A Royal Pain
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Should the Sacramento Kings try to sign Harrison Barnes long-term?

By Jonathan Roberts

SACRAMENTO, CA - APRIL 7: Harrison Barnes #40 of the Sacramento Kings attempts a free-throw shot against the New Orleans Pelicans on April