Wrong. Any statistical advantage Barnes had over Jefferson last year is marginal at best. Less minutes and less shots usually translates into better %. Barnes also didn't have the pressure of being a starter, playing behind Carter and Lewis. I think everybody can agree we didn't see the best Richard Jefferson has to offer last year, but he has proved in his career that he is starting level talent. Barnes is, at best, a role/bench player, "defensive" specialist and has a at ude on top of it all.
If Jefferson wasn't interested in coming back, why would he have personal workouts with Pop and why would RC say that they were working on getting him back?
Simply put, the spurs can offer Matt Barnes the best combination of championship contending, playing time, and money of all teams currently courting him, which includes LA, Miami, CLE, & Boston.
But..but..but... Matt Barnes can't shoot 3's!!
Fact: Matt Barnes shot 40% after being promoted to a starting role last year for Orlando. 50-124 es.
Please check your facts at least. Matt Barnes was promoted into the starting magic lineup after the 3rd or 4th week of the season IIRC. He never relinquished that role.
What's ironic here, is that Jefferson COULDN'T play in the the starting lineup because he didn't MESH with PARKER. His game was much more suited to the run and gun style of the Hill/Ginobili backcourt tandem.
Now people think that he's going to magically fit in with Tony and the gang this year. Going to be epic meltdowns and RJ hate threads, can't wait.
I didn't say he couldn't shoot threes, I said he was streaky. I'm also pretty sure he wants more money than the Spurs have to spend.
In fact, . . . yep.
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/spo...the-magic.html
Don't be so obtuse. He started 58 games, you're right, but the Magic had a much stronger rotation at the 2 & 3 positions than the Spurs. And, He didn't play starter minutes even after he was "promoted". You can, at least, admit that.
Tony is the point guard. He is every bit as responsible for not "meshing" as RJ. The problem was that Pop moved him around so much that he didn't get comfortable in his role. RJ needs a defined role on the team. It's not that complicated. Bowen, Barry, Horry and all the former players whose absence is lamented constantly all had defined roles.
If Barnes wants money he'll sign with the cavs, they quite obviously are ready to offer him some long term type contract/security. Only he hasn't signed there yet, so its a good bet he's exploring other options/looking for something other than $$$. That's what I believe if the spurs gave him a call and offered a reasonable contract (2yr/5m), steady playing time, and a chance to contend for a chip, he'd be all ears.
This guy is mature, humble, and realistic, and not at all what he's being made out to be by the spurs fans here.“But this is a business. From Day One, I think I’ve known that maybe a little better than anybody else in the NBA. So, if they choose not to bring me back, I always say a team’s got to do what’s best for their organization. That’s kind of the way I look at that.”
To his credit, Barnes didn’t express any bitterness toward the Magic when I spoke with him this afternoon
What makes you think the Spurs would offer that? Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong, but that would be a first with Pop at the helm, right?
If Barnes were looking for something other than $$$, he would have exercised his player option and continued as the starting SF for a 59-win team.
And if he would be looking for a championship, he could just as easily have signed with the Lakers or Miami, if they're as interested as reported.
Barnes opted out figuring to get a better deal with the magic, but they instead signed Quentin Richardson. Kind of spurned at the altar.
(assuming he comes back)
If he works with the coaches & Tony himself during the summer, watches his videos and has a year in the system to reference, I don't think he can fit in worse than he did last year. He can only get better.
It wasn't a physical thing with RJ, it was between the ears, he looked lost or over-thinking at times. He's never been called stupid or anything (ok, he walked away from $15M, I meant ability to learn), I'm sure he can improve at least a little bit in this area.
Well, he's matured awfully quickly considering just last season he started a fight vs the Grizzlies and got ejected, got into a verbal altercation with a FAN, and fought with Stan Van Gundy, who called him "too emotional", for the better part of the season.
