Free-agent forward Matt Barnes will sign a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, a source told ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Barnes, 32, averaged 7.8 points and 5.5 rebounds for the Los Angeles Lakers last season, his second with the team. But he never was fully healthy with the Lakers. Barnes had knee surgery in the middle of the 2011 season, then suffered an ankle injury midway through the 2012 season and a freak neck injury later that affected his performance.
The expected signing of Barnes caps a productive summer for the Clippers, who added veterans Jamal Crawford, Grant Hill, Ronny Turiaf and Ryan Hollins through free agency, re-signed Chauncey Billups and agreed to a contract extension with Blake Griffin.
Billups, Griffin and point guard Chris Paul were all involved in recruiting Barnes, who had interest from the Miami Heat, among others.
