Matt Barnes

[TXSun]

Looks like he plays much better when he's in the starting lineup. Checkout his production in the last 9 games when he's in the starting lineup:
18pts vs TOR, 26pts vs LAL, 19pts vs MIA, 17pts vs HOU, 13pts vs SA, 21pts vs DAL, 21pts vs CLE, 10pts vs OKC, & 20pts vs GS. that's an avg of 18.3 points/game! this season he's averaging career highs in points at 10.6/game and rebounds at 5.3/game.
we really did get a steal by signing Barnes to the vet min. Kerr & upper mgmt must do everything in their power to resign this guy for another 2 years. Hope Kerr doesn't hesitate to sign him, he's being great for us. I guarantee you if we don't sign him, I see contenders signing this guy to a nice deal. Lets do the right thing and resign Barnes!!!

[TASTIC]

He looks like a perfect replacement at SF for the Spurs...so yeah, best re-sign him $10m over 3 years asap...

[JohnVancouver]

Looks like he plays much better when he's in the starting lineup. Checkout his production in the last 9 games when he's in the starting lineup:
18pts vs TOR, 26pts vs LAL, 19pts vs MIA, 17pts vs HOU, 13pts vs SA, 21pts vs DAL, 21pts vs CLE, 10pts vs OKC, & 20pts vs GS. that's an avg of 18.3 points/game! this season he's averaging career highs in points at 10.6/game and rebounds at 5.3/game.
we really did get a steal by signing Barnes to the vet min. Kerr & upper mgmt must do everything in their power to resign this guy for another 2 years. Hope Kerr doesn't hesitate to sign him, he's being great for us. I guarantee you if we don't sign him, I see contenders signing this guy to a nice deal. Lets do the right thing and resign Barnes!!!

--- He has looked very good the last while but I worry about his consistency, and his head. he sometimes seems to have no idea what he's doing out there. Even so, I think he's going to be looking for more than we want to pay.
We still don't know what kind of team they're going to be next year ...

[hitachi7]

If he became a more efficient 3 point shooter he'd easily get 5 mil/year+ (or possibly a lot more) as it stands I dunno.

[tigerblood]

Matt Barnes is as tough as nails and when given the starting job has always delivered. Someone will offer him $4M/year for 3-4 years, hopefully its the Suns or they will be boneheads once again. MB is good on defense, good scoring in the paint and a good 3pt shooter and he isn't afraid to play rough. On top of that he can handle the ball. He deserves a good deal from the Suns, I hope they give it to him.

[TASTIC]

I definitely think he;s the sort of complimentary, cheaper piece you need to surround Nash and Amare with...

[JohnVancouver]

I definitely think he;s the sort of complimentary, cheaper piece you need to surround Nash and Amare with...

--- The rub is whether *he* sees himself as cheaper and complementary. In related news, Trix is finding that he's the third option in Toronto, as he was in Miami. He's playing very well but he's the very definition of "complementary" player.

[Frank Lee]

$62,272,538


Thats our beginning payroll with out Nash at 13,105,000 and LouA at 855000

8 players plus Nash and Amunson and we are at the lux tax.

You tell me, how are we going to add a $4-5 million Free Agent if they are costing 2 for 1 ?? We will have to add atleast 3 players..... 1 or 2 may be rooks.

This IS a budget focused owner remember. (my new non-cheap description) We willl have to ink a minimum deal like Hill and Barnes did in the past.

Unless, of course, we trim the mighty payroll .....somehow.

[dantian]

Barnes has great stats and fits in the run and gun style very well. But I still worry about his mental lapses that happen so often when things don't go our way. I'd rather ride Dudley hard for 2 more years and give him a Bowen type contract to play Bowen like role of impact than signing Barnes using the MLE for say 3 mil per. He might get some other suitors willing to pay more, hopefully, since if not we might have the proverbial winner's curse with him.

[rag-time4]

I have a few gripes against Barnes. The most important for the Suns right now is the inconsistency of his playing style. Against the Thunder he was attempting way too many layups and soft shots. Against the Warriors, he was dunking it hard. He needs to be more consistently aggressive if the Suns are gonna win games with him starting. The team has been too soft and boring and he's a major culprit.

He also doesn't give the team any significant defensive presence in the paint. He's not a real threat as a shot blocker, and he's not a great rebounder. Too many times lately the Suns have been getting creamed on the offensive glass. Remember Scola ripping the Suns the other day?

