Matt Barnes: Former Lakers Star Arrested After Run-In with Police

Free-agent forward Matt Barnes, who spent the last two seasons playing with the Los Angeles Lakers, found himself on the wrong side of the law on Monday when he was arrested after being stopped by police, according to a report from KCAL Channel 2:

"

Manhattan Beach police Lt. Steve Tobias said Barnes was taken into custody as he was walking on a busy thoroughfare.

--snip--

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.

"

In a separate report from TMZ, there was a $26,000 unpaid traffic warrant out for Barnes due to driving with a suspended license. 

Barnes has spent this offseason trying to find a new home, as it doesn't seem like the Lakers are in any hurry to bring him back after two seasons of lackluster performance. He did have a productive season in Los Angeles last year, averaging 7.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game coming off the bench. 

This arrest could make it that much more difficult to find a team willing to make Barnes a deal. There was already lukewarm movement on him, so when you add this incident into the mix, it might be too much of a distraction for an NBA team. 

We will keep you updated on the situation and Barnes' NBA future as more information becomes available.

Follow @adamwells1985