Magic Exit Interviews: Matt Barnes Quotes
Matt Barnes:
On the mood of the team:
“You’re just kind of saying your goodbyes, I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot of each other throughout the summer. Disappointed – from a numbers standpoint, we had a good season. We made some people happy, but expectations here are to win a championship and we fell short, so personally, and I think I speak for a majority of the team, we’re not happy. We want to be playing in the Finals and going for a ring. It’s something that will eat us up during the summer and I’m sure drive us and hopefully bring us back next year hungry.”
On his contract plans:
“Yeah, my contract situation, I am going to opt out. Always worrying about the team and stuff like is something you have to do during the season, and I’m 100 percent for that, but now it’s about me and my family and what’s best for us. I have expressed throughout the season that I’ve loved my time here and would love to return, but I think I know more than anybody that this is a business and the organization has to do what’s best for the team. Hopefully I impressed them enough to bring me back and give me something decent, but we’ll have to see about that.”
On if he is tired of one-year contracts:
“I’ve had to scratch and claw my way through this league going into my ninth year now, so I take nothing for granted. I’m blessed to even have a chance to play in the NBA. I think I show that every night when I’m on the court – I give 110 percent every time I touch that floor. One-year contracts are bittersweet. I would like to hold it down and be with a team for a number of years, but like I said, I have been blessed to have an opportunity to play. Hopefully this will be a place I can make a home, but like I said, I know this is a business.”
On what it would mean to him to stay with a team for more than one year:
“That definitely weighs on my mind. I still think we have the most talented team, the best team, in the NBA. We didn’t necessarily show that in the Eastern Conference Finals, but I think we showed we showed flashes of that in the Eastern Conference Finals and throughout the season. With that said this is definitely my No. 1 choice and I would like to come back and try to get that ring here next year.”
On if the uncertainty of years to come has anything to do with his plans:
“It had nothing to do with it. This is definitely a cold game – it’s a tough business. With the opportunity I had this year to do what I did, I know that the right thing for me and my family is to opt out and see if I can secure some real money before the lockout comes and before my time is up in the league.”
On what he feels like will happen with his contract:
“I feel confident. I think that something will definitely be worked out here. We’re real close with everybody here and it’s been nothing but good things here besides the end of the season. I’m confident and we’ll definitely keep my fingers crossed that we’ll get something done here.”
On if playing for a championship-caliber team will weigh into his decision where to play:
“Definitely. Like I said, I think we’re the most talented team, and on and off the court stuff does matter. Most of these guys will be at my wedding this summer, at my golf tournament – I’ve definitely developed some long-term friendships here. It is something, as a unit, we’d like to come back and get another shot.”
On if he thinks it is important to return next year with the unit:
“It would be great to be able to really try to sow my roots down here and really just, from a team standpoint, to keep the same team around. We had a lot of new players this year, to bring everybody back and get more time together I think would be key. We had chemistry, but just time together – you know, the Spurs, the Lakers, those guys that keep teams together – that’s why they are always there at the end of the season.”
On what happened during the Eastern Conference Finals:
“I think we may have had a false sense of security after sweeping through those first two teams. Boston is a championship-caliber team and they’ve won a championship within the last few years. To put yourself in a 3-0 hole, you don’t have any margin of error. We fought back and gave a valiant effort to make it 3-2, but in Game 6, putting yourself 0-3, you don’t have any time to have an off night. And I think as a team we had an off night in Game 6 and it ended our season.”
On what he thinks looking back at this season:
“I think more than anything else, to be honest, frustration. Like I said, I feel we have the best team. I feel that we could’ve won a championship this year. This team is built for it, from the players to the coaches to the organization. Fifty-nine wins is always a great accomplishment – this is the furthest I’ve ever gone in the playoffs, but I’m never satisfied. I know the city’s not and I know the rest of my team is not. Fifty-nine wins being said, and the record we set in the first two rounds, that really means nothing to us, because we feel like we should be playing for a championship.”
On what he would do if we could turn back time for two weeks:
“Just to make sure in Game 1 that we’re ready. Not that we weren’t prepared right, but mentally, and make sure we brought that energy to Game 1 and Game 2. Just not to take anything for granted and just to know to come out and play how we were supposed to play from the jump, and I’m sure it would be a lot different.”
On what he thought went wrong in the Eastern Conference Finals:
“It was almost like we were zombies out there for a little while. Being in the Eastern Conference Finals, you can’t come out flat. You can’t come out with no energy, because a team like Boston is going to take advantage of you and they did what they were supposed to do.”
