< Brent Barry would be an upgrade. > - Berry
As Danny contemplates his next chess move in the ongoing Baker saga, the Brent Barry/Chris Mills trade is apparently still alive and well.
Will the Barry trade come off... who knows. Due to several factors, I have mixed-emotions over it short term and don't like it long term.
Seattle may still opt to re-sign Barry, yet they really don't need him as they have Daniels (yet another player Ainge coveted) and Ridnour at PG, and Allen/Lewis/Murray at the wings. They would like an asset in return for Barry, and certainly Mills is no asset except for that $$$$ insurance covering most of his contract. So likely we would have to sweeten the pot with something like our #1 Dallas pick.
Barry's biggest LIABILITIES appear to be his age, his poor defense (which doesn't seem to bother Ainge), and what he might demand in a
future contract. Also, after all these years, the jury is still out on whether Brent is a PG or basically a natural wing, a position we already seem full up with Pierce, Welsch, Davis, McCarty, Jones.
Barry's biggest ASSETS appear to be his slick 3-point shooting ability and that when he comes off the IL, he could apply an immediate band-aid to our sorry ass season vs. Mills who is all out of band-aids. Such a midseason temporary fix would likely help us win a few more games and canbt hurt except for costing our owners a few bucks and lowering our position a few notches in the upcoming draft.
As for trading for Barry with the intent to re-sign him, well that is a different story. Silly me, I thought Ainge had finally realized the
importance of obtaining a real PG and distancing our team from all
that nasty 3-point stuff. As for Brent becoming a team leader, do not mistake his standup comedian flakeism for instant team chemistry.
Additionally, if re-signed for approx. $5 mill, do you feel Barry would
thus destroy all hopes of us then still utilizing our 2004 mid-level exception?
Egg