Breaking News: Suns near deal with Matt Barnes

[Bayless2Budinger]

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2008/07/20/20080720barnes.html

Free-agent forward Matt Barnes is scheduled to arrive in Phoenix Monday, expecting to sign a one-year veteran's minimum deal with the Suns after completing a physical.

Barnes, 28, spent the last two seasons mostly in a reserve role with the Golden State Warriors. He collected a career-best 9.8 points and 4.6 rebounds in 2007. Last year, he averaged 6.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 19.4 minutes.

Kerr and coach Terry Porter talked with Barnes by phone last week from Las Vegas, where the Suns were in NBA Summer League action. In his seventh season, Barnes is expected to make $1.2 million, but the Suns will pay only $797,000. The rest will come from a league fund.

 

[Bayless2Budinger]

Great move by the Suns.

Good guy to replace Girecek.

 

[devilalum]

Also this:

Reports surfaced last week that second-round draft pick Goran Dragic had decided to stay in Europe, but a decision hasn't been made.

 

[Bayless2Budinger]

Also this:

Which is nothing new.

 

[devilalum]

Which is nothing new.

Sorry if I'm one episode behind in the Dragic soap opera series.

 

[Bayless2Budinger]

Sorry if I'm one episode behind in the Dragic soap opera series.

You have to be pretty committed to keep on top of that soap opera, so I forgive you.

 

[green machine]

I like the signing.

 

[nathan]

I wouldn't be surprised to see him start over Diaw at SF.

 

[Joe Mama]

I would be very surprised if Grant Hill is not the starting small forward.

Joe

 

[nathan]

I would be very surprised if Grant Hill is not the starting small forward.

Joe

Well half the games anyway. His injuries last season were freakish, but I still don't think he'll be healthy.

 

[Suns_fan69]

I like the signing if it turns out to be true. I've sort of viewed him as a Marion-lite after watching Gstate upset Dallas a couple years ago. He's got range out to 3, helped defend Dirk with Stephen Jackson and is more comfortable in a supporting role than Marion was.

I'm somewhat surprised he came so cheap. If he can play like he did that year I'd be very impressed with the FO on this move.

 

[LV-Suns]

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/121245

Reporting that we signed him!

 

[Bayless2Budinger]

“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.”

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/121245

2006-07 1st round Warriors vs Mavs

Matt Barnes stats

Game 1: 10 points/4 rebounds/3 assists/2 steals/1 block/0 turnovers/
Game 2: 4 points/1 rebound/1 block/1 turnover
Game 3: 7 points/4 rebounds/1 assist/1 steal/0 turnovers
Game 4: 8 points/7 rebounds/3 assists/1 turnover
Game 5: 16 points/6 rebounds/4 assists/2 steals/2 turnovers
Game 6: 16 points/11 rebounds/7 assists/1 steal/3 turnovers

2006-07 2nd round Warriors vs Jazz

Matt Barnes stats

Game 1: 20 points/10 rebounds/4 assists/4 steals/4 turnovers
Game 2: 12 points/7 rebounds/2 assists/1 steal/1 block/2 turnovers
Game 3: 8 points/2 assists/1 steal/2 turnovers
Game 4: 7 points/7 rebounds/3 turnovers
Game 5: 14 points/6 rebounds/4 steals/1 blocks/2 turnovers

 

[Gaddabout]

I'm also surprised this guy isn't making more money.

 

[JS22]

Nice!

I sincerely hope this sticks. Barnes would be a great fit.

edit: Just read the article. Looks legit. How the hell did the Suns pull this off? He is worth at least a few million a year, right?

 

[Proteus]

Seems like a nice signing. Now if we can actually get a backup point guard and and a backup big...

 

[Andrew]

Correct me if I am wrong, he will mostly play the 3 for us right? I never followed him, but he does have a pretty 3 point shot.

 

[Joe Mama]

Nice!

I sincerely hope this sticks. Barnes would be a great fit.

edit: Just read the article. Looks legit. How the hell did the Suns pull this off? He is worth at least a few million a year, right?