On the mood of the team:
“You’re just kind of saying your goodbyes, I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot of each other throughout the summer. Disappointed – from a numbers standpoint, we had a good season. We made some people happy, but expectations here are to win a championship and we fell short, so personally, and I think I speak for a majority of the team, we’re not happy. We want to be playing in the Finals and going for a ring. It’s something that will eat us up during the summer and I’m sure drive us and hopefully bring us back next year hungry.”
On his contract plans:
“Yeah, my contract situation, I am going to opt out. Always worrying about the team and stuff like is something you have to do during the season, and I’m 100 percent for that, but now it’s about me and my family and what’s best for us. I have expressed throughout the season that I’ve loved my time here and would love to return, but I think I know more than anybody that this is a business and the organization has to do what’s best for the team. Hopefully I impressed them enough to bring me back and give me something decent, but we’ll have to see about that.”
On if he is tired of one-year contracts:
“I’ve had to scratch and claw my way through this league going into my ninth year now, so I take nothing for granted. I’m blessed to even have a chance to play in the NBA. I think I show that every night when I’m on the court – I give 110 percent every time I touch that floor. One-year contracts are bittersweet. I would like to hold it down and be with a team for a number of years, but like I said, I have been blessed to have an opportunity to play. Hopefully this will be a place I can make a home, but like I said, I know this is a business.”
On what it would mean to him to stay with a team for more than one year:
“That definitely weighs on my mind. I still think we have the most talented team, the best team, in the NBA. We didn’t necessarily show that in the Eastern Conference Finals, but I think we showed we showed flashes of that in the Eastern Conference Finals and throughout the season. With that said this is definitely my No. 1 choice and I would like to come back and try to get that ring here next year.”
On if the uncertainty of years to come has anything to do with his plans:
“It had nothing to do with it. This is definitely a cold game – it’s a tough business. With the opportunity I had this year to do what I did, I know that the right thing for me and my family is to opt out and see if I can secure some real money before the lockout comes and before my time is up in the league.”
On what he feels like will happen with his contract:
“I feel confident. I think that something will definitely be worked out here. We’re real close with everybody here and it’s been nothing but good things here besides the end of the season. I’m confident and we’ll definitely keep my fingers crossed that we’ll get something done here.”
On if playing for a championship-caliber team will weigh into his decision where to play:
“Definitely. Like I said, I think we’re the most talented team, and on and off the court stuff does matter. Most of these guys will be at my wedding this summer, at my golf tournament – I’ve definitely developed some long-term friendships here. It is something, as a unit, we’d like to come back and get another shot.”
On if he thinks it is important to return next year with the unit:
“It would be great to be able to really try to sow my roots down here and really just, from a team standpoint, to keep the same team around. We had a lot of new players this year, to bring everybody back and get more time together I think would be key. We had chemistry, but just time together – you know, the Spurs, the Lakers, those guys that keep teams together – that’s why they are always there at the end of the season.”
On what happened during the Eastern Conference Finals:
“I think we may have had a false sense of security after sweeping through those first two teams. Boston is a championship-caliber team and they’ve won a championship within the last few years. To put yourself in a 3-0 hole, you don’t have any margin of error. We fought back and gave a valiant effort to make it 3-2, but in Game 6, putting yourself 0-3, you don’t have any time to have an off night. And I think as a team we had an off night in Game 6 and it ended our season.”
On what he thinks looking back at this season:
“I think more than anything else, to be honest, frustration. Like I said, I feel we have the best team. I feel that we could’ve won a championship this year. This team is built for it, from the players to the coaches to the organization. Fifty-nine wins is always a great accomplishment – this is the furthest I’ve ever gone in the playoffs, but I’m never satisfied. I know the city’s not and I know the rest of my team is not. Fifty-nine wins being said, and the record we set in the first two rounds, that really means nothing to us, because we feel like we should be playing for a championship.”
On what he would do if we could turn back time for two weeks:
“Just to make sure in Game 1 that we’re ready. Not that we weren’t prepared right, but mentally, and make sure we brought that energy to Game 1 and Game 2. Just not to take anything for granted and just to know to come out and play how we were supposed to play from the jump, and I’m sure it would be a lot different.”
On what he thought went wrong in the Eastern Conference Finals:
“It was almost like we were zombies out there for a little while. Being in the Eastern Conference Finals, you can’t come out flat. You can’t come out with no energy, because a team like Boston is going to take advantage of you and they did what they were supposed to do.”
