Roger Mason, Brent Barry Trade

In establishing career highs last season, Mason's game belied his name.

Spurs Get Younger, Nets Get Older
By Chris Bernucca on July 11, 2008 at 11:10 p.m. ETLess than 24 hours after Brent Barry left the San Antonio Spurs to become the third member of his family to join the Houston Rockets, the Spurs filled his reserve guard slot with Roger Mason.
Mason spent the last two seasons with the Washington Wizards and may have benefited more than anyone from the injury absence of Gilbert Arenas. He had career highs in virtually every category, averaging 9.1 points and 1.7 assists while shooting 44 percent overall and nearly 40 percent from the arc.
When the season starts, Mason will be 28 - or eight years younger than Barry, a strong consideration when you consider that the Spurs looked a little long in the tooth last season. His ability to spot up should fit right in with San Antonio, and at 6-5 and 212 pounds has the size to defend big shooting guards.
When it comes to finding diamonds in the rough among NBA free agents, the Spurs occasionally hit the jackpot but also have collected their fair share of coal. San Antonio will be the fourth team in six seasons for Mason, who appears to be coming into his own.
While the Spurs needed to get younger, the New Jersey Nets needed to get older and did so with the free agent signings of forwards Eduardo Najera and Jarvis Hayes.
The Nets had 10 players on their roster 25 or younger and needed an increased veteran presence. They should get that from both Najera, 32, and Hayes, 27, a pair of forwards who have been around the NBA block a time or two.
This is the fourth stop for Najera, who last season added a 3-pointer to his hard-nosed style of play. It should take about one practice for him to illustrate to New Jersey's young big men how hard you have to play in this league.
This is the third stop for Hayes, who missed 101 games in his first three seasons but just one in his last two. His lone season in Detroit was marked by career lows in minutes and points, but that should change in New Jersey.