Matt Barnes: Kobe Bryant sold me on Lakers

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — When Matt Barnes first texted Kobe Bryant about the possibility of joining the Los Angeles Lakers, Bryant surprised him by immediately texting back with emphatic encouragement.

Several dozen texts later, Barnes decided he could postpone his pursuit of a long-term NBA contract to aid Kobe's chase for yet another championship.

"He said, 'Anyone crazy enough to mess with me is crazy enough to play with me,'" Barnes said with a laugh.

Barnes formally agreed to a one-year, $1.7 million deal with the Lakers on Tuesday, holding up his gold No. 9 jersey at their training complex.

"It's been a dream of mine since I was a young kid watching basketball to play with one of the best players ever in the game," Barnes said.

After excelling with Orlando last season, the well-traveled swingman and 3-point shooter thought he might finally land a lucrative NBA contract this summer. The Sacramento native and UCLA product has been chasing such a deal since 2007, his breakout year with the Golden State Warriors.

Instead, the free-agent market passed him by while a potential deal with Toronto fell through and other teams filled their perimeter needs. Barnes is good, but still not quite good enough to command NBA security — but he thinks maybe a ring on his finger will help that quest in the future.

"It's frustrating, because obviously you want that long-term security for your family," Barnes said. "It would be nice to have that security and a place to call home ... but God has a plan."

The Lakers seemed an unlikely destination for Barnes, because they already have the NBA's highest payroll.

But after Bryant's pursuit of Raja Bell fell through when the rugged defender signed with Utah, Bryant went after Barnes, who earned his respect as a tough defender for the past several years while playing for every other team in the Pacific Division.

Bell and Barnes share a characteristic prized by Bryant: They've stood up to the two-time NBA finals MVP, not caring about his rings or his scoring prowess.

"(Bryant) just respects the people that compete the hardest," Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said. "He's not really in a popularity contest to make friends. He wants people beside him that compete and earn his respect. ... I think it was a conscious effort to get tougher."

Barnes has been impressed by Bryant's work ethic ever since he saw Bryant's left-handed workouts at Pauley Pavilion several years ago while Kobe had an injured right hand.

"After eight years, I'm finally done guarding him, except in practice," Barnes said. "Now he's going to be hitting those game-winning shots for us."