The Brent Barry Sweepstakes

[torres]

dbdynsty25 seems to be a Suns insider on the realgm board. Someone's got to convince him to register to the phxsuns.net board, we could use an insider.

My first piece of info...

Barry called last night and said he was coming to Phoenix...then called back 5 minutes later and said his agent got another offer. Steve is on his way to SA to try to convince him. Stay tuned.

By Steve, I would guess that he means Steve Nash.

Also, this article was posted on the same thread. This probably isn't meant to be public:

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articl...rytuesday.html

Suns land/miss out on Barry

Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 26, 2008 09:57 AM
MEMPHIS - Make no "Bones" about it. Brent Barry is not coming to Phoenix.

Suns General Manager Steve Kerr said the 36-year-old guard told him this morning that he has chosen . Barry cleared waivers today after being traded by San Antonio last week to Seattle, which released him Friday to set off a weekend of recruiting.

Barry, nicknamed "Bones" for his 6-foot-7, 210-pound frame, was targeted by the Suns to help them spread the floor better with another shooter and have another playmaking option with his ability to slide to point guard. Barry is a career 40.7 percent 3-point shooter and the Suns are trying to keep the floor spread as they work in Shaquille O'Neal, who can not play as wide as Shawn Marion did to start possessions.




Barry would have needed to wait 30 days after his trade to sign with San Antonio, where he helped the Spurs win 2005 and 2007 titles and has his family settled. He already made $5.7 million for the season.

Barry is in his 13th NBA season out of Oregon State. This will be his sixth team, although he has been with San Antonio since 2004. He is the son of NBA legend Rick Barry and brother of former NBA player Jon Barry. He won the slam dunk contest in 1996 and was the league's 3-point shooting champ for the 2000-01 season.

With Barry, Phoenix would have boasted four of the 17 most accurate NBA 3-point shooters in NBA history with Steve Nash (sixth), Leandro Barbosa (11th), Barry (14th) and Raja Bell (17th). MEMPHIS — Make no “Bones” about it. Brent Barry is not coming to Phoenix.

Suns General Manager Steve Kerr said the 36-year-old guard told him this morning that he has chosen ??? over Phoenix, San Antonio, Boston, Houston and Dallas. Barry cleared waivers today after being traded by San Antonio last week to Seattle, which released him Friday to set off a weekend of recruiting.

Barry, nicknamed “Bones” for his 6-foot-7, 210-pound frame, was targeted by the Suns to help them spread the floor better with another shooter and have another playmaking option with his ability to slide to point guard. Barry is a career 40.7 percent 3-point shooter and the Suns are trying to keep the floor spread as they work in Shaquille O'Neal, who can not play as wide as Shawn Marion did to start possessions.

Barry would have needed to wait 30 days after his trade to sign with San Antonio, where he helped the Spurs win 2005 and 2007 titles and has his family settled. He already made $5.7 million for the season.

Barry is in his 13th NBA season out of Oregon State. This will be his sixth team, although he has been with San Antonio since 2004. He is the son of NBA legend Rick Barry and brother of former NBA player Jon Barry. He won the slam dunk contest in 1996 and was the league's 3-point shooting champ for the 2000-01 season.

With Barry, Phoenix would have boasted four of the 17 most accurate NBA 3-point shooters in NBA history with Steve Nash (sixth), Leandro Barbosa (11th), Barry (14th) and Raja Bell (17th).

[jkalldaway]

Um, nooooo. Steve Nash is in Memphis.

[misteradiant]

by steve, i would guess that he means steve kerr.

[torres]

by steve, i would guess that he means steve kerr.

You're right, my bad guys.

[zara_drummer]

That article doesnt make a lick of sense...

[misteradiant]

i licked sense once. it was kinda salty.

[AZSportsFan]

Looks like Coro is covering his bases - to be edited later.

[zara_drummer]

MR your filthy!! lol

[MTSunsFan]

i licked sense once. it was kinda salty.

TMI...

[da_suns_fan]

My guess is that Kerr will be forced out of the arena into the snow by security while Barry signs a fat extention with San Antonio.

[Amarvelous]

I always figured writers had articles pre-written like that for such situations so they could pull the trigger on getting the article out as quickly as possible once the news came through, but I had never seen one leaked like that. Cool stuff.

[Doctor_G]

Am I missing something here? Don't all players haved to be signed, and currently on a roster by this Saturday...in order to qualify for the playoffs? Is there a loophople that's not being reported out there? Unless I'm missing something, why would Barry go back to the Spurs to only play out the regular season? My gut tells me I'm missing something here. Why else would he even consider San Antonio? Probably some damn out-clause or loophople has to be in place here.

[Immortal]

Am I missing something here? Don't all players haved to be signed, and currently on a roster by this Saturday...in order to qualify for the playoffs? Is there a loophople that's not being reported out there? Unless I'm missing something, why would Barry go back to the Spurs to only play out the regular season? My gut tells me I'm missing something here. Why else would he even consider San Antonio? Probably some damn out-clause or loophople has to be in place here.

I believe they have to be released by their prior team before Saturday to be able to qualify for the playoff rosters.

[Amarvelous]

Am I missing something here? Don't all players haved to be signed, and currently on a roster by this Saturday...in order to qualify for the playoffs? Is there a loophople that's not being reported out there? Unless I'm missing something, why would Barry go back to the Spurs to only play out the regular season? My gut tells me I'm missing something here. Why else would he even consider San Antonio? Probably some damn out-clause or loophople has to be in place here.

