Solid D
03-14-2006, 02:14 AM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA031406.1D.spurs.d51f62d.html
Barry wouldn't trade improved status
Web Posted: 03/14/2006 12:00 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
San Antonio Express-News
Brent Barry won't spend much time tonight envisioning what he would have looked like in a New Orleans Hornets uniform. Everyone else has done it for him.
Nearly traded for guard J.R. Smith almost three weeks ago, Barry has made the Spurs thankful they kept him. In the 10 games since the deal unraveled, he has averaged 6.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 18.6 minutes.
What the stats don't measure is the energy Barry has provided. He missed his four shots in Sunday's victory over Houston but twice blocked shots by Luther Head. In the first quarter, he ran down an errant pass from Rafer Alston before rifling the ball ahead to Beno Udrih, who buried a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
"He's been determined to be a threat when he catches the basketball, either to shoot or to drive," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Just in general, he's competing and playing, rather than thinking and wondering."
Not that Barry hasn't had a lot to wonder about. On the morning of the Spurs' Feb. 23 trip to Memphis, Popovich told him there was a good chance he would be traded.
Although the Spurs didn't tell Barry where he might be headed, they were working to send him to New Orleans for Smith, 20, and Arvydas Macijauskas, a 26-year-old rookie who has been unable to play his way into the Hornets' rotation.
But when the Hornets traded Bostjan Nachbar for New Jersey's Marc Jackson and Linton Johnson III, they were $50,000 short of the cap room needed to absorb the difference between Barry's salary and those of Smith and Macijauskas. Scrambling, the Spurs and Hornets asked Atlanta to take New Orleans forward Jackson Vroman.
But with Hawks general manager Billy Knight at a funeral, the teams ran out of time.
Told the trade was off, Barry joined the Spurs at the airport. The next night, he helped rally them past Memphis with seven points, five rebounds and three assists in 21 minutes — his most in a month.
Barry has been traded twice in his career, including once in the middle of the season, but this was the first time he rejoined a team knowing it had tried to move him but was unsuccessful.
"Pop is honest with guys, and guys respect that about him," Barry said. "Who knows, in hindsight, if I hadn't been told and didn't know about it, maybe he wouldn't have given me any minutes after everything shook down."
Robert Horry can relate. Houston traded him to Detroit for Sean Elliott midway through the 1993-94 season only to have the deal rescinded two days later when Elliott failed a physical.
Horry already had joined the Pistons when he was told to go back to Houston. He ended up helping the Rockets to two consecutive championships.
"I came back with an I-don't-care attitude," Horry said. "If I had an open shot, I was taking it. I think that helped me."
The failed trade also taught Horry an important lesson: The NBA is a business. That knowledge helped him become a more relaxed player. Missed shots didn't upset him. His anger over losses didn't linger as long.
"I think this has helped Brent a little, too," Horry said. "Sometimes you need an eye-opener."
Barry acknowledged the difficult situation has been motivation — "I think you hold onto that," he said, "and use it when you need to" — but he's playing better because he's playing.
Before the trade deadline, Barry had lost his spot in the rotation. Popovich since has gone to using four players at the two wing positions instead of three.
Barry's minutes aren't consistent — after a season-high 16 points in 19 minutes against the Los Angeles Lakers, he played eight minutes Sunday — but he usually has contributed. His goal now is to improve his shooting.
"To be in rhythm, you have to play, and to play, you have to be in rhythm," he said. "I was never good with the Rubik's Cube, so I'm having trouble with this one, too."
Barry has appreciated the support he's received, though he can do without the pity.
"People come up to me and say, 'I'm so happy you're still here,'" he said. "Hey, it's business. I understand. I don't need my hand held."
Although Smith would have made the Spurs younger and more athletic, he may have lacked the experience to help this season. The team likely will address its aging perimeter corps — through the draft, trades or free agency — again this summer.
For his part, Barry has waited too long to be on a winning team to want to leave. The past three weeks also have proven he can help the Spurs.
"Who knows?" he said. "It might be one game, one shot, one block, one steal. All those things can make a difference."
