Lakers Sign Matt Barnes

The World Champion Los Angeles Lakers strike again, as they signed forward Matt Barnes to a 2 year deal worth 3.6 million Tuesday. Barnes had originally agreed to a significantly more lucrative deal with the Toronto Raptors but the Raptors did not have the funds they originally agreed to. Barnes's deal with the Raptors was reported to be a 2 years worth roughly 9 million. Toronto had already spent the bulk of their available money to sign forward Linas Kleiza.
The addition of Barnes further strengthens a Lakers team that was already a favorite to make their fourth straight NBA Finals appearance.
Barnes will be particularly useful in challenging the combination of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade defensively. The Lakers already had two capable defenders in Bryant and Artest, but Barnes could potentially give Bryant a rest on the defensive end.
With the match up nightmares the Heat are sure to create, it wouldn't be surprising to see Bryant moved to point guard, while Artest and Barnes lock down on James and Wade. Freeing Bryant from the burden of guarding one of the premier players in the league for 40 minutes a night in a long series would only help his offensive game.

The signing of Barnes will most likely end Shannon Brown's time in LA. Brown opted out of the last year of his 2 year 4.1 million dollar deal. He was scheduled to make just over 2 million this year but chose to become a free agent to secure a more lucrative deal. Brown expressed interest in staying with LA, but will now have to look elsewhere.
It remains to be seen where Brown will end up, but he likely won't command more than the 2 million he would have made this year. While I don't endorse the idea, Brown to Chicago would be an interesting fit.
He actually played six games for the Bulls in the 2007-08 season after being acquired in a trade with Cleveland. He didn't make a significant contribution then, he spent time in the D-League in fact, but Brown is a different player now. Last year with the Lakers was his first full year in an NBA uniform and the increased playing time elevated his game tremendously.
Brown's suspect defense would most likely not score him any points with new coach Tom Thibodeau, but the energy he could provide off the bench certainly makes the idea worth entertaining. Brown's outside shot would still not be considered good, but it has improved.
He works best when running the floor and driving to the basket. The combination of Watson and Brown off the bench would be fun to watch at the very least. The Bulls could offer him a 2 year contract worth around 6 million, but will probably be looking for either a more defensive minded guard/forward or another three point shooter.