Matt Barnes arrested on outstanding traffic warrant, allegedly threatened cop
Free-agent forward Matt Barnes, a nine-year NBA veteran who has spent the last two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, was arrested late Monday evening on an outstanding misdemeanor traffic warrant and for allegedly threatening a police officer.
According to the Associated Press, Barnes was arrested "as he was walking on a busy thoroughfare in the city about 20 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles."
[Manhattan Beach police Lt. Steve] Tobias said Barnes wasn't cooperative when he was stopped by police and was going to be booked for allegedly threatening the officer, which is a felony.
Authorities said the warrant was for driving on a suspended license.
According to City News Service, Barnes was arrested by an officer who was already aware that the 32-year-old forward had an outstanding warrant for a misdemeanor traffic offense; according to NBC Los Angeles, Barnes had not paid the $26,000 warrant. He paid that, plus the remaining $25,000 in bail, and was released from the Manhattan Beach Police Department's jail just before midnight Pacific time, according to ProBasketballTalk's Kurt Helin.
TMZ first reported the news early Tuesday morning.
In September 2010, two months after the Lakers signed him to a two-year, $3.67 million deal, Barnes was arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence. Then-fiancee Gloria Govan disputed the booking at the time, and Barnes was ultimately not charged in connection with that incident.
Known for his defense and hard-nosed play on the wing, Barnes played his college ball at UCLA and began his NBA career with the Los Angeles Clippers back in 2003. He made 63 appearances for the Lakers during the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season, including 16 starts, and averaged 7.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and two assists in 22.9 minutes per game during the regular season. In the postseason, though, Barnes fell out of Mike Brown's rotation once Metta World Peace returned from his seven-game suspension for his back-elbow to the head of Oklahoma City Thunder guard James Harden.
Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times reported earlier this month that the Lakers "aren't expected to re-sign" Barnes after choosing to bring back 23-year-old forward Devin Ebanks. SheridanHoops.com's Chris Bernucca last week listed Barnes among his top 20 remaining free agents, but noted that no NBA team had shown much interest in procuring the services of the veteran swingman, who has also played with the Sacramento Kings, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns and Orlando Magic.