Create a zero value of a generic Number subclass

Question

How can I generically create a zero of an arbitrary numeric type?

Here's a toy example: a function that converts a null number into zero.

static <T extends Number> T zeroIfNull(T value) {
    return value == null ? 0 : value;
}

This doesn't compile because the literal zero is of type int, and I need to convert that to type T.

Is it possible to do this at all?

Answer 1

Is it possible to do this at all?
Not really. For one thing, when value is null, how would method know which Number implementation to return?