Re: SonicsCentral.com Brent Barry Scouting Report

["Art Silva" <vzd1s1hb@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I happen to agree wholeheartedly with that assesment. but that's what Danny
Ainge seems to be hording. I have a bad feeling he's creating one of those
we don't care if you score we intend to outscore you. While some might enjoy
that brand of basketball it doesn't bring home a title.

Art Silva



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "R. Singh" <keltsfan@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <celtics@xxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2004 2:40 PM
Subject: RE: SonicsCentral.com Brent Barry Scouting Report


> Mark,
>
> Yes, I've seen a lot of Barry.
>
> In any event, he is a guy that leaves me shaking my head in frustration.
> He is very, very gifted on the offensive end and does understand the
> game like Jiri Welsch while bringing more athleticism to the court but
> he just doesn't have the drive or passion to excel and is not one to
> bring it every night. In the vernacular of former coach Rick Pitino, he
> is not a Ph'd (poor, hungry and driven) Does that mean, he can't be
> successful in Boston? Not at all, he just isn't worth a first round pick
> or Mark Blount for that matter.
>
> With respect to leadership, I can only say the Sonics have no
> on-court/off-court leadership.  They have no one to take charge of the
> team and dictate a way of going about business. This is why McMillan is
> so frustrated with the team. Earlier this season, he blew up in the
> locker room, criticizing management for building a team full of soft
> players. Pretty much incriminated every veteran on the team except for
> Potapenko and Antonio Daniels. McMillan wants tough minded players that
> bring intensity every time they step on the court, something Barry does
> not do.
>
> In a nutshell, he deals with Barry this way.  If he comes out with fire
> and, for whatever reason, is motivated, McMillan will play him a lot
> during a game. If he comes out with the passivity that leaves me shaking
> my head and the coach thinking about taking the Charlotte head coaching
> position, he sits him for the energetic and always motivated Daniels.
> Barry's inconsistent minutes reflect this.  All you gotta do is ask
> yourself, if he is the on-court leader, why is it that his minutes are
> so inconsistent, especially given that fact the coach is so desperate
> for leadership from someone on his team?
>
> Barry is a nice complimentary player and is a much better fit for the
> Celtics than James given what Ainge has in mind offensively. But giving
> up a first round pick or Mark Blount, who in my estimation has become a
> decent big man and would do well in an honest to goodness running game,
> would be a big mistake given the other issues I've elaborated on. It's
> all a matter of buying at a discount and if any deal included either of
> these Celtics assets, the Sonics would be the ones buying at a discount.
>
>
> The one concern I have about Ainge is his predisposition towards
> building a soft team. His Suns teams always struck me as soft and I fear
> that may be the eventual outcome in Boston. I hope not because it takes
> metal to win championships.
>
> Ravi
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-celtics@xxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-celtics@xxxxxxxx] On Behalf
> Of Berry, Mark S
> Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2004 9:53 AM
> To: celtics@xxxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: SonicsCentral.com Brent Barry Scouting Report
>
>
> Ravi, thanks for your thoughts on Brent Barry. You've obviously seen
> more of him than I have.
>
>
>
> The thing that surprises me the most is that he's not a leader. I
> thought he had become the floor leader for that team, especially since
> the Payton trade. In fact, I thought he was one of the reasons they felt
> comfortable making the Payton trade (not THE reason, of course)... the
> fact that even last season, Barry was starting to become the floor
> leader for the Sonics.
>
>
>
> If he's not a leader out there, then the trade might not work out. I'm
> convinced the Celts would make a significant leap forward with a floor
> general out there who could take the ball out of Pierce's hands. I was
> hoping Barry could be that guy. Even if he's not, he's a clear upgrade
> over James, isn't he?
>
>
>
> Anyway, Barry is one of those guys I like to watch play. Is he perfect?
> Obviously, he isn't. But look around the league. See how many good
> veteran point guards are out there and available. The list isn't just
> short - I'm not sure there is a list. Barry and Van Exel may be it.
>
>
>
> As it is, I've been advocating more minutes for Jiri at PG, and Barry
> brings a lot of what Jiri brings, only with more experience at the
> position and more athleticism (although not as much defense). I'm still
> in favor of going after him, although my expectations for him will be
> tempered by some of these scouting reports.
>
>
>
> Thanks again, Ravi.
>
>
>
> Mark
>
>
>
> --- --- ---
>
>
>
> Ravi wrote:
>
>
>
> Barry is one of the best open floor players and he is an exceptional
> passer so I can see Ainge's fascination with him especially given the
> braintrust's desire to put in place offensively gifted players that can
> score in explosive fashion.  Barry would facilitate an excellent fast
> break assuming the Celtics address their rebounding deficiencies as well
> as reign in Paul Pierce's overcontrol of the ball.
>
> In the half court, with a proper motion based offense, Barry would excel
> as he does move well without the ball and as stated before he is an
> exceptional passer.  He is not able to take his defender off the dribble
> and thus is unable to create shots for himself but again, with enough
> motion, or solid penetration by a teammate and kick out, he will knock
> down open looks. Put a guy in his face and he won't give you any
> scoring. However, a team that has a Pierce and Davis on the floor would
> make it very difficult to put a defender in Barry's face.
>
> He is not a leader.  He does defer to more aggressive teammates.  His
> game became much more passive when Ray Allen returned from injury and
> consequently his performance and minutes have dropped.  He is perfectly
> fine distributing the ball to guys that want it. That can both be a good
> thing and a bad thing. Good in the sense that, as Mark pointed out, he
> is unselfish, bad in the sense that Paul Pierce really really wants the
> ball in his hands...all the time.
>
>
>
>
>
> Mark