At SF or SG he's not a really dynamic player. He lacks the ball handling and explosiveness to be a real star at a smaller position.

[dantian]

Exactly. In short, Barnes is the very definition of a journey man, and we see why Nellie wouldn't want to sign him in the past offseason. He is just too inconsistent to be relied on as starter and he can't really be instantly effective off bench like Dudley or Amundson.

[WTFsunsFTW]

He is a great rebounder for his size and a great passer. He and shaq work very well together, and he brings a toughness the suns have been lacking for many seasons.

[TXSun]

I have a few gripes against Barnes. The most important for the Suns right now is the inconsistency of his playing style. Against the Thunder he was attempting way too many layups and soft shots. Against the Warriors, he was dunking it hard. He needs to be more consistently aggressive if the Suns are gonna win games with him starting. The team has been too soft and boring and he's a major culprit.

He also doesn't give the team any significant defensive presence in the paint. He's not a real threat as a shot blocker, and he's not a great rebounder. Too many times lately the Suns have been getting creamed on the offensive glass. Remember Scola ripping the Suns the other day?

At SF or SG he's not a really dynamic player. He lacks the ball handling and explosiveness to be a real star at a smaller position.

disagree. no body is talking "real star" potential here. Just potential to be a very solid player that can be counted on for contribution when integrated into the starting line up when someone goes down (e.i. now). At 6'7 he's a very versitile player, almost like Shawn Marion. He can guard a PGs, SGs, SmallFs, & StrongFs, he can go hard to the rim and dunk or step back for a 3point shot. You're saying the team is "boring"?, I guess I can agree with than when you go on 6 game losing streak, but are you telling me it's boring to put up 140-150 points and get a Win? I doubt it. You did mention PHX is "soft" as well, but everyone here can agree with me that Barnes is as physical as the most physical player in the league, the guy is fearless when it comes to getting physical. Consistency and mental lapses might be his weakness, but I haven't seeing inconsistency in this final playoff push. The guy is a bargain and is putting up career numbers for PHX. I appreciate that.

[Jdiddy701]

When I first came to this forum, I said "Put Matt Barnes in lineup!! Take Hill out." I tried tellin you guys! G Hill has done nothing for us, as of late, even his defense!

[Sun Scorched]

When I first came to this forum, I said "Put Matt Barnes in lineup!! Take Hill out." I tried tellin you guys! G Hill has done nothing for us, as of late, even his defense!

Wrong.

[TASTIC]

Agreed. Hill's been our best perimeter defender and a valuable mid range shooter and ballhandler. His numbers have dropped off a bit, but he's CLEARLY better in the starting lineup

[WTFsunsFTW]

How can anyone hate on Hill?!?

He isnt showing up in the boxscore because there are so many mouths to feed and he has accepted his role of defense and playmaking.

[rag-time4]

disagree. no body is talking "real star" potential here. Just potential to be a very solid player that can be counted on for contribution when integrated into the starting line up when someone goes down (e.i. now). At 6'7 he's a very versitile player, almost like Shawn Marion. He can guard a PGs, SGs, SmallFs, & StrongFs, he can go hard to the rim and dunk or step back for a 3point shot. You're saying the team is "boring"?, I guess I can agree with than when you go on 6 game losing streak, but are you telling me it's boring to put up 140-150 points and get a Win? I doubt it. You did mention PHX is "soft" as well, but everyone here can agree with me that Barnes is as physical as the most physical player in the league, the guy is fearless when it comes to getting physical. Consistency and mental lapses might be his weakness, but I haven't seeing inconsistency in this final playoff push. The guy is a bargain and is putting up career numbers for PHX. I appreciate that.

In the 150 pt game he was very aggressive. During the losing streak, he was more passive and boring, over-relying on outside shots, and settling way too much.

I think you are overrating his defense. We saw him get absolutely manhandled by Scola recently. His rebounding and defensive presence in the paint as a PF leave a lot to be desired. He's a decent guy to have but he's been most effective at PF with PHX and with the Warriors, but playing him at PF makes you much weaker in the paint.

[J-Rich-]

matt seems like the type of player that only plays well for a contract then would suck afterwards. he got all pissy when he didnt get much playing time early last year then struggled for a while. he's been playing for a long term contract for 3 straight seasons now