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04-17-2008, 11:21 PM
Barry, Thomas answer the call for Spurs
Web Posted: 04/17/2008 11:04 PM CDT
Jeff McDonald
Express-News Staff Writer
Two months ago, Kurt Thomas and Brent Barry each received a phone call that would change seasons and lives.
On the afternoon of Feb. 20, Thomas learned the happy news that he had just been traded from Seattle, where the SuperSonics were in the midst of a painful rebuilding season, to the NBA champion Spurs.
At about the same time, Barry answered his cell phone in San Antonio to discover the miserable news that he'd been shipped to Seattle in the deal that brought Thomas here.
It was the same phone call, met with two decidedly different reactions.
"I was elated," Thomas said. "Seattle was great, but it was just a lot of young guys where it was going to take some time to win. To come to a veteran team like this, I can't put it into words."
Barry was speechless, too, but not for the same reason. Already injured at the time, his trade and subsequent release by the Sonics was the centerpiece of a dark period that would have him go 80 stir-crazy days without playing in an NBA game.
"I don't know any guys who have gone through something like that," Barry said.
It's funny how life works sometimes.
Traded for each other two months ago, Thomas and Barry today stand side-by-side in the Spurs' postseason plans.
After much deliberation, Barry re-signed with the Spurs in March. Finally over the calf injury that stole half his season, Barry appeared in the Spurs' final two games of the regular season, his first since Jan. 24.
Potentially, he and Thomas are poised to perform key reserve roles for the Spurs when they open the first round of the playoffs Saturday against the Phoenix Suns.
Thomas, a playoff-tested power forward, will be called upon to lean on Suns behemoth Shaquille O'Neal and perhaps knock down a 15-foot jumper or two. Barry, a court-savvy 3-point bomber, could be useful toward applying perimeter pressure to the Phoenix defense.
For Barry, the wait to get back on the court — after nearly three months spent playing nothing but Mr. Mom to his two young sons — was excruciating. He was averaging 7.3 points and shooting 43 percent from beyond the 3-point arc in 29 games before enduring the longest all-star break in NBA history.
"It felt pretty good just to put on the jersey and be around the guys," Barry, 36, said upon his return. "You miss that stuff."
Had the dominoes fallen differently, there's a chance either player would be pulling on his jersey in the other locker room this week.
Thomas, 35, spent his two previous seasons with the Suns, and probably would have stayed for a third had they not jettisoned him in a cost-cutting move last summer. After the February trade, Barry considered signing with Phoenix — even hosting general manager Steve Kerr in his Terrell Hills home — before opting to return to the Spurs.
They are once and could-have-been Suns, now consorting merrily with the enemy.
The Spurs know Thomas' playoff potential well. With Phoenix last season, Thomas had games of 12, 14 and 15 points against them in the Western Conference semifinals.
"He's the kind of player who is going to do a lot of little things right," Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni said. "And he's not going to make mistakes."
Rescued from the purgatory of the lame-duck Sonics, Thomas is happy to be contributing to someone's playoff push.
"I'm going to do whatever I can as far as rebounding, scoring, playing solid defense," he said. "Whatever they need me to do."
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich remains curious as to exactly what he can get out of Barry as the playoffs move along.
Wednesday's season finale against Utah provided some encouraging signs. Barry played 11 minutes, and made all three of his field goals for eight points.
"It's just good to know he was able to get out on the court and play the minutes he played," Popovich said.
Barry admits he still needs time to work his way into playing form. The trick will be to do it without disrupting a team that had spent nearly three months gelling without him.
"Nobody really cares what happened to me," Barry said. "It's about what this team is going to do in the next couple of months. We know what we're capable of doing, and I'm happy to be part of that."
Two months after metaphorically passing in the night between Seattle and San Antonio, Thomas and Barry have arrived at the same place.
And it is a good place.
[email protected]
LINK: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA041808.Spurs_daily_0418.en.376532e.html
Web Posted: 04/17/2008 11:04 PM CDT
Jeff McDonald
Express-News Staff Writer
Two months ago, Kurt Thomas and Brent Barry each received a phone call that would change seasons and lives.
On the afternoon of Feb. 20, Thomas learned the happy news that he had just been traded from Seattle, where the SuperSonics were in the midst of a painful rebuilding season, to the NBA champion Spurs.
At about the same time, Barry answered his cell phone in San Antonio to discover the miserable news that he'd been shipped to Seattle in the deal that brought Thomas here.
It was the same phone call, met with two decidedly different reactions.
"I was elated," Thomas said. "Seattle was great, but it was just a lot of young guys where it was going to take some time to win. To come to a veteran team like this, I can't put it into words."
Barry was speechless, too, but not for the same reason. Already injured at the time, his trade and subsequent release by the Sonics was the centerpiece of a dark period that would have him go 80 stir-crazy days without playing in an NBA game.
"I don't know any guys who have gone through something like that," Barry said.
It's funny how life works sometimes.
Traded for each other two months ago, Thomas and Barry today stand side-by-side in the Spurs' postseason plans.
After much deliberation, Barry re-signed with the Spurs in March. Finally over the calf injury that stole half his season, Barry appeared in the Spurs' final two games of the regular season, his first since Jan. 24.
Potentially, he and Thomas are poised to perform key reserve roles for the Spurs when they open the first round of the playoffs Saturday against the Phoenix Suns.
Thomas, a playoff-tested power forward, will be called upon to lean on Suns behemoth Shaquille O'Neal and perhaps knock down a 15-foot jumper or two. Barry, a court-savvy 3-point bomber, could be useful toward applying perimeter pressure to the Phoenix defense.
For Barry, the wait to get back on the court — after nearly three months spent playing nothing but Mr. Mom to his two young sons — was excruciating. He was averaging 7.3 points and shooting 43 percent from beyond the 3-point arc in 29 games before enduring the longest all-star break in NBA history.
"It felt pretty good just to put on the jersey and be around the guys," Barry, 36, said upon his return. "You miss that stuff."
Had the dominoes fallen differently, there's a chance either player would be pulling on his jersey in the other locker room this week.
Thomas, 35, spent his two previous seasons with the Suns, and probably would have stayed for a third had they not jettisoned him in a cost-cutting move last summer. After the February trade, Barry considered signing with Phoenix — even hosting general manager Steve Kerr in his Terrell Hills home — before opting to return to the Spurs.
They are once and could-have-been Suns, now consorting merrily with the enemy.
The Spurs know Thomas' playoff potential well. With Phoenix last season, Thomas had games of 12, 14 and 15 points against them in the Western Conference semifinals.
"He's the kind of player who is going to do a lot of little things right," Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni said. "And he's not going to make mistakes."
Rescued from the purgatory of the lame-duck Sonics, Thomas is happy to be contributing to someone's playoff push.
"I'm going to do whatever I can as far as rebounding, scoring, playing solid defense," he said. "Whatever they need me to do."
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich remains curious as to exactly what he can get out of Barry as the playoffs move along.
Wednesday's season finale against Utah provided some encouraging signs. Barry played 11 minutes, and made all three of his field goals for eight points.
"It's just good to know he was able to get out on the court and play the minutes he played," Popovich said.
Barry admits he still needs time to work his way into playing form. The trick will be to do it without disrupting a team that had spent nearly three months gelling without him.
"Nobody really cares what happened to me," Barry said. "It's about what this team is going to do in the next couple of months. We know what we're capable of doing, and I'm happy to be part of that."
Two months after metaphorically passing in the night between Seattle and San Antonio, Thomas and Barry have arrived at the same place.
And it is a good place.
[email protected]
LINK: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA041808.Spurs_daily_0418.en.376532e.html