The record will show that Matt Barnes won an NBA title with the 2017 Golden State Warriors, but he definitely doesn’t feel that way.
Barnes recently said on the “Up in Smoke” podcast that he doesn’t see himself as a champion — and didn’t even accept the ring he received for his contributions to the team.
“That ring is still in — shoutout Raymond Ridder, the best media dude, mogul for the Golden State Warriors — that thing is sitting in his office,” Barnes said, via Kurt Helin of NBC Sports. “I don’t count that as a championship.
“I came in when [Kevin Durant] went down, playing a consistent 20-25 minutes, the game KD comes back, I get hurt maybe a week before the playoffs and I’m out of it. Worst ankle sprain of my life. I’m not healthy until the end of the second round when they’re already 8-0. So me being a vet knowing they’re not going to change the rotation, I’m not expecting them to change the rotation, I’m just going to sit here and be a super vet, cheer these mother f—— on, talk to people when they need to be talked to and just enjoy the ride.
“I didn’t sweat. I wasn’t in the mother f——- dog hole with these dudes. I didn’t get to guard LeBron. I got a free ride, I got a free ring.”
Barnes did have some added motivation that year but was limited to just 61 minutes in 12 playoff games in 2017. That’s more than enough for a ring, and he can say he contributed by averaging 20.5 minutes per game in the regular season for Golden State. That’s not enough for him, though.
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