Which players could be released via amnesty?

[Bricklayer]

There are a number of players that are easily available via FA that would more than adequately replace Salmons, whose PER of 10 or so this season was absolutely abysmal. Yes, someone like AK47 (if he opts out) would requiring amnestying Salmons if Reke returns, but someone like Dorrell Wright, Matt Barnes, or Corey Brewer could do the trick for $5 million or less per year over a couple years.

Barnes is a name not often being mentioned who really should be. Very few people answer the description "energetic three point shooter and tough defender". Add in local boy status and well...like I say, more people should be mentioning him as an affordable, reasonable possibility.

 

[Darth Divac]

For some reason, everyone boos him whenever he's subbed in at STA.

 

[Entity]

Barnes is a name not often being mentioned who really should be. Very few people answer the description "energetic three point shooter and tough defender". Add in local boy status and well...like I say, more people should be mentioning him as an affordable, reasonable possibility.

I'm sorry but how much of an upgrade is Barnes over salmons? Both defensive players but to me salmons is the better offensive player. I want an upgrade that makes a splash. Barnes just ripples the water a bit

 

[Bricklayer]

I'm sorry but how much of an upgrade is Barnes over salmons? Both defensive players but to me salmons is the better offensive player. I want an upgrade that makes a splash. Barnes just ripples the water a bit

The gap is bigger than you might imagine. Salmons has been almost unspeakably bad since coming back. Here are the per 36 numbers for the two guys the last two years:

Salmons
2011-12: 9.9pts (.409 .295 .644) 3.9reb 2.7ast 1.1stl 0.2blk 1.3TO
2012-13: 10.6pts (.399 .371 .773) 3.3reb 3.6ast 0.8stl 0.4blk 1.3TO

Barnes
2011-12: 12.3pts (.452 .333 .742) 8.6reb 3.2ast 0.9stl 1.2blk 1.8TO
2012-13: 14.4pts (.462 .342 .744) 6.4reb 2.2ast 1.4stl 1.1blk 1.6TO


Player #1 is completely done. Shouldn't be in the league with numbers like that. makes you wonder exactly how many losses we added just because we got that sort of production for 30 min a night out of one of our positions.

Player #2 is far more physical and dynamic. He makes a big impact on those rebounding woes. He flies around and blocks shots or blocks people's heads if he can't. he's getting up thee in age, but he's an effective short term patch who has been bouncing around from one winning team to another for years now. Is a reason for that.

 

[Glenn]

Off and on throughout the year I've wished we had Barnes back. In comparing stats, do you factor in the Smart factor? I wonder how many of our players will see a rejuvenation in their game under Malone. Just a thought.

 

[VF21]

For some reason, everyone boos him whenever he's subbed in at STA.

Only because he played for the Lakers. Matt was the innocent victim in the Webber trade to the 76ers, included to make the numbers work. He'd be welcomed back with no hard feelings.

 

[Telemachus]

Iggy has a player option this year for over $16M. I cannot fathom him opting out of that contract to accept a four-year at less than one-half the annual value.

It will be interesting to see what Iggy does this off season. Things seem to be coming unhinged in Denver. Would he be willing to sacrifice some money to have a better chance at going to a winning team (not referring to the Kings), or stay on the sinking ship for another season?

 

[Section 101]

Only because he played for the Lakers. Matt was the innocent victim in the Webber trade to the 76ers, included to make the numbers work. He'd be welcomed back with no hard feelings.

Um no. Barnes grew up as a lakers fan not a kings fan. He's a punk *** that's why people don't like him. I know a few people who know him and none have anything nice to say about him. Don't forget he was arrested for beating his girlfriend, thrown out of summer league for fighting and arrested for threatening a police officer and resisting arrest. All within the past 3 years.

 

[macadocious]

Only because he played for the Lakers. Matt was the innocent victim in the Webber trade to the 76ers, included to make the numbers work. He'd be welcomed back with no hard feelings.

No, that is not why at all. He is a gigantic ***-hole. My wife went to school with him, so did my best friends wife. I have played against him. Nobody likes him. He would be booed every game.

