Matt Barnes
The defensive stopper who earned Clippers Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2013.
Matt Barnes is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Los Angeles Clippers from 2012 to 2015. A versatile forward known for his defensive intensity, Barnes was named Defensive Player of the Year for the Clippers in June 2013. He signed with the Clippers in September 2012 and re-signed on a multi-year deal on July 10, 2013, becoming a key rotation player during his tenure.
- Role
- Power Forward / Small Forward
- Affiliation
- Los Angeles Clippers (2012–2015)
- First Appears
- September 2012
- Status
- Retired
- Key Trait
- Defensive Intensity
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Barnes signed with the Los Angeles Clippers in September 2012, beginning a three-season stint that would define his late-career identity. On October 31, 2012, he was suspended for one game after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor for resisting, delaying, or obstructing a police officer. In June 2013, Barnes was named Defensive Player of the Year for the Clippers, a recognition of his tenacity on that end of the floor. He re-signed with the team on July 10, 2013, to a multi-year deal. During the 2014–15 season, Barnes was fined multiple times: $25,000 on December 13 for kicking a water bottle and using language during a game against the Washington Wizards; $25,000 on January 25 for what was said to be inappropriate language directed towards a fan during a game against the Phoenix Suns (though Barnes said it was directed at the Suns' owner); and $50,000 on May 8 for remarks made to James Harden's mother during a playoff game against the Houston Rockets. On June 15, 2015, Barnes was traded to the Charlotte Hornets as part of a deal for Lance Stephenson.
In Their Own Story
The Staples Center crowd buzzed as Barnes checked into the game, his assignment clear: lock down the opponent's best scorer. In June 2013, he had been named Defensive Player of the Year for the Clippers, a title earned through grit and relentless pressure. During the 2014–15 season, his fire sometimes boiled over—he was fined $25,000 for kicking a water bottle and using language against the Wizards, another $25,000 for a verbal exchange with a fan (or, as he claimed, the Suns' owner), and $50,000 for remarks to James Harden's mother during a playoff series. But that same edge made him indispensable. When he was traded to the Charlotte Hornets on June 15, 2015, the Clippers lost a piece of their defensive backbone.
Reader's Guide
Matt Barnes joined the Los Angeles Clippers in September 2012, signing a contract that would see him become a defensive cornerstone. In June 2013, he was named Defensive Player of the Year for the Clippers, a testament to his impact on that end of the floor. He re-signed on a multi-year deal on July 10, 2013. During the 2014–15 season, Barnes faced multiple fines from the NBA: $25,000 on December 13 for kicking a water bottle and using language during a game against the Washington Wizards; $25,000 on January 25 for inappropriate language directed towards a fan during a game against the Phoenix Suns (Barnes stated it was directed at the Suns' owner); and $50,000 on May 8 for remarks made to James Harden's mother during a playoff game against the Houston Rockets. Barnes' tenure with the Clippers ended on June 15, 2015, when he was traded, along with Spencer Hawes, to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for shooting guard Lance Stephenson.
Did You Know?
- Barnes was named Defensive Player of the Year for the Clippers in June 2013.
- He was suspended for one game on October 31, 2012, after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor for resisting, delaying, or obstructing a police officer.
- Barnes was fined $50,000 on May 8, 2015, for remarks made to James Harden's mother during a playoff game.
- He was traded to the Charlotte Hornets on June 15, 2015, as part of a deal for Lance Stephenson.
- Barnes re-signed with the Clippers on a multi-year deal on July 10, 2013.