Lakers Get Defensive by Signing Matt Barnes, Theo Ratliff

Filed under: Cavaliers , Lakers , NBA Transactions , NBA Free Agents As Kobe Bryant reminded reporters countless times during the 2010 playoffs, defense wins championships. Assuming that maxim holds true, the Los Angeles Lakers got a leg up Thursday on winning their third consecutive title by locking up Matt Barnes and Theo Ratliff , two free agents known for their veteran savvy and defensive grit. Earlier this week, Barnes, 30, appeared headed to the Toronto Raptors before a prospective two-year, $9 million deal fell apart -- the deal appeared so close he even prematurely announced it on Twitter . The Cavaliers were also interested in Barnes and offered a similar deal for $7 million , but in the end he opted to chase a ring instead of dollars, signing with the Lakers for nearly half as much as the Cavs were offering. The Los Angeles Times reports Barnes will earn $1.77 million this year, with a player option for nearly $2 million in 2011-12. � Permalink �|� Email this �|� Linking�Blogs �|� Comments