EDIT: What 101 said too.

EDIT2: The funny thing was, he tried to pretend he was a gangster and portray that image, but he came from a nice family in a decent area. Sorta reminds me of the rapper in 8 mile that Eminem made fun of at the end.

 

[HndsmCelt]

JJ is a free agent.

Given how things went hard to see us resigning him.

We would however, still have a SF on the roster:

Doh...I guess I missed that one...

 

[VF21]

Um no. Barnes grew up as a lakers fan not a kings fan. He's a punk *** that's why people don't like him. I know a few people who know him and none have anything nice to say about him. Don't forget he was arrested for beating his girlfriend, thrown out of summer league for fighting and arrested for threatening a police officer and resisting arrest. All within the past 3 years.

The domestic violence charge was dropped, and the "threatening a police officer and resisting arrest" was because of his failure to pay a fine for driving on a suspended license for a number of unpaid traffic tickets. Here's what TMZ was able to find out:

...Barnes had a warrant out for his arrest for failing to appear on a ticket for driving on a suspended license. Sources say Barnes had gone to the DMV, gotten his license reinstated, and mistakenly believed he no longer had to go to court to clear the ticket...

There are several paragraphs detailing how the arresting officer saw Barnes and his girlfriend park their car, and walk a couple of blocks into a restaurant. The officer did nothing, but sat and waited, watching while Barnes returned to his car to fetch something and went back to the restaurant. According to witnesses, when Barnes and his girlfriend exited the restaurant a couple of hours later, Matt posed for some pics and signed some autographs, all the while the officer was hiding in an alley.

...as they approached the vehicle the cop pounced and told Barnes he was under arrest, but didn't say why.

We're told Barnes already had one hand behind his back as he attempted to hand his gf the keys with his other hand so she could drive home. Sources say the cop grabbed the hand with the keys and the Lakers champ pulled away. The cop then immediately informed Barnes he would be charged with resisting arrest.

Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2012/08/03/matt-...ed-for-two-hours-before-arrest/#ixzz2VyipBLju

From what I recall from the news, Barnes paid the fines and the other charges were dropped. I'm not saying he's a candidate for sainthood, but he's not nearly the public menace some would want to believe.

Yes, he grew up a Lakers fan but he was excited to be playing for his hometown team.

 

[NewArena]

I would love to see Matt Barnes back in a Kings uniform. He plays hard, he's not afraid to take a hit or dish a good, hard foul and he could actually bring some veteran experience to our team.

His attitude is something we certainly don't need in our lockeroom, though. Not the type of talent that warrants even a bit of consideration to take on such a headache. Off the court issues included.

 

[NewArena]

The domestic violence charge was dropped, and the "threatening a police officer and resisting arrest" was because of his failure to pay a fine for driving on a suspended license for a number of unpaid traffic tickets. Here's what TMZ was able to find out:



There are several paragraphs detailing how the arresting officer saw Barnes and his girlfriend park their car, and walk a couple of blocks into a restaurant. The officer did nothing, but sat and waited, watching while Barnes returned to his car to fetch something and went back to the restaurant. According to witnesses, when Barnes and his girlfriend exited the restaurant a couple of hours later, Matt posed for some pics and signed some autographs, all the while the officer was hiding in an alley.



Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2012/08/03/matt-...ed-for-two-hours-before-arrest/#ixzz2VyipBLju

From what I recall from the news, Barnes paid the fines and the other charges were dropped. I'm not saying he's a candidate for sainthood, but he's not nearly the public menace some would want to believe.

Yes, he grew up a Lakers fan but he was excited to be playing for his hometown team.

I posted before seeing this post of yours. I could be dead wrong, and i won't mind if i am. He's definitely the kind of player
we need right about now, until we're ready to take that next step.

