Harrison Barnes
Age: 24
Height: 6-foot-8
Career stats: 28.1 mpg; 10.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.5 apg, 0.7 spg, 0.2 bpg; 44.6/37.6/73.9 shooting splits
2015-16 stats: 66 games, 30.9 mpg; 11.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.8 apg, 0.6 spg, 0.2 bpg; 46.6/38.3/76.1 shooting splits
Strengths:
• Rebounds well for position and size
• Plays strong defense on forwards and guards
• Great athleticism
• Potential—if he can put it together
Weaknesses:
• Inconsistency on offense
• Not much visible/statistical improvement since rookie year
• Seems timid at times
• Playmaking ability
Why the Warriors make sense:
Harrison Barnes has been a Warrior for the entirety of his short career. This is the system he grew in and excelled in as a rookie in the playoffs. The potential for Barnes to realize and grow into his physical gifts and talents is still very much a possibility, as he is only 24 and still has years to develop. He understands Kerr’s system, he’s comfortable with his teammates, and most importantly, he’s part of a championship core that has made it to the NBA Finals for two consecutive years and posted a record-setting 73 wins in 2015-16. Barnes has undoubtedly been an important part of the Warriors’ offense and defense unto himself with his versatility and lineup flexibility. Returning to the Warriors means that the Death Lineup would still be viable and small ball would still be the team’s greatest weapon. On paper, the move makes sense.
Why the Warriors don’t make sense:
In reality, Barnes may have played himself off of the Warriors with his Final performance and his overall underwhelming year. His tendency to vanish when needed is infuriatingly frequent, as well as common slow starts from the field. He’s made little visible improvement since drafted and has failed to reach the peak potential shown in his rookie year playoff performance. Despite his role in the Warriors’ success over the past two years, Barnes sometimes seems like a square peg in a team full of round holes. His passing and playmaking abilities are average at best for the best passing team in the NBA. His scoring is maddeningly inconsistent, and Barnes has so often failed to show up when the Warriors have needed him most. He is timid and indecisive with the ball, limited in his shot creation and ball handling, and the Warriors’ Finals failure may have cost him his place on the team. The Warriors have the ability to replace or upgrade on what he has to offer.