The Memphis Grizzlies have acquired forward Matt Barnes from the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets will receive backup point guard Luke Ridnour in return. It was first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports:
Memphis has agreed to trade Luke Ridnour to Charlotte for Matt Barnes, league sources tell Yahoo.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) June 25, 2015
This came just days after Barnes was traded to Charlotte from the Los Angeles Clippers for Lance Stephenson. Luke Ridnour was also on the move just yesterday after he went from the Orlando Magic to the Grizzlies. Ridnour is also on a non guaranteed contract which could result in Charlotte waving him before his contract becomes guaranteed for the 2015-16 NBA season.
Matt Barnes should fit into the gritty attitude of the city of Memphis and their basketball team right off the bat. The Grizz have built their success around toughness and solid defense, two words that embody what Barnes will bring to the table. Barnes has been a bit of a journeyman in his career, but he can still provide some stability at age 35. He will most likely serve as the backup to forward Jeff Green after he opted into his contract recently.
The Hornets have really been wheeling and dealing so far and the offseason is still young. The moves stem from the front office which is led by Michael Jordan. It seems as though Jordan wants to rebuild his roster around Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson. They acquired swingman Nicolas Batum from Portland yesterday, adding a solid wing player to their roster. If Charlotte decides to keep Ridnour around he’ll provide as a serviceable backup to Walker. The Grizzlies did get the better part of the deal as they added someone who fits in perfectly with the attitude of the team and can make an instant impact from day one.
