games. In 2014-15, he appeared in just 29 games for the New York Knicks.
While a skilled offensive player when healthy, pick-and-pop big man Bargnani can sometimes be guilty of holding on to the ball too much and taking bad shots. He's not as aggressive as Mirza Teletovic, who wasn't a priority for the Nets in free agency and eventually signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract in Phoenix.
The Nets are basically taking a $1.4 million gamble on Bargnani (and also giving him a second-year player option) in hopes that he's able to revive his career. Low risk, potentially high reward.
Bargnani joins a frontcourt reserve group that also includes Thomas Robinson, Willie Reed and Cory Jefferson.
The biggest question with that contingent is whether they can be reliable, especially given Brook Lopez's history of foot injuries.
Like Bargnani, Robinson is an underachieving journeyman former lottery pick, although he did have a strong stretch at the end of this past season with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Reed, who received a $500,000 guarantee as part of his deal with the Nets, has been a D-League player during his career.
Jefferson has some guaranteed money coming his way July 15, but will Brooklyn decide to cut the cord before then?
It's a patchwork group. The Nets hope it all works out. History suggests it won't. We'll see.
Starter Jack? Jarrett Jack, barring a surprise move, is likely going to be Brooklyn's starting point guard going into next season.
"If that's the position they want me to fill, I'm definitely ready to do so," Jack told reporters in Las Vegas.
