Barnes cooperating with NYPD over choking allegation, lawyer says
Sacramento Kings forward Matt Barnes is cooperating with the New York Police Department regarding the alleged choking of a woman at a Manhattan nightclub early Monday, Barnes' attorney Alex Spiro said in a statement, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.
Barnes allegedly choked the woman and assaulted two other people who attempted to intervene, and security footage indicates the 36-year-old NBA veteran as the assailant, according to USA Today's A.J. Perez.
TMZ released a video Monday showing what appears to be Barnes and teammate DeMarcus Cousins discussing a confrontation on a darkened street.
A representative told TMZ that Barnes was defending himself from a group of people inside the bar.
Sacramento lost 106-98 to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night, with fans chanting "Derek Fisher" at Barnes, in reference to a beef between he and the former Knicks coach.
The Kings' flight was scheduled to depart New York at 1 p.m. ET Monday, according to The Sacramento Bee's Jason Jones. Their next game is Wednesday in Dallas against the Mavericks.