3. Earl Barron
Every NBA fan has that obscure role player they inexplicably fell in love with over the years and “The Baron of Buckets” (can we make that a thing?) is that guy for me.
Seemingly every year while I was growing up, the New York Knicks would inevitably fall out of playoff contention and then sign a litany of mostly unremarkable journeymen to fill out the bench during the dog days of the season.
And year after year, Barron would wind up in Madison Square Garden and inevitably look like the best rebounder on whatever garbage fire of a roster he was playing with. Ryan McDonough even mentioned before the season, that 17-point, 18-rebound performance from Barron against McDonough’s Boston Celtics back in 2010 helped convince the GM to sign him in Phoenix.
Barron had his best performance of the year in the Suns’ final game, hitting a career high two three-pointers and finishing with nine points and four rebounds.
“I’ve always been able to shoot, it’s just a matter of getting out there, being relaxed, being comfortable and having fun,” he said. “A lot of times you get out there for two or three minutes and your three point shot it just doesn’t feel well.”
While he’s certainly shown his shooting ability in the D-League, he’s just a career 37 percent shooter at the NBA level.
At age 31, it’s unlikely Barron, who spent half the season in Bakersfield, will ever have a significant NBA moment. Yet he’s the rare guy that can be pulled out of NBA purgatory and play at something close to replacement level.
Barron made a significant impact off the court this season, setting a strong example for the younger players (everyone) on the team.
Earl Barron said as the oldest player on the #Suns roster, he tried to be the guy who would come early and stay late to set an example
— Valley of the Suns (@ValleyoftheSuns) April 15, 2015
While his contribution on the court may not warrant it, the 2014-15 Suns “veteran presence” started and ended with Barron, which should be enough to get him the last spot on the roster.
Next: No. 2