 

[Gilles]

The gap is bigger than you might imagine. Salmons has been almost unspeakably bad since coming back. Here are the per 36 numbers for the two guys the last two years:

Salmons
2011-12: 9.9pts (.409 .295 .644) 3.9reb 2.7ast 1.1stl 0.2blk 1.3TO
2012-13: 10.6pts (.399 .371 .773) 3.3reb 3.6ast 0.8stl 0.4blk 1.3TO

Barnes
2011-12: 12.3pts (.452 .333 .742) 8.6reb 3.2ast 0.9stl 1.2blk 1.8TO
2012-13: 14.4pts (.462 .342 .744) 6.4reb 2.2ast 1.4stl 1.1blk 1.6TO


Player #1 is completely done. Shouldn't be in the league with numbers like that. makes you wonder exactly how many losses we added just because we got that sort of production for 30 min a night out of one of our positions.

Player #2 is far more physical and dynamic. He makes a big impact on those rebounding woes. He flies around and blocks shots or blocks people's heads if he can't. he's getting up thee in age, but he's an effective short term patch who has been bouncing around from one winning team to another for years now. Is a reason for that.

Salmons is a skilled combo-guard with vanishing athleticism and his stats looked exactly like that. Ability to cover bigger players from time to time was mistaken for ability to play SF. I know, what Petrie saw though: hey, he has good ball skills, let's get him.

 

[ninjabiscuit]

Barnes seems like a punk on the court now. Always getting into scraps with the other team, always taking cheap shots and seeming to play dirty. Maybe I have the wrong impression, but that's how it looks to me.

 

[Bricklayer]

Barnes seems like a punk on the court now. Always getting into scraps with the other team, always taking cheap shots and seeming to play dirty. Maybe I have the wrong impression, but that's how it looks to me.

You say that like its a bad thing.

For a would be defensive specialist its not necessarily (remember Bruce Bowen? Ron Artest? Alonzo Mourning? Big Ben? Dennis Rodman?). Competitiveness and intimidation are often integral parts of that package. Especially when you are trying to radically change a culture and set a defensive tone, having an outsized defensive personality or two might help.

 

[Kingster]

I'm sorry but how much of an upgrade is Barnes over salmons? Both defensive players but to me salmons is the better offensive player. I want an upgrade that makes a splash. Barnes just ripples the water a bit

Salmons is probably a better playmaker, but that's about it. Especially in the rebounding/defense area, Barnes' would be a huge improvement over Salmons. Really, Salmons should be playing 2-guard, not the 3. He's much better at defending 2s than 3s and his rebounding deficiency isn't as pronounced.

 

[bajaden]

Iggy has a player option this year for over $16M. I cannot fathom him opting out of that contract to accept a four-year at less than one-half the annual value.

I can see him opting out with all the turmoil in Denver, but your right, he's not going to sign for 7 or 8 mil a year.

 

[bajaden]

Barnes is a name not often being mentioned who really should be. Very few people answer the description "energetic three point shooter and tough defender". Add in local boy status and well...like I say, more people should be mentioning him as an affordable, reasonable possibility.

I've always been a Matt Barnes fan, but then I knew him in highschool, so I'm a little biased. Truth is, he'd be the perfect guy to hold down the fort for a couple of years while we found his successor. Tough defender, who loves to play physical, and a player that can hit the open three. He's basicly Cisco, with a bit of nasty in him.

 

[bajaden]

Um no. Barnes grew up as a lakers fan not a kings fan. He's a punk *** that's why people don't like him. I know a few people who know him and none have anything nice to say about him. Don't forget he was arrested for beating his girlfriend, thrown out of summer league for fighting and arrested for threatening a police officer and resisting arrest. All within the past 3 years.

From where are you getting your info about Barnes. I sat in my friends living room with Barnes and Ryan, my friends son and had many conversations with him when he played at Del Campo. I don't recall him ever saying anything about being a Laker fan. He may have become one while playing at UCLA. Don't know. The last time I spoke to Matt was when I ran into him accidently at the Shadow Brook restuarant. So its been a while. The only people I know that don't like Matt are the one's on the other side of the court from him.

 

[bajaden]

No, that is not why at all. He is a gigantic ***-hole. My wife went to school with him, so did my best friends wife. I have played against him. Nobody likes him. He would be booed every game.

EDIT: What 101 said too.

