Monroe: Ex-Spur Brent Barry ponders options, including the Spurs

[ChumpDumper]

Did people actually expect when this season began for Brent to be here next season anyway?

If he played for the minimum, why not? He was finally playing the way Pop wanted and seems to have more left in the tank than Finley.

[DDS4]

Brent and the Spurs alike have to be ambiguous with the media. Or else they'll both be accused of tampering or violating the 30-day rule.

And I wouldn't hold it against Brent if he went to the Suns or another team for that matter. The last two years, he's been constant subject for trade talks, plus his playing time was inconsistent. It's a business if he got traded away. It's also business on Brent's part if he went to a different team.

Now if he comes back, he'll probably be one of the most beloved Spurs.

[ThomasGranger]

Even if he does come back to the Spurs I'm going to chunk a water bottle at him just for dragging this whole thing out.

[timvp]

I don't understand why does Timvp think Barry will be a "legend" if he decides to come back with the SPurs?

Spurs fans already like Brent Barry. But now that he's once again on the open market and free to chose to go anywhere he wants, if he again picks the Spurs that will cement his status as a San Antonio legend.

The specific reasons as to why he'll be a legend, I'm not sure. I never figured out why Steve Kerr was a legend. That guy sucked 99.999% of his time as a Spur, yet he's probably a top ten most popular Spur of all-time.

All I know is Barry is one signature away from being a legend. If he re-signs, he'll go down as one of the most beloved Spurs of all-time. When he's seen in 20 years, a San Antonian will look at him as a Puro San Antonio Spur. If he signs with the Suns, he'll be viewed as just another player who came through town to bandwagon a couple rings.

The choice is yours, Brent.

[whottt]

Part of the reason Kerr was so popular was because he was a Chicago Bull and thus more people recognized him than the typical player. Recognized him...as a winner.


Kerr played a bigger role on the 03 team than you guys want to give him credit for...dude shot 67% from 3 for a post season...you don't appreciate those shots until you don't have them.


He also had that indefinable mascot appeal that some players just have for whatever reason...


Barry doesn't have that appeal though...as he has hit a lot more shots and had as many big playoff series for the Spurs as Kerr ever did...Plus he does everything else better. And yet he's nowhere near as popular as Kerr.

[timvp]

Kerr played a bigger role on the 03 team than you guys want to give him credit for...dude shot 67% from 3 for a post season...you don't appreciate those shots until you don't have them.

He hit seven shots all playoffs. To put it in perspective, freakin' Francisco Elson hit four times as many shots last year in the playoffs.

While it's true that Kerr hit big shots during that postseason, his seven shots shouldn't have been enough to make him one of the most popular Spurs of all-time.

He also had that indefinable mascot appeal that some players just have for whatever reason...

Barry doesn't have that appeal though...as he has hit a lot more shots and had as many big playoff series for the Spurs as Kerr ever did...Plus he does everything else better. And yet he's nowhere near as popular as Kerr.

I agree that Barry >>>>>>>>>>> Kerr. The one thing Kerr might be better at is shooting, but I'd take an open Barry three before I'd take an open Kerr three.

But yeah, if Barry re-signs, he'll gain that appeal with Spurs fans. Spurs fans have been frustrated a bit with Barry through the years for all his hesitating on open jumpers but this will make Spurs fans forget about all that.

[SenorSpur]

I confess that at the time it was announced, I lamented the fact that the J.R. Smith-for-Barry trade didn't go through. Thought better of it later.

[picnroll]

Kerr had one outstanding stretch against the Mavs in a game, bringing the Spurs' back, saving their bacon. That's been magnified.

[timvp]

Kerr had one outstanding stretch against the Mavs in a game, bringing the Spurs' back, saving their bacon. That's been magnified.

The problem with how that game is remembered is it was actually SJax and Rose who brought them back. Kerr just put the nails in the coffin after the Spurs caught up.

But I don't want to turn this into a Kerr thread . . .

[whottt]

He hit seven shots all playoffs. To put it in perspective, freakin' Francisco Elson hit four times as many shots last year in the playoffs.

While it's true that Kerr hit big shots during that postseason, his seven shots shouldn't have been enough to make him one of the most popular Spurs of all-time.
.