He sees that the free-agent money is drying up quickly, and he knows he'll get some good minutes while putting up strong numbers here in Phoenix. He's got a lot of energy. He plays good defense. Is a really good signing except that it probably means we'll see a lot more Diaw at power forward than small forward.

Joe

 

[Irish]

Great move.

Matt was not as effective this past season as he was the year before (the only reason he's so cheap), but he's a very solid pickup. His 0.227 per minute rebounding is quite good for an SF. He plays hard and is pretty athletic.

At worst he's a veteran who can defend, rebound, finish on the break, and make plays. At best he could return to his 2006-07 level and be an impact player.

 

[Andrew]

Is he a good defensive player?

 

[joshstmarie]

Great signing, this should shut the kerr haters up for AT LEAST 23 hours.

 

[JS22]

Great signing, this should shut the kerr haters up for AT LEAST 23 hours.

Impossible. Somehow this will be spun to make Kerr look like an idiot, and Sarver look cheap. Don't underestimate the negative spin power of ASFN

 

[HooverDam]

Correct me if I am wrong, he will mostly play the 3 for us right? I never followed him, but he does have a pretty 3 point shot.

Yes he's definitely a 3. But he doesn't have a great 3 point shot. He's a career 32% three point shooter, he only had one good year from behind the arc. However, since both Kerr and Jerry Brown said he's a good 3 point shooter, I imagine everyone will keep repeating it, accept it as truth, and then they'll be mad when he's not shooting a great percentage from deep next year.

Anyhow, I think this is a terrific signing, especially for the price. It gives the Suns athletic, youthful depth at the 3, which the sorely needed. Now, if they can resign Brian Skinner and somehow get Dragic over here, and have Shaun Livingston sit at the end of the bench while we pray for a miracle, Ill be a happy camper.

Shaq/Skinner/Lopez
Amare/Diaw
Hill/Barnes/Tucker
Bell/Barbosa/Strawberry
Nash/Dragic/Livingston

except that it probably means we'll see a lot more Diaw at power forward than small forward.

I think thats great. I think Diaws skill set (good passer from the post, too quick for bigs, fairly good post up moves, gives good energy on defense, etc) is much better at the 4 than the 3. At the 3 he's too laterally slow, has no speed advantage when he has the ball, can't take the ball of the dribble well enough and isn't much of a threat to shoot from distance (or on days when he's feeling meek).

Diaw at the 4 more often is a good thing, my only worry is that the Suns might play it cheap and say "Lopez is the backup 5 and Diaw is the backup 4, thats enough." I really think they need to get Skinner back, relying on Lopez as the only backup big thats serviceable (Sean Marks isn't serviceable) is a bad idea, especially since Shaq only good for 55 games or so.

 

[mojorizen7]

Wow,this would be a great signing! I've been on the Matt Barnes bandwagon for awhile.
http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb...drafted-fas-114748.html?highlight=matt+barnes
I think this guy with consistent bench minutes will be a high impact player in many ways here.
I love his intensity & athleticism. I wish we could have signed him a little more long term but nonetheless....outstanding job SUNS.

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[Suns_fan69]

Yes he's definitely a 3. But he doesn't have a great 3 point shot. He's a career 32% three point shooter, he only had one good year from behind the arc. However, since both Kerr and Jerry Brown said he's a good 3 point shooter, I imagine everyone will keep repeating it, accept it as truth, and then they'll be mad when he's not shooting a great percentage from deep next year.

From what I remember watching that Mavs/Warriors series, Barnes was more of a corner 3 specialist. I looked it up here: http://www.nba.com/hotzones/popup.html

The latest numbers available there are from the 06-07 season so I used those with no splits (chose the whole season) and the numbers look kind of weird: high percentage but low attempts on one corner side and low percentage with high attempts on the other.

In any case he can't be more headscratching than Marion was with shooting 3s.

*Edit: Oh and check out Nash's numbers for that entire season. Ridiculous.