Before the rumors started spreading about Matt Barnes possibly coming to the Lakers, most of Laker Nation could not have ever imagined Barnes wearing the sacred purple and gold. Who could blame them? Matt Barnes tried and more importantly failed to intimidate our beloved Kobe Bryant on March 7th, 2010, when the Lakers visited the Magic for a rematch of the 2009 NBA Finals.
They battled throughout the game and when things started to get a physical, the officials had to step in. The highlight of the night was when Barnes was inbounding the basketball; tried to make Bryant flinch by directing the ball towards Kobe’s face, but Kobe stood tall and valiant as if the ball had not come centimeters from his face. Since that day, it is safe to say that the fans of the purple and gold would forever consider Matt Barnes an enemy.
When free agency began, it was not love at first sight for Barnes and the Lakers. The Lakers had their eyes on Raja Bell, coincidentally another of Kobe Bryant’s nemesis who specializes in defense and key three point shooting. Barnes had agreed in principle with the Toronto Raptors. However, Bell decides to sign with his former team the Utah Jazz even with Kobe Bryant trying to recruit him. Barnes’ deal with Toronto suddenly went south and more importantly he turned down Cleveland’s offer that would have been double what the Lakers are paying him now.
Could it be fate? Destiny? Or just another brilliant pick up by Mitch Kupchak?
Now he is part of the Los Angeles Lakers and back in his home state. Although he is not from Los Angeles or Southern California for that matter, he is a California kid and a UCLA Bruin Alumni. So he is not new to the Los Angeles area and is well known for being part of three Sweet 16 teams with the Bruins in his final three years. While at UCLA he averaged 8.8 points and 4.8 rebounds a game, but his last season as a Bruin is when he really flourished with 13.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per contest. Those numbers got him drafted 46th overall in the second round of the 2002 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies.
Next: Life in the Big Leagues
Although he had enjoyed collegiate success, Barnes would struggle his first couple of years in the NBA to the point where he considered trying out for the National Football League (he was a high school All-American Honoree as a receiver while at Del Campo High School in Fair Oaks, California). It was not until he landed with the Golden State Warriors that he became an efficient player under the guidance of Don Nelson. He was part of the Warriors team, along with fellow Bruin Baron Davis, which beat the number one seed Dallas Mavericks in the opening round of the 2007 NBA playoffs. Barnes averaged 11.1 points and 5.7 rebounds a game in the 2007 postseason.
Matt Barnes is here and now, joining the two time defending champions in pursuit of a third straight championship. Kobe put it perfectly, “Anyone crazy enough to mess with me is crazy enough to play with me”. With the Miami Heat forming a super power in South Beach, the Celtics adding more weapons of their own including the “Big Shamrock”; adding another tough perimeter defender who can hit beyond the arc vastly improves the Lakers bench.
If there is one thing we could learn from history, it is that it tends to repeat itself. In this case, that is exactly what happened. Two summers ago, the Lakers signed Ron Artest even though he and now teammate Kobe Bryant had their own issues during the Lakers and Rockets Western Conference Semi-Finals matchup in 2009. Nevertheless, they put their differences aside and joined forces. We all know what happened next; a second NBA title that was aided by Artest’s 20 points in Game 7 against that eerie green team from Boston.
The Lakers have done it again by signing another Kobe Bryant foe, adding Matt Barnes to the roster, and by doing so improving the bench and chances for a three-peat. Not only is he an athletic player who could play the shooting guard or small forward position, its his toughness and defense that are his best assets and are going to fit in the Lakers rotation.
Although it is still very early in the season, Lakers Nation should be very excited to have a player like Matt Barnes coming off the bench. The Lakers have arguably the toughest core of perimeter defenders in the league and no one should be questioning their toughness anymore.