Steinmetz blog: Barnes goes to Phoenix but multiyear deal ..

Barnes goes to Phoenix but multiyear deal eludes him
POSTED July 21, 5:27 PM


Here’s hoping Matt Barnes can have the kind of season this year for
the Phoenix Suns that he had two years ago for the Warriors.

If he does it will mean Barnes is back to hitting big 3-pointers,
scrounging and hustling on defense and, yes, making the occasional
bone-headed pass. And he’ll be doing it for a legitimate playoff team
and perhaps title contender.

That kind of season also would go a long way toward Barnes getting
back some of the money he gave up last summer when he ended up having
to sign a one-year deal with Golden State. This week, the Suns gave
Barnes a one-year deal for just under $1 million.

One nice year from Barnes should earn him the multiyear contract he
wants _ and foolishly passed on last offseason.

On the heels of Barnes’ terrific 2006-07 in which he played an
integral role in the Warriors’ playoff run and first-round upset of
the Mavericks, he became a free agent and was hoping to cash in.

Barnes turned down a three-year contract last summer from the Warriors
worth in excess of $10 million. Barnes wanted a longer deal and was
hoping it would start at or around the mid-level exception.

Barnes had hoped to score the same kind of contract as a Matt Carroll
(six years, $27 million) or Jason Kapono (four years, $24 million). So
Barnes turned down the Warriors’ initial offer.

When it became apparent Barnes wouldn’t be getting anything close to
what he had hoped, he went back to the Warriors. But that deal was no
longer available. It was replaced by a one-year, $3-millionish one.

Barnes had a trying year in 2007-08. The fact that his play was below
average was one of the least of his issues. Barnes lost his mother to
cancer in midseason and admitted to being out of sorts for chunks of
time.

But don’t forget Barnes was an important contributor a couple seasons
ago, not to mention solid in the locker room. He made a real
difference in a lot of close games that magical season for the
Warriors.

Good luck to him in doing it again.