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OAKLAND -- It was seven hours before tipoff, and Matt Barnes was fidgety. Still dripping sweat after completing shootaround at the Warriors facility Wednesday, he flopped into a chair for an interview session.
One week after rejoining the team, Barnes can’t stop thinking about returning to Oracle Arena as a Warrior for the first time since he left after the 2007-08 season.
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“I don’t even know if I’m going to be able to take a nap right now,” Barnes said. “My sister is (reaching out), my dad lives out here now. Everyone is just so excited for me to be back here and the love I’ve got. Once you leave and then I played for the Clippers, which is kind of an arch-rival, so the dislike comes quickly — but I’ve received a lot of love and hopefully anticipating a warm welcome, which I’m sure it will be.”
Barnes was an important member of the 2006-07 “We Believe” Warriors, a group of determined underdogs that captivated the Bay Area. Led by Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson, that team not only snapped a 13-year playoff drought but also proceeded to knock off No. 1 seeded Dallas in the first round of the playoffs.
So, naturally, Barnes was asked to compare the “We Believe” team to the current Warriors.
“It’s tough, man,” he said. “That was a junkyard-dog type team, really physical, scrappy team. We didn’t have the shooting this team has. It still feels awkward for me to say ‘we,’ as a part of this team because I really don’t feel like I’ve contributed yet.
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“I don’t know. That’s something people will always have to debate. It’s a tremendous experience to get to play for both.”
The Warriors turned to Barnes last week, within hours of Kevin Durant’s knee injury that is expected to sideline him until April. Barnes said he communicated with Durant last summer about the possibility of both of them coming to the Warriors. Durant did. Barnes landed with the Kings in his hometown of Sacramento.
After being released two weeks ago, Barnes had several options. He chose the Warriors and reunion that includes a chance to win a championship.
“It’s special for me to have a connection to this team,” he said. “That ‘We Believe’ team kind of started something. And, obviously, this team came and picked it up and took it to the ultimate level. For myself to have a chance to come back and compete with these guys and hopefully help them get another is a dream come true.”