Rocky Mountain News July 3 :Houston offers brent barry 4 year 24 million deal

simply put: we are doing whatever it takes to get the best players for our team.


we paid a high price for Tmac...we will have to outbid other teams for the best fit at PG (barry)...we will get a BAD contract in return for the TE...and we will get a LESS talented player in return for mo.

sounds bad, but in the end we got a top 5 player to play next to yao, a smart shooter and passer who is a decent defender to run our offence, we will get a F/C who can sub for both howard and yao, and we will add depth to our bench with another vet.


barry probably has about 3 productive years left before he just becomes a shooter. in that time we will have to find a new starting PG. he will be considered overpaid after the first year, but we will have a great season and he will be a big part of that.

 

Everyone loves the idea of putting a young team together and letting them "grow up" together, eventually becoming a championship contender. But it just doesn't work like that.

If you can put together 8 guys who play well together and whose games complement each other, you can become a contender. Look at the Pistons. Look at the Spurs. Ron Harper was 36 when the Lakers won a title with him as their starting point.

We have our core, Yao and T-Mac. For every other player we just need the best fit available. We don't need a guy who will still be playing five years down the line. We can get a new point guard when that time comes.

Right now we need a smart player who bring leadership and veteran experience. We need someone that can shoot. We need someone that can play either the one or the two so we can solidify an eight man rotation.

We need Brent Barry.

 

Look as a Grizzly fan I am estatic you guys will have Barry, T Mac, Jackson, Hoawrd/Mo T and Yao as starters. That lineup will be lit up on a nightly basis. Granted, you guys will score in bunches but you will be Dallaslike on defense. Good luck with that...

 

I really like Brent Barry - I just wonder about that last year of the contract.

Just wondering - how can we offer him that kind of money? We have no cap space, if I am not mistaken - so is that a sign-and-trade offer for the TE that the Sonics would have to agree to?

 

Its called envy MemphisX, just admit it.

 

Yao Ming will rule the paint and Jimmy Jackson is a good perimeter defender. When T-Mac wants (and JVG will MAKE him want to do it), he is an outstanding defender. Barry is a great team defender. The guy gets a lot of steals, too... Mo T is not a great defender and neither is Howard, but they are not horrible either.

With JVG coaching, everyone's focus will be on defense anyway, so it is ridiculous to say the team will be like Dallas.

 

Dallas-like on defense. Yeah, right. See, there's this coach we have named JVG. He got pissed off when the Rockets only gave away free Big Macs when the rockets scored 100 points and won. Now the Rockets give away Big Macs when they hold their opponents to under 80 and win. This happened quite a few times last year.

JVG sees defensive potential in every player we're bringing in, or they wouldn't be here.

 

Jeff Van Gundy will make this team play defense. Do you think Steve Francis was known for his defense? Did you watch McGrady play defense in Toronto? When you have to carry a team on your back your gonna give up some on the defensive end. I know your just bitter now that Memphis will be looking up at the Rockets in the standings. Its understandable

 

JWill
James Posey
Mike Miller
Pau Gasol
Stromile Swift

That's three defensive liabilities in the starting lineup. You guys still played decent defense and forced a lot of turnovers.

It's all about the team defensive scheme.

 

Now that i think about it....i think it's a BIG DEAL that we sign Brent Barry....he's another deadly shooter from downtown...someone that the Rockets desparately need. Don't worry about his age...i mean look at Christie...he's just as old too and he plays like he's 25 in the Playoffs. Barry still have a lot of years left and he will provide threat from outside....he shoots way better than Fisher and any other guard. He's like Peja if you leave him open....so YES it's very important that the Rox sign him.

After that..go after Fisher!!

 

Couple things...

First, it is difficult if not impossible to build through free agency. Teams that dump salary to get under the cap are almost ALWAYS teams that suck. Strategic trades and use of things like the MLE and veteran's exception are very effective when you already have your stars in place, which the Rockets do with the addition of McGrady.

Second, the Rockets have been VERY clear that they wanted to add shooting to their rotation knowing that it will open the floor for Yao and T-Mac. With great shooters, defenders have to be honest. Barry is a GREAT shooter and that is something that survives into the mid-30's assuming no major injuries. He can park himself at the 3-point line until he's 40 like a lot of guys did before him and still make a good living especially with his quick release.

Lastly, the Rockets are in the ideal situation to put a guy like Barry on the roster. He's quick, unselfish and a great shooter. His one weakness is defense but not because of his ability. He has lacked a system that schemed like the Rockets do. There isn't a team in the league save Detroit that schemes opposing teams like the Rockets because of Van Gundy. As a result, Barry could look like an above average defender just through the scheme of the defense and the play of his teammates.

I've thought for a while that Barry was the right choice. The guy is TERRIFIC at running the floor. He passes with the best of them and shoots lights out from long range. Unlike in Seattle, he would get WIDE open looks here. If he comes to Houston, he'll probably get wider open looks than he has ever seen in his entire life.

Even at 36, it is likely he'll still be a scoring threat from the perimeter. By that time, they'll have alternate solutions to run the point. Until then, Barry is probably the perfect fit for this team.

 

True but that is not JVG's defensive scheme. He is a limit possessions type of defensive philosophy. Hey, I know it doesn't matter what I say, my opinion is not usually popular but you guys are going to be in for some disappointment in BB.

Oh and I am envious of you guys getting T Mac just because of the extra TV appearances you guys will get...

 

What happened to the rumored Piatkowski/Ollie deal anyway?

 

FISHER IS WHO WE NEED!

 

ok, so we offered him the $$$....


any word on his reaction?

 

Barry would be ok for me. But I'm still worried of our backup Center...

 

I think Lue would be a great backup point to Barry. We don't need Fisher after Barry. If we don't get Barry, then we can go after Fisher!

 

Me, too.

Time to consider 'the backlog' at 4 -- Mo to AingeLand for Raef. Pike to make the $ work (they'd jump if Boki were included; but, no, too much).

LaFrentz can take the Cato role, and expand on it. Limited time will take care of his propensity to foul.

 

Raef would be great! Pretty good shot-blocker, can shoot the three...

 

I prefer our backup to be a banger and a rebounding C/PF... don't like Raef