Harrison Barnes hopes his future is with the Golden State Warriors.
To make that happen, the Warriors might need to sacrifice elsewhere. Barnes turned down a four-year, $64 million offer from the Warriors and begins the 2015-16 season in a contract year. Minus a new deal, Barnes could be one of the biggest names on the free agent market July 2016.
“His versatility is what this league is all about,” coach Steve Kerr said at media day for the defending NBA champions on Monday.
There are looming decisions for the Warriors, none greater than Steph Curry’s new deal two years down the road. Barnes would like to be in the class of max contract players who bet on themselves by turning down $15 million -$17 million annually – Jimmy Butler of the Bulls and Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol – to get $23 million to $25 million per year.
It’s a lot to spend on a player who set career highs in scoring and rebounds last season with 10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds.
But Barnes, who made 40.5 percent from 3-point range in 2014-15, is versatile at 6-foot-8 with a middle-range game to be a No. 2 or No. 3 option on a team that doesn’t have Curry and Klay Thompson patrolling the perimeter. Barnes’ length allowed him to defend power forwards in the Western Conference and he’s always been considered a solid rebounder.
Barnes said he will be ‘optimistic’ about a deal getting done sooner rather than later unless he learns there is reason not to be.
“That’s the goal. Negotiations are ongoing,” Barnes said. “I’m optimistic that things are going to work out. You hope that happens. That’s a little bit out of my circle of competency.”