Barry Will Have to Earn His Keep

Although guard Brent Barry will be a free agent after the season, it doesn’t necessarily mean he holds the upper hand.

Barry, who will start at shooting guard, obviously will have to produce to restore the market value he lost last season, his second in the NBA, when he averaged 7.5 points a game. In his rookie season he averaged 10.1 points a game and 24 minutes and led rookies in three-point accuracy at .416.

The Clippers have to get production from that position, needing an increase in offense in a much tougher Western Conference. Power forward Loy Vaught averaged 14.9 points a game, the lowest average for a team leader in the NBA last season.

The off-season rationale was to let Malik Sealy and Terry Dehere go to enable Barry and Eric Piatkowski to develop.

So far, Sealy has played well for Detroit in the preseason, and even though the Clippers’ reasoning seemed sound, they might come to regret it unless Barry produces.

“It’s not like he’s never started before,” General Manager Elgin Baylor said. “He’s playing more of a two position [now], it’s more of a true position for him.

“He started quite a bit at the point guard position last season. But he’s more comfortable [at the two] and that should give him more confidence.”

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The Clippers’ only scheduled national television appearance this season is on TBS against Sacramento on Nov. 26.