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I haven't seen this theory presented elsewhere on Raptors forums or blogs, so I apologize if somebody has mentioned this already — I swear I didn't steal it from you. Anyway, it occurred to me this afternoon that Colangelo couldn't have been happy with how Sam Mitchell almost never drew up any plays for Andrea Bargnani.
In several games this season, we've seen Bargnani get off to a hot start in the first quarter — only to virtually vanish offensively for the rest of the game because he simply didn't get any touches. Now, Jose Calderon definitely deserves some of the blame for this. I've been frequently frustrated by watching Bargnani get wide open at the top of the arc or post up a much smaller defender, only to get looked off by Calderon. Bargnani has been a much more effective offensive weapon this season and he deserves more respect.
Regardless, in the big picture, who is Colangelo going to blame if the player who represents the defining move of his NBA legacy isn't putting up numbers befitting of a first overall pick? We all know the answer, of course. Some of you will find this particularly outrageous since many people thought Bargnani was already getting way too much playing time under Mitchell. But just because he was getting playing time, that doesn't mean Colangelo thought Mitchell was using him right.
So let's say Colangelo and interim coach Jay Triano have an agreement that Bargnani will now be much more involved on the offensive end. Of course, I have absolutely zero evidence that this conversation ever took place. (Unlike Charley Rosen, I admit when I'm talking out of my ass.) But does it seem so outrageous to suggest this? Colangelo is heavily invested in Bargnani's performance both as an influencer of the Raptors' success and as a measurement of his basketball acumen. He doesn't want to be known as the guy who drafted a role player with the first overall pick in the draft.
More and more, fans and media have started to turn on Colangelo and wonder if maybe he's not the genius his two Executive of the Year awards made him out to be. Andrea Bargnani is Bryan Colangelo's "Rosebud" — and it seems to me that Colangelo may have concluded that Sam Mitchell was the barrier to Bargnani fully living up to his potential and bringing Colangelo the glory he feels he deserves.
Now, if you'll excuse me, my tinfoil hat has fallen off again. 
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