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At the beginning of last season, Austin Rivers signed a 3 year, $35 million guaranteed contract with the Clippers. Many around the league thought that this was a hefty contract for a slightly above-average combo guard, and attributed it to the work of Doc Rivers–his father, coach, and  president of basketball operations for the Clippers.

There have been no shortage of reports claiming Austin’s sense of entitlement and disinterest in fitting in with the team’s culture sparked resentment within the locker room. This feeling was only exacerbated by the team re-signing Rivers before better player Jamal Crawford.

With this tumultuous history in mind, it paints a clearer picture of what unraveled Monday Night in Los Angeles. After the Clippers 113-102 win over Houston, Rockets players James Harden, Chris Paul, Trevor Ariza, and Gerald Green stormed toward the Clippers locker room seeking to confront Austin Rivers, who didn’t even dress for the game due to injury.

Matt Barnes, retired Clippers small forward and former teammate to both Chris Paul and Austin Rivers, appeared on Mad Dog Sports Radio to give his perspective on the beef. His takeaway: Austin Rivers needs to check himself.

“Austin kinda rubs people the wrong way,” Barnes said. … “He talks a lot of trash and doesn’t really back it up. I think people are probably tired of that.”

Barnes says Rivers “carries himself like he’s a 10-time All Star and he’s not that and that kind of arrogance rubs you the wrong way.”

“And then if you’re talking trash on top of that there are some guys that’s not gonna have it and I know Trevor [Ariza’s] one of ‘em.”

Barnes also claimed that the refs egos are too big and that they need to “chill.” Now retired, they cannot fine him now.

[h/t Total Pro Sports]