Here's the last thing I am going to say about it. Jefferson is a free agent. Meaning the Spurs are free to sever that relationship any time they wish. If Barnes was really a much better option than Jefferson why isn't he a Spur yet?
OK, I lied. That isn't the last thing I am going to say. The Magic chose Quentin " ing" Richardson over Barnes . . . I think that says it all.
I don't think he has a fondness for Kobe (well neither did Raja Bell for that matter). The heat are cash strapped as , and I doubt Barnes will play for the minimum. For sure I bet he'd sign with the lowly cavs before signing for vet's minimum.
SVG also complimented him in the same interview..saying he's the only guy on the team that hustles. LOL @ you trying to make a big deal out of that.
BFD Barnes got ejected one ing game, you make it sound like a tragedy. I'm sure SVG was MUCH more worried about Dwight Howard's running T count than Barnes' 1 game ejection.
Barnes isn't a spur yet because Pop is probably piss drunk out at his vineyard.
This is a recurring story with Barnes. I'm not going to call him a or a cancer, but this is third consecutive summer that his most recent employer decided not to retain his services despite a reasonably productive tenure with each of those teams.
Summer of 2008: After his second season with the Warriors (the only team to ever retain him for a second season), they didn't offer him a contract and he eventually signed with Phoenix for the minimum.
Summer of 2009: After starting half the season, Phoenix was not interested in keeping him and he signed for 1.6M with Orlando.
Summer of 2010: After starting 58 games for Orlando, Barnes opts out in hopes of getting a better deal. Orlando never makes an offer and signs QRich instead. Swingmen like Morrow, Wright, Bell, and Brewer have signed deals for 3yrs/10M+ and Barnes is still on the market.
I won't pretend to know the exact reasons why Barnes has repeatedly been spurned by the teams that know him best, but clearly reasons exist.
It's really quite simple, the magic are over the cap and didn't want to give Barnes a big, long term contract that he was expecting to get. It was purely a financial decision IMO.
Barnes really should have realized how cash strapped the team was when he opted out of his last year.
Indeed.
Barnes...ugh. I'd rather have TMac.
http://www.nba.com/2010/news/feature...nes/index.html
Stan Van Gundy loves what Matt Barnes has brought to the Orlando Magic. Loves his energy. Loves his toughness. Loves his perpetual motion. And why not? If there's one thing the lean, 6-foot-7 forward knows about, it's moving.
Will Barnes find a permanent home with the Knicks? "I hope so,'' coach Larry Brown said. "He knows how to play. He's much more athletic than I think most people realize, and he's a good, just really sound, solid kid. He tries to guard; he tries to play the right way.''
"Matt will be a very good leader for our team," said coach Don Nelson on the day he named Barnes as one of the Warriors' captains for the 2007-08 season. "He is a guy who earned the respect of his teammates through hard work and dedication. Nothing was handed to this kid. He has overcome a lot of obstacles to be put in this position and that is the kind of player you want representing your team.''
"He's the perfect player for us -- an athletic guy who runs the floor, finishes at the basket, and can shoot the outside shot,'' Suns general manager Steve Kerr said. "He's also a guy who has had big games in the playoffs for Golden State and likes the big stage.''
"There are those guys who bounce around,'' Van Gundy shrugged. "Everybody's got different skills. Once you get past the 'max' guys, everybody's just looking for guys who fit their team. I'm just glad he was available.''
Yet all of them let him get away, which was the point Mel was making...
Talk is cheap in this league.
Best logic I've heard on why NOT to sign Barnes.
I know... 40% 3pt shooting as a starter is just subpar these days.
Give me Tracy "my FG% has plummeted every year since the year 2000 and I barely play 20 games a year anymore" McGrady
Seriously, what the would McGrady give the spurs? Other than taking hoards of incredibly stupid shots and being a lazy piece of ing on defense?
Spurs fans want to instead sign McGrady. Best reason I've heard yet to disregard said spur fans.
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