Barry’s Moment Has Arrived With the Revamped Clippers

Clipper guard Brent Barry, who was nicknamed Air Bones by his teammates after winning the NBA slam dunk contest in 1995, is ready to soar.

Barry, who didn’t start a game last season after sitting out the first month of the season because of a thumb injury, will be the team’s starting shooting guard when Coach Bill Fitch opens his fourth boot camp for the Clippers.

Barry’s playing time was cut from 24 minutes a game to 18.5 as Fitch employed a six-guard rotation.

“I think last year the season got to a point where the media was searching for something to jump on and you guys started writing about me and Coach [Fitch] having this big fight,” Barry said. “I think me and him had a lot of fun with it. Both of us laughed it off.

“People who were outside the team were upset that I wasn’t playing. This year, after summer league was over, Coach and I sat down and had a real long meeting. We’re both on the same page.”

Fitch, who signed a two-year contract extension last May for a reported $2 million, said he’s not at odds with Barry.

“Don’t start that,” Fitch said. “I haven’t had any problems with Barry.”

The Clippers did not re-sign guard Malik Sealy, who started 80 games last season, and renounced their rights to Terry Dehere, their No. 1 draft choice in 1993, to give Barry and reserve swingman Eric Piatkowski more time.

“I know what it’s like to be a starter,” Barry said. “My first year I started 50-some games [actually 44] and last year I started none. Talk about black-and-white seasons.

“I think I kind of suffered through my rookie season last year and had my second year my first year. Everything should be in line for me to have a big third year.”

Although Barry, who was featured next to a photo of Michael Jordan in the Clippers’ marketing campaign this summer, proved that although he can sometimes fly like Jordan, he’s inconsistent.

Barry, the NBA’s most accurate three-point shooter (41.6%) as a rookie, shot 32.4% on three-point attempts last season as his scoring average fell from 10.1 points a game to 7.5. Barry also shot 47.4% from the field as a rookie and 40.9% last season.

“This year I’m going to be trying to go through guys instead of around them,” said Barry, “especially that guy that’s going to be playing for the Lakers that I’m related to [brother Jon Barry].”

The Clippers underwent several other changes after finishing with their best record in four seasons, 36-46, and making the playoffs for the first time since 1992-93.

They signed free-agent guard James Robinson, formerly of the Minnesota Timberwolves, to a $10.5-million, five-year contract. Robinson played shooting guard in his first four NBA seasons, averaging 8.3 points and 1.3 assists last season, and plays solid defense.

“We found James Robinson attractive because he’s a good fit with Brent defensively,” Fitch said. “They can be on the court together. James can play some point.”

They lost free agent Bo Outlaw, a Fitch favorite because of his tenacious defense and rebounding. Outlaw signed with the Orlando Magic, rejecting a four-year offer worth $1.5 million this season, to sign a $2.15-million, two-year contract with the Magic.

The Clippers also shed some dead weight, trading super-heavyweight center Stanley Roberts, who hasn’t played a full season since 1992-93 because of a variety of injuries, to Minnesota for 7-foot-2 center Stojko Vrankovic in a draft-day deal. They also chose not to re-sign center Kevin Duckworth, acquired last October after he left a weight-reduction center, making it five players who won’t be back from last season’s team.

Vrankovic, though not as talented as Roberts, is more dependable. Vrankovic started 35 games for the Timberwolves last season before losing his job to Dean Garrett.

“I’m not going to judge him off one bad season in Minnesota,” Fitch said. “He’s 7-2 and he’ll add to our team as a rebounder and a guy who influences opposing shots every night. The work habits are there. We’ll give him certain things to do. We’re not looking for him to score a lot.”

The Clippers also signed 7-3 center Keith Closs to a multiyear deal that pays him about $1.5 million this season.

Closs was not drafted after leaving Central Connecticut State as a sophomore in the spring of 1996 but was impressive playing for the Laker team in this year’s summer league, averaging 11.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.4 blocks while shooting 57%.

With the Clippers acquiring Vrankovic and Closs, 6-11 Lorenzen Wright, who played out of position at center as a rookie last season, is likely to move to power forward, his natural position.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

What’s New

* Key additions: Stojko Vrankovic, James Robinson, Keith Closs, Maurice Taylor.

* Departures: Malik Sealy, Bo Outlaw, Stanley Roberts, Terry Dehere, Kevin Duckworth.

* Exhibition opener: Oct. 11 vs. Vancouver Grizzlies at the Pond.

* Season opener: Oct. 31 vs. Phoenix Suns at Phoenix.