12:33pm: The deal is official, the Suns announced.
10:13am: The Suns and center Earl Barron have reached agreement on a second 10-day deal, a league source told Shams Charania of RealGM (Twitter link). His first 10-day contract with Phoenix expired Monday. It’ll be the third time Barron has inked with the Suns this season, including his training camp deal.
The ninth-year veteran failed to make it to opening night with the team, but the Suns retained his D-League rights and he’s spent much of the season with Phoenix’s affiliate. Barron averaged 20.2 points and 10.9 rebounds in 32.6 minutes per game across 27 appearances for the D-League Bakersfield Jam, but he’s seen just 5.5 MPG in his five-game stint with the big club, his first NBA regular season action since 2012/13.
Phoenix has just 13 players signed through the end of the season after its flurry of deadline moves. So, GM Ryan McDonough and company would continue to have flexibility even if they re-sign Barron for the season, which they’d have to do to bring the 33-year-old back once his latest 10-day deal expires.
I have nothing against Earl Barron I just think the Suns had an excellent backup C in Miles Plumlee. . I expect he’ll have a long career in the NBA and we’ll regret letting him go. Earl gives the effort we need. Long live Earl :) .