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Barry wouldn't trade improved status
Web Posted: 03/14/2006 12:00 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
San Antonio Express-News
Brent Barry won't spend much time tonight envisioning what he would have looked like in a New Orleans Hornets uniform. Everyone else has done it for him.
Nearly traded for guard J.R. Smith almost three weeks ago, Barry has made the Spurs thankful they kept him. In the 10 games since the deal unraveled, he has averaged 6.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 18.6 minutes.
What the stats don't measure is the energy Barry has provided. He missed his four shots in Sunday's victory over Houston but twice blocked shots by Luther Head. In the first quarter, he ran down an errant pass from Rafer Alston before rifling the ball ahead to Beno Udrih, who buried a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
"He's been determined to be a threat when he catches the basketball, either to shoot or to drive," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Just in general, he's competing and playing, rather than thinking and wondering."
Not that Barry hasn't had a lot to wonder about. On the morning of the Spurs' Feb. 23 trip to Memphis, Popovich told him there was a good chance he would be traded.
Although the Spurs didn't tell Barry where he might be headed, they were working to send him to New Orleans for Smith, 20, and Arvydas Macijauskas, a 26-year-old rookie who has been unable to play his way into the Hornets' rotation.
But when the Hornets traded Bostjan Nachbar for New Jersey's Marc Jackson and Linton Johnson III, they were $50,000 short of the cap room needed to absorb the difference between Barry's salary and those of Smith and Macijauskas. Scrambling, the Spurs and Hornets asked Atlanta to take New Orleans forward Jackson Vroman.
But with Hawks general manager Billy Knight at a funeral, the teams ran out of time.
Told the trade was off, Barry joined the Spurs at the airport. The next night, he helped rally them past Memphis with seven points, five rebounds and three assists in 21 minutes — his most in a month.
Barry has been traded twice in his career, including once in the middle of the season, but this was the first time he rejoined a team knowing it had tried to move him but was unsuccessful.
"Pop is honest with guys, and guys respect that about him," Barry said. "Who knows, in hindsight, if I hadn't been told and didn't know about it, maybe he wouldn't have given me any minutes after everything shook down."
Robert Horry can relate. Houston traded him to Detroit for Sean Elliott midway through the 1993-94 season only to have the deal rescinded two days later when Elliott failed a physical.
Horry already had joined the Pistons when he was told to go back to Houston. He ended up helping the Rockets to two consecutive championships.
"I came back with an I-don't-care attitude," Horry said. "If I had an open shot, I was taking it. I think that helped me."
The failed trade also taught Horry an important lesson: The NBA is a business. That knowledge helped him become a more relaxed player. Missed shots didn't upset him. His anger over losses didn't linger as long.
"I think this has helped Brent a little, too," Horry said. "Sometimes you need an eye-opener."
Barry acknowledged the difficult situation has been motivation — "I think you hold onto that," he said, "and use it when you need to" — but he's playing better because he's playing.
Before the trade deadline, Barry had lost his spot in the rotation. Popovich since has gone to using four players at the two wing positions instead of three.
Barry's minutes aren't consistent — after a season-high 16 points in 19 minutes against the Los Angeles Lakers, he played eight minutes Sunday — but he usually has contributed. His goal now is to improve his shooting.
"To be in rhythm, you have to play, and to play, you have to be in rhythm," he said. "I was never good with the Rubik's Cube, so I'm having trouble with this one, too."
Barry has appreciated the support he's received, though he can do without the pity.
"People come up to me and say, 'I'm so happy you're still here,'" he said. "Hey, it's business. I understand. I don't need my hand held."
Although Smith would have made the Spurs younger and more athletic, he may have lacked the experience to help this season. The team likely will address its aging perimeter corps — through the draft, trades or free agency — again this summer.
For his part, Barry has waited too long to be on a winning team to want to leave. The past three weeks also have proven he can help the Spurs.
"Who knows?" he said. "It might be one game, one shot, one block, one steal. All those things can make a difference."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[email protected]