Harrison Barnes wants to continue playing for the Golden State Warriors.
This seems like a no-brainer in many ways. Yes, the Warriors just imploded against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. But they still won 73 games and are perfectly positioned for a redemption march in 2016-17. Why would Barnes, a restricted free agent, ever want to leave that situation?
For starters, he’s only 24. And he’s currently the fourth- or fifth-best player on his own team. He could want the opportunity to shine elsewhere, as a featured offensive weapon rather than an ancillary device.
Or maybe not.
As he told SiriusXM NBA Radio:
"The first thing is I want to come back." – @hbarnes on what he'd be looking for as a free agency. #Warriors
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) June 27, 2016
Unfortunately for Barnes, that decision isn’t really up to him. The Warriors are fixtures in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, and Barnes will be part of any collateral damage package they must stomach to create the cap space necessary to sign him.
Of course, Durant is no lock to bolt Oklahoma City. And originally, it went, if the Warriors couldn’t land the 2013-14 MVP, they would most certainly match any contract Barnes received. But not even that’s a sure thing anymore. Not from the outside anyway.
Barnes disappeared for most of the NBA Finals. While he is an integral part of Golden State’s “Death Squad,” there is only so much the Warriors can do if he’s not making shots. And, frankly, he wasn’t great for much of the regular season, either.
Knowing this, do the Warriors foot the bill for what should be a max contract, or should they look for alternatives elsewhere, even if they don’t poach Durant?
It’s a question without an answer, and one that could end up defining the entire offseason.