EDIT2: The funny thing was, he tried to pretend he was a gangster and portray that image, but he came from a nice family in a decent area. Sorta reminds me of the rapper in 8 mile that Eminem made fun of at the end.

Really! Matt was booed at every Del Campo game was he? Funny, I went to lot of those games since my best friends son, Ryan was the PG on that team. I guess I was deaf, because I don't remember the booes. Its also funny how Ryan and Matt and other teammates came over to Ryans house a lot. Amazing since they all hated him.

 

[Section 101]

Really! Matt was booed at every Del Campo game was he? Funny, I went to lot of those games since my best friends son, Ryan was the PG on that team. I guess I was deaf, because I don't remember the booes. Its also funny how Ryan and Matt and other teammates came over to Ryans house a lot. Amazing since they all hated him.

He was talking about games now.

Like Macadocious said, people that went to school and played with and against him growing up. In all the sports, not just basketball.

And it's pretty well known he's been a laker fan.

Asked if he regretted passing up the better offers he referenced to play with the Lakers, Barnes was emphatic.

“No," he said. "I was a Laker fan growing up, so when the opportunity to come here [happened], you know anything [more] than free -- I wouldn’t have come for free -- it wouldn’t have took much to get me here because it’s been a dream of mine. The talent and the history they have here have been great for me, and it’s something I want to be a part of."

http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles...iew-facing-an-uncertain-future-in-los-angeles

 

[VF21]

Okay, macadocious - I don't know you but I do know one thing: Matt Barnes has been in the NBA since 2002, not a small feat in and of itself. The fact that you - an online persona named macadocious - played against him holds just about zero relevance to the topic at hand, unless you're trying to say you were an elite athlete. Even then, I don't get what you're trying to prove with that comment.

As far as people saying they didn't like him in high school, who the heck cares? I'm pretty sure there are people from every player's home town who will say something similar, no matter who the athlete is.

Bottom line is Matt Barnes, professional basketball player, is not the guy you once played in high school. He's a pro and he has a skillset our Kings could definitely use.

BTW? My daughter and a couple of her friends ran into Matt at a restaurant not too long ago. He was very gracious and took pictures with them and signed autographs. Not exactly the wanna be gangsta you're trying to portray him as.

 

[VF21]

He was talking about games now.

Like Macadocious said, people that went to school and played with and against him growing up. In all the sports, not just basketball.

He wasn't booed when he played for us the first time. I think your personal dislike is clouding your judgment. And bajaden, who also has personal knowledge of Barnes, is saying the exact opposite of what you're saying. Why can't we put the personal crap aside and talk about his talents and potential use to the team?

 

[Section 101]

He wasn't booed when he played for us the first time. I think your personal dislike is clouding your judgment. And bajaden, who also has personal knowledge of Barnes, is saying the exact opposite of what you're saying. Why can't we put the personal crap aside and talk about his talents and potential use to the team?

People didn't know him back then either except he went to del campo. I didn't hear about the stuff till a few years later. And the stuff the last 3 years shows he hasn't changed. Still want to defend him throwing punches in summer league?

 

[VF21]

People didn't know him back then either except he went to del campo. I didn't hear about the stuff till a few years later. And the stuff the last 3 years shows he hasn't changed. Still want to defend him throwing punches in summer league?

If you note, I didn't address that particular part of your post as I didn't have any real knowledge of it. And, quite frankly, I don't really care. It's not that big a deal, as I know of players who have thrown punches at various times - some never made public - and it didn't carry over into their regular game. Doug Christie threw a punch at Rick Fox, just as an example most people will remember...

It's clear you have an agenda about Barnes. That's your prerogative. I'm just saying I don't think he's the devil incarnate you're trying to make him out to be.

 

[Bosnian Diehard]

I'd like to try and snag AK47 or Matt Barnes this summer, but Chase Budinger would be a nice possibility. Still young (25 years old), and he had 9 points and 3 rebounds a game (about the same as Salmons) but with only 22 minutes a game, so similar production with Budinger having quite a few less minutes a game. Plus Budinger can still grow and develop due to his fairly young age whereas Salmons will probably only regress from here on out. I'd view Ak47, barnes and Budinger all as upgrades over a John "great game once a month" Salmons, though.

