It was a tumultuous first year in Los Angeles for Matt Barnes and it’s not getting any easier going into his second. Signed last off-season to help bring energy and effort off the bench, Barnes saw his season take a turn for the worse once he went down with a knee injury.
Though he returned to the court late in the regular season and participated in the playoffs it was clear Barnes’ knee was still a lingering issue.
An MRI on Thursday revealed good news for Barnes as it appears his injury is showing signs of improvement. But he’s still got a long road ahead as he told the L.A. Times yesterday.
"“We figure we still have a long time to go. We’re definitely not rushing anything. We’re just easing my way back into it.”"
Recently Barnes was the lone Laker in attendance to welcome Mike Brown as the new head coach. Perhaps looking to show his support in hopes of gaining early favor with his new boss Barnes is guaranteed to be a Laker next season thanks to the exercised player option in his contract. While he may have a roster spot he’s not promised to factor heavily in Brown’s rotation.
Barnes has never known stability in his NBA career. The NorCal native and former UCLA Bruin has made a steady living despite being unable to secure a permanent NBA residence. No telling how he’ll fit in with Brown’s plans. If his knee issues linger then it will no doubt be a major factor in determining his role going forward.