Matt Barnes to sign with Lakers

[King Taharqa]

Free-agent forward Matt Barnes has reached agreement on a two-year, $3.6 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Barnes will likely sign the contract on Friday. The deal will pay him $1.7 million next season and give him a player option for $1.9 million in 2011-12.

The Cleveland Cavaliers had guaranteed $7 million over two years with a team option for a third season, but Barnes wanted more guaranteed money to sign with a non-championship contender. Cleveland refused to improve its offer and ultimately was willing to let Barnes go to a lower bidder.

The Lakers also signed veteran center Theo Ratliff on Thursday.

Barnes announced earlier in the week he was signing with the Toronto Raptors, but a sign-and-trade deal that would have paid him $9 million over two years fell apart.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AvmZB84bqYNH1igJXrlZsXO8vLYF?slug=ys-lakersbarnes072210

Cleveland fails again to lure a free agent they were courting heavily. Get ready to hear that over and over again for the next century.

[BF91]

People can talk about the Heat all they want, but the Lakers are still the champs and are getting better this offseason.

[rico6]

Didn't Kobe nearly Judo Chop Barnes neck last season?

[Kevin Greene]

People can talk about the Heat all they want, but the Lakers are still the champs and are getting better this offseason.

Yep, Phil Jackson back at HC, check.

Sign Steve Blake as an upgrade over Jordan Farmar, check.

Bring back last years Championship roster intact, check.

[King Taharqa]

People can talk about the Heat all they want, but the Lakers are still the champs and are getting better this offseason.

The Lakers are the champs and favorites until someone dethrones them. The 2011 title goes thru LA.

[rico6]

Beware of the Thunder. If the Lakers face them again they will not win.

[pdandy1994]

OKC and LA in the WCF next year, im callin it

Lakers in 7 though. And this signing also just proves that every team needs role players, which the Heat wont have nearly the same quality of role players as LA

[C-A-T-S]

He has the same intense defensive mentality as Ron Ron.

[Kakarot]

Great sign by the Lakers

[SOJA]

wow the Magic really made a mistake in letting him go especially to the Lakers. I'm not crazy about the Heat but the Magic haven't done anything to improve. The Lakers of course continue to quietly build an even more solid championship caliber team. If they somehow swing a trade for CP3 goodnight the Heat don't stand a chance. The Thunder will test the Lakers but the Lakers won't be taken by surprise again. Lakers advance to finals again. The East is tough to predict. Of course if the Heat can play to their potential they should win. Boston might have enough left in the tank for one more run. The Magic honestly have done nothing and don't have quite enough to topple the Celts or Heat. I expect the Bulls to be the fourth place in the East.

End of the day Lakers are still going to get another ring. I don't like it but they have built a real dream team.

[Mesmer]

I really thought he was going to go Miami. Great pickup for LA

[Hawk]

hmm...I Missed the one hour press conference on this!!!

All falling together for a three peat