It didn't take getting swept by the first-year expansion Charlotte Bobcats to realize this team needed to make some changes, but it sure did pick up the urgency.
The Rockets made a minor move to bolster their bench Thursday, dealing point guard Tyronn Lue to the Atlanta Hawks for guard Jon Barry.
"This was a move we felt we needed to make," said Rockets GM Carroll Dawson. "We needed to get an established shooter and Jon has made a career out of making shots everywhere he has played. Tyronn served us well in the limited time he was with us, but when you have an opportunity to bring in a shooter of Jon's caliber, you have to go after it."
The 35-year old Barry signed with the Hawks this past offseason, but due to a youth movement was out of the rotation by December. He averaged just over 5 points and 1.8 assists in just over 17 minutes a night.
However, Barry, the son of former Rocket Rick Barry and brother of current San Antonio Spur Brent Barry, is a career 38.7% three-point shooter and is known for bringing high-energy off the bench. He is most remembered for his stint with the Sacramento Kings from 1998 to 2001, where he was a huge fan favorite.
Lue, aquired as part of the deal for Tracy McGrady, was a disappointment for the Rockets this season, averaging just 6 points on 39% shooting.
Overall? The Rockets didn't get any younger in the deal, that's for sure, but that may be the only knock on it (if you could call it that). Barry, at 6-foot-5, is 5 inches taller than Lue and should have more impact off the bench (which is to say, he will have more than the zero impact Lue was making). I don't think he's going to be complaining about not starting either, which will no doubt make Jeff Van Gundy a tad less grumpy.
I don't anticipate that the Rockets are finished after making this move, but it's a good first step, albeit a small one.