 

[bajaden]

People didn't know him back then either except he went to del campo. I didn't hear about the stuff till a few years later. And the stuff the last 3 years shows he hasn't changed. Still want to defend him throwing punches in summer league?

Don't know about the punches in summer league, but it must have been a while ago since he's not eligible for summer league anymore. But even if so, does that make Corliss Williamson a thug because he threw punch at one of the games I was at. How about Doug Christie for throwing a punch. You can't just selectively pick out certain players without indicting all of them. You don't like Barnes! Thats fine. There are players in the NBA that other players don't like playing against. I don't expect them to send Barnes a birthday card. I notice that top contending teams still keep signing him to contracts though. I wonder why?

As for his being a Laker fan, I stand by what I said. He never mentioned around me. Maybe because he knew I and Ryan, and Ryans father were big Kings fans. Don't know, nor do I care. He was always a gentleman around me, and I judge people by how they are when I'm with them, and not by other peoples opinions of them. By the way, Ryan is now a sports announcer in Seattle, on one of their local television stations, and he's married to one of the Kings dancers. Make that ex-Kings dancer.

 

[jalfa]

I'd like to try and snag AK47 or Matt Barnes this summer, but Chase Budinger would be a nice possibility. Still young (25 years old), and he had 9 points and 3 rebounds a game (about the same as Salmons) but with only 22 minutes a game, so similar production with Budinger having quite a few less minutes a game. Plus Budinger can still grow and develop due to his fairly young age whereas Salmons will probably only regress from here on out. I'd view Ak47, barnes and Budinger all as upgrades over a John "great game once a month" Salmons, though.

he's a terrible defender coming off a major injury, though. not exactly what this team needs as far as SFs are concerned. if we're not going for a homerun or close to homerun with players like Kirilenko or Iggy, there are other somewhat cheap targets that would make more sense than Budinger. guys like Wright, Korver, Dunleavy Jr. (if Cuz is okay with him) or the aforementioned Barnes, for instance.

 

[Section 101]

Don't know about the punches in summer league, but it must have been a while ago since he's not eligible for summer league anymore. But even if so, does that make Corliss Williamson a thug because he threw punch at one of the games I was at. How about Doug Christie for throwing a punch. You can't just selectively pick out certain players without indicting all of them. You don't like Barnes! Thats fine. There are players in the NBA that other players don't like playing against. I don't expect them to send Barnes a birthday card. I notice that top contending teams still keep signing him to contracts though. I wonder why?

As for his being a Laker fan, I stand by what I said. He never mentioned around me. Maybe because he knew I and Ryan, and Ryans father were big Kings fans. Don't know, nor do I care. He was always a gentleman around me, and I judge people by how they are when I'm with them, and not by other peoples opinions of them. By the way, Ryan is now a sports announcer in Seattle, on one of their local television stations, and he's married to one of the Kings dancers. Make that ex-Kings dancer.

It was the SF pro am 2 years ago.

KGO-TV first reported that Barnes had punched an opposing player in the face in a Pro-Am game Thursday, but officials didn't notice the incident and therefore, didn't eject him. Barnes has declined to comment other than to tell ESPN.com's Diamong Leung that Safia "elbowed me and pushed me, so he got one."

"People come out here and think they can beat and push on me," Barnes said. "There's only so much I'm going to take."

This isn't the first time Barnes has been involved in a physical altercation on the court. He drew a one-game suspension last season for his involvement in an on-court scuffle in a game against Dallas. In that contest, Barnes shoved Mavericks guard Jason Terry after Terry had pushed Lakers guard Steve Blake to the floor. When Dallas assistant Terry Stotts wrapped his arms around Barnes from behind, Barnes pushed the Mavericks coach aside and knocked him into the courtside seats. Also, during last summer's Pro-Am, Barnes slapped an opposing team's assistant coach after a brief verbal exchange.

- See more at: http://lakersblog.latimes.com/laker...sion-in-pro-am-game.html#sthash.QGvGCB8B.dpuf