Nobody is criticizing the Suns for signing him at this price. It's a great deal for them. Critiquing Barnes as a player is another story. You have to admit signing a one-year deal at the vet minimum is the ultimate dis after 6 years in the NBA.
damn right. Yes, I wanted Matt Barnes last summer and also this summer. No one overrated him. He's a utility guy that this team needs..especially how our bench lacks any length/height and any decent shooting outside of Novak. And for this kind of money??? Are you kidding me?
Looks like the rumors of him putting West Coast life over money are really true; I vaguely remember that he vowed never to play outside of California again after the Knicks and Sixers nearly drove him out of basketball. Sure, Phoenix isn't Cali, but it's the next best thing in the NBA, assuming you want to play for a contender. Great deal for the Suns; I would have to think that they might also be a good landing spot for Steve Novak, considering he's a pretty useful 12th man on a minimum salary. Phoenix needs cheap bodies and 3 point shooters...
Maybe,but it's possible that he wants to continue playing in the NBA with a team that can helpful for him and vice versa. A good showing could help him get a better contract next year.
Because he isn't very good. Simple as that. Barnes is a poor offensive player who hustles. Good for him! That's why he's getting a one year contract at the vet minimum. If Barnes was good, he would have gotten a better contract. Since you think he's good enough to be in our rotation, tell me how he would help our team, besides hustle. Don't even try to argue he's a good 3-point shooter because he isn't. If you agree he's a 9th/10th man, don't we already have enough warm bodies?
Well, there are far worse players to have bigger salaries, this is true. Whether it remains a "dis" depends some on what happens next year and later. Didn't House, Brown and Cassell sign for the min? We are trying to get Deke back for the min too. It can be taken different ways, maybe Barnes is trying to go to the optimal situation rather than be a whiney biatch like Ty Lue for instance, and just get what he can get now. Barnes is a solid rotation player on most teams. He would have strengthend our bench. He would have done a much better job spelling Battier or Tmac and keeping the team continuity on both ends than Synder, Head, Wells, Novak, Harris, or whomever else we have tried in a back-up swingman role who have even greater flaws in offense, defense or/and bb brain than barnes does. Is Barnes great, no; good bench player on most teams, yes; value at the min--crazy good. Now with Barry I don't think we need him, but great deal for the Suns. Honestly makes me think their is a wink-wink arrangement, Diaw on the way out and future decent deal with him discussed. Or maybe Barnes is just super confident a good season on a good team without any other assurences will pay dividends later (see Eddie House).
Great pickup for Phoenix...considering Barnes was even looking for an MLE offer last year, now getting him for the Vet Min is a bargain. Guess this makes up a bit for their sold draft picks for cash. For Barnes this is great as well. His game suits an uptempo style of play, so he's found a great team to join. But with Dantoni gone it could be a different story.