He only hit 7 shots....but Pop didn't play him. When Pop put him in he was nailing threes and twos. And I will disagree that he didn't play a role...he was the solution to us choking huge leads...a big time problem for that team. By the last two rounds of the playoffs he was the heimlich manuever. Even on FT some nights...

Ask Duncan...Duncan was the reason he got the minutes he did.



He didn't hit a lot of shots...but he came in cold and was drilling them...that's got to be insane hard to do.


It wasn't jus the fans that got excited about it either...

David Robinson was jumping up and down like a 5 year old.


And my perspective is one shot is enough to make a guy a hero....if it's the right shot.



The question I ask...is why was Kerr a hero before he hit them?


He was popular from the day he became a Spur.


It's the Bull connection. He was easily identifiable as a Chicago Bull who played with Jordan and hit big shots for Mike.

[K-State Spur]

Kerr had one outstanding stretch against the Mavs in a game, bringing the Spurs' back, saving their bacon. That's been magnified.

he played pretty well in game 5 against the Nets as well. but yeah, his significance has been over-stated. doubtful that any of those series go the other way even without him.

[FromWayDowntown]

It wasn't jus the fans that got excited about it either...

David Robinson was jumping up and down like a 5 year old.

It wasn't just Kerr that got people excited. Kerr hit big shots in the midst of a 30-2 run that extended for almost 9:30 of a series clinching game on the home court of a rival, in a playoff run that validated the things that happened in 1999. I'm not saying the guys weren't happy for Steve Kerr or that Steve Kerr didn't play a big role in what happened. But a 30-2 run will get some people excited.

It's not as if Kerr hadn't played until the 4th quarter of that game, either. He hit a 3 with about 2 minutes to go in the 3rd and had been in the game for about 2 minutes before that. Still, his run was extremely memorable and it certainly put Dallas away.

For the record, Kerr did lead the Spurs in scoring during that burst:

9 -- Kerr (3 three pointers)
6 -- Jackson (2 three pointers)
6 -- Duncan (2 field goals, 2 free throws)
5 -- Ginobili (1 three pointer, 2 free throws)
4 -- Rose (1 field goal, 2 free throws)

[timvp]

He only hit 7 shots....but Pop didn't play him. When Pop put him in he was nailing threes and twos. And I will disagree that he didn't play a role...he was the solution to us choking huge leads...a big time problem for that team. By the last two rounds of the playoffs he was the heimlich manuever.

That's more Kerr myth. Against the Mavs, he put the daggers in on that comeback effort. Props on that. But Game 5 against the Nets, the Spurs had that game in the bag when Kerr hit his shots. In Game 6, when he came in the Spurs fell further behind. There was no Heimlich maneuvers in either of those two games against the Nets. And those were the only three games he played in during that playoff run.

Somehow Kerr is remembered as a guy who saved the day but it just wasn't true. He hit some shots against the Mavs with the worst defender in NBA history on him after the Spurs had caught all the way back up. I'll give him props for that. In Game 5 against the Nets, he hit a few shots when the game was over. Props. But that doesn't make him the a top ten Spurs player ever ... which is how Spurs fans see him.

Even on FT some nights...

See, this is exactly what I'm talking about. Kerr never saved the Spurs with clutch free throws during that playoff run. People like you making crap up is part of the reason why Kerr is so overrated in Spurs lore.

[whottt]

See, this is exactly what I'm talking about. Kerr never saved the Spurs with clutch free throws during that playoff run. People like you making crap up is part of the reason why Kerr is so overrated is Spurs lore.

You're wrong...there was a game where the Spurs were bricking FT's and Duncan flat out tells Pop to put Kerr in to hit a tech or something...he says it to him as they are going to a commercial break.

I can easily find this box score and PBP...brb.

[whottt]

It wasn't just Kerr that got people excited. Kerr hit big shots in the midst of a 30-2 run that extended for almost 9:30 of a series clinching game on the home court of a rival, in a playoff run that validated the things that happened in 1999. I'm not saying the guys weren't happy for Steve Kerr or that Steve Kerr didn't play a big role in what happened. But a 30-2 run will get some people excited.

It's not as if Kerr hadn't played until the 4th quarter of that game, either. He hit a 3 with about 2 minutes to go in the 3rd and had been in the game for about 2 minutes before that. Still, his run was extremely memorable and it certainly put Dallas away.

For the record, Kerr did lead the Spurs in scoring during that burst:

9 -- Kerr (3 three pointers)
6 -- Jackson (2 three pointers)
6 -- Duncan (2 field goals, 2 free throws)
5 -- Ginobili (1 three pointer, 2 free throws)
4 -- Rose (1 field goal, 2 free throws)

Well you're wrong about that...Kerr was one of David Robinson's oldest friends on the team and all you have to do is watch that segment and see Drob is cheering for what Kerr did. Listen to his jersey retirement too...he talks a great deal about Kerr.


Revisionism at it's finest...doesn't really bother me that much since Kerr is a Sun now...but it's still revisionism.

[timvp]

You're wrong...there was a game where the Spurs were bricking FT's and Duncan flat out tells Pop to put Kerr in to hit a tech or something...he says it to him as they are going to a commercial break.

I can easily find this box score and PBP...brb.

I wanted to quote this before you try to go back and edit it. You are making crap up. None of that ever happened.

Maybe in some Steve Kerr fantasy land that I'm not aware of but not in real life.

Good luck with that box score search. I've watched every game of that playoff run countless times. I would remember if anything close to that happened.

But yeah, good luck

[FromWayDowntown]

You're wrong...there was a game where the Spurs were bricking FT's and Duncan flat out tells Pop to put Kerr in to hit a tech or something...he says it to him as they are going to a commercial break.

I can easily find this box score and PBP...brb.

Kerr was 3-4 from the line for the entire 2003 Playoffs. He went 2-2 in Game 4 at Dallas, a game that the Spurs won by 7 and shot 84% from the line. He hit those FT with the Spurs up 5 and 14 seconds left in the game.

He also went 1-2 in Game 5 of the Finals at New Jersey (the Spurs shot 83% from the line in that game). The free throw he missed came with the Spurs up 10 and 34 seconds left in that game. The free throw he made put the Spurs up by 10 at the same juncture of the game.

[whottt]

Boxcore for your perusal...


http://www.nba.com/games/20030525/SASDAL/boxscore.html


That's what broke the ice of getting Kerr back into games...and it was Duncan that did it. Go back and watch the games...you'll see Duncan talking to Pop and pointing Kerr as they cut to a commercial break.

[whottt]

Yeah...I guess you guys are right...that team never lost games at the FT line or allowed them to get back into games...


My bad

[ChumpDumper]

That's a pretty good FT percentage for the Spurs. When were they bricking?

[Spurs Dynasty 21]

if he goes to the Suns I would laugh at his face when the Suns get knocked out of the playoffs

[td4mvp21]

Yeah...I guess you guys are right...that team never lost games at the FT line or allowed them to get back into games...


My bad

No you're problem is you make judgments based on the last 30 seconds of a game rather than the game itself. I wouldn't call any of those Kerr free throws "clutch".

[whottt]

I never argue vehemently unless I know I'm right...and I know I'm right on this one. Because I was 100% in agreement with Duncan.


It wasn't that they were on the verge of losing that particular game...it was that the formula for their losses pretty obvious and Duncan finally had something to say about it.


Futher more...in that Dallas come back, you can see Duncan and Kerr working on getting him a shot when Duncan is getting doubled, and you can even see Duncan getting a little irate when Kerr kept passing the ball back...he also commented on it in a post game interview.

[timvp]

Boxcore for your perusal...


http://www.nba.com/games/20030525/SASDAL/boxscore.html


That's what broke the ice of getting Kerr back into games...and it was Duncan that did it. Go back and watch the games...you'll see Duncan talking to Pop and pointing Kerr as they cut to a commercial break.

The game was over before Kerr hit those free throws at the end. There were only a couple seconds left in the game. And no Spur missed any free throws down the stretch. There was no Heimlich maneuver needed. The game was over and there were no missed free throws by anyone at the end. And Duncan never said anything to Pop about putting Kerr in. Kerr came in for Bowen when the Mavs were fouling ... like he did countless times during that playoff run.

But yeah, thanks for providing more BS Steve Kerr mythology.

[whottt]

That's a pretty good FT percentage for the Spurs. When were they bricking?

All throughout that post season...


That was the formula for just about every comeback against them and at least one loss.