San Antonio Spurs: Brent Barry hired as VP of Basketball Operations

On Monday morning, the San Antonio Spurs signed TV Analyst Brent Barry to join the front office, as reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Former Spur Brent Barry is making his return to San Antonio, this time as the new vice president of basketball operations. Since retiring in 2009, Barry has made a name for himself as a television analyst. He’s appeared on various outlets including NBA TV and TNT.

Over the course of his four seasons as a Spur, Barry won two titles in 2005 and 2007 and put up an average of 7.2 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. Barry was a valuable bench piece that provided a spark of athleticism and a keen three-point shot in relief of the starters.

The San Antonio Spurs are hiring Brent Barry, a television analyst and 14-year NBA veteran, into a front-office position, league sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 17, 2018

Hiring Barry is a culture move that trends the Spurs back toward the use of their prized ‘corporate knowledge.’ With the Big Three era in the rearview, head coach Gregg Popovich could use some added help to implement the Spurs way into his new-look roster.

Adding another mind to the front office could help San Antonio trend toward the future by inviting fresh and innovative ideas. Barry’s core understanding of the game has been one of his strongest traits throughout his playing days and time as an analyst. General manager R.C. Buford and Popovich have led the team’s brain trust for two decades, but times have changed.

While Popovich and Buford have proven time and time again that they can construct unique and productive rosters, adding another mind to the mix can help the tandem to prolong their tenure and accelerate the team’s growth.

With just eight players returning from the 2017-18 season, Popovich and Buford have entered a new era. They’ve extended out of their comfort zones and assembled a team unlike any they’ve had in the past 20 years. It’s important for the team’s transition to include personnel changes both on and off the court.

After an action-packed summer, adding Barry to the staff is a yet another step in the right direction for the new-look Spurs.