I believe they have to be released by their prior team before Saturday to be able to qualify for the playoff rosters.

Right. A player cannot have been on one team's roster on or after March 1st and still be on the playoff roster for another team. Since he was released before that date, Barry can sign with any team between now and the time playoff rosters are set, and still be elgible for postseason play.

[Squeege63]

What are the odds that we could get both Cassell and Barry off of waivers. We would have a legit vet backup PG and another shooter.

[Phoenix219]

The odds of Cassell getting bought out aren't great anyways.

How could he have gotten a "better offer" from San Antonio if they have to wait 30 days... tampering? Or is it legal now that he's been released?

[TexSUN]

I always figured writers had articles pre-written like that for such situations so they could pull the trigger on getting the article out as quickly as possible once the news came through, but I had never seen one leaked like that. Cool stuff.

Yep. I think you pretty much nailed it.

Imagine how much fun it is to be a beat writer for this team? I mean, how many last-minute wins (or even losses) have the Suns had in the past few seasons alone? He has to have the story filed pretty much right at the end of the game, so obviously he has to lay it out first, then go back and edit. He's probably the only person in Arizona who wasn't happy about that game in Dallas last March!

In fact, he mentioned this a little when I talked to him back in November. (http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/st.../18/195950/124). As a reporter, he can't really be a fan of the team, so it's probably safe to say that games like Sunday's make his job a little easier in some sense, however painful those types of games are for the fans.

In any case, given that it's a game day, on the road, etc. It makes perfect sense that he'd pre-write the article about Brent Barry and let the editors fill in the blanks for the right version when the time comes. After reading it again, it looks like (other than the very first line) that the first half of the article is supposed to be a "Suns get Barry" version, while the bottom half is a "Suns didn't get him" version. So, my guess is, we still just don't know. Odd that there isn't an "SA gets him" version, though. Maybe they at least know that much?

[jlove]

What are the odds that we could get both Cassell and Barry off of waivers. We would have a legit vet backup PG and another shooter.

We can't get both off waivers. First off Barry cleared waivers this morning so he is a "free agent". Which we can sign him if he so chooses to sign with us.

Secondly, there are only 2 teams in the league that has the capability of claiming Cassell off "waivers" if he is bought out and that is the Warriors and the Suns. They are the only 2 teams that are either under the salary cap (which neither are) or have TPE's (Warriors have $9.999 mil TPE from Richardson and Suns have $8.091 mil TPE from K.T.) large enough to cover Cassell's contract ($6.15 mil).

So, we could end up with both if Barry wants to sign here for the vet minimum and we claim Cassell off waivers. Cassell would cost us about $6 mil in luxury tax (about $3 mil prorated for the rest of the season and another $3 mil in luxury tax). If I were the Suns, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Reasons: we need a veteran PG behind Nash, Cassell is a 4th quarter assassin, and he can be used in the line-up with Nash at times as well to push Bell to the 3 if needed.

[SunsFan4Life]

Doubt Cassel would come here if bouht out.

Why? So he could play 15mpg and 10mpg during the playoffs. He could prob avg 20mpg in Boston, Play with his best friend and have a 1 in 3 shot of reaching the finals in the East instead of a 1in 5 or 6 in the West.

Would be great for us but I doubt it...If Barry gets Brought in I think it could be big for this team. For the 1st time all yr we'll be able to run 2 3pt shootersin the wings at all times. Instead of only having it when Raja,LB and Steve play the 3 guard lineup.

[Wormwood]

If Cassel is bought out, it's different than waiving him. If he's waived outright, we can claim him and his salary before anyone else. If he's bought out, everyone gets a crack at him immediately.

[BobbyDogg]

So we don't know for sure where he's going yet, then. Right? Is that article just a "in case this senario happens, it can be reported right away" or does it seem like it's right on the money?

[TexSUN]

Here's the latest from the SA newspaper:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b....2e434649.html

“As of 10 a.m. (Tuesday), there is no decision,” Barry said. “There have been so many changes over the past few days it’s very difficult. Just because I’ve cleared, I don’t have a timetable that today is the day I have to decide.”

Of course, that was as of four hours ago. Who knows now...

[jlove]

If Cassel is bought out, it's different than waiving him. If he's waived outright, we can claim him and his salary before anyone else. If he's bought out, everyone gets a crack at him immediately.

that's a big negative. Check the CBA on Buy outs. There's a big conversation about this here: http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/...d.php?t=107402
If a player is bought out (in this case: Cassell is owed approximately $2mil Prorated for the rest of this season, a buyout would probably be around $1-1.5 mil) he still goes on waivers. If he CLEARS waivers, then the agreed upon buyout is owed to him. If he DOES NOT clear waivers, then the team grabbing him off waivers HAS TO PAY the remainder of his current contract prorated.

[Amarvelous]

Too bad the Suns had to lay an egg in the Detroit game. If that game goes the other way Barry would probably have been more than happy to board the Diesel train...

[MTSunsFan]

Too bad the Suns had to lay an egg in the Detroit game. If that game goes the other way Barry would probably have been more than happy to board the Diesel train...

Or perhaps he was like, "DAMN those guys really need me!!!"