Warriors coach Steve Kerr said it 200 times if he said it once. The chemistry on his team, from All-Stars to those who barely broke a sweat, was fabulous.
And, almost always, Kerr cited Leandro Barbosa as one of the reasons why.
Barbosa was a semi-polarizing figure insofar as the team’s front office was divided on his value to the team. The divide was not strident, but it definitely was there. It was easy to see why. The veteran guard was by turns exasperating and electrifying.
Kerr defended Barbosa at every turn. So did Barbosa’s teammates. They loved “LB” as a role model for putting in the extra work, for injecting humor and for his featured role in generating esprit de corps.
That is largely why the Warriors and Barbosa, who is an unrestricted free agent, will reunite next season. General manager Bob Myers issued a statement affirming the team’s intention, which can’t become official before Thursday, at the conclusion of the league’s moratorium period.
Barbosas has agreed Monday to play his 13th season on a one-year contract worth a reported $2.5 million.
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“That’s what I wanted the most,” Barbosa told CSN Bay Area in a message Monday night. “I just followed my heart.”
When I asked Barbosa if he considered moving to another team, his response was as predictable as it was telling.
“I could not be more happy anywhere else,” said Barbosa, who will turn 33 in November. “I love my brothers. I love the bay.”
The Warriors believe no locker room in the NBA is healthier than theirs. They may be right. It’s as tight and low-maintenance as they come. MVP Stephen Curry, as “chill” as he is spectacular, sets a professional tone. Draymond Green’s relentless fire is tempered by dedication and a genius-level hoops IQ. Even Andrew Bogut, the most cantankerous of the bunch, generally obliges the team’s single-file approach.
Bringing back Marreese Speights and Barbosa – the two players highly valued but used most erratically – scores candor points for general manager Bob Myers. The pros clearly outweighed the cons.
“Mo was great for us; so was Leandro,” Myers, asked about summertime decisions, said two weeks ago. “I would tell you this: When you have the success that we had, you’d like to keep it together as much as possible. It doesn’t mean you don’t open your eyes to see what else is out there. But if it’s a close call, you always want to retain the talent that got you a championship.”
Thus, there will be another year of Barbosa and his roller-coaster game. The team’s senior citizen seems eager to rejoin his teammates.
“I need to rest,” he said. “But the truth is I can’t wait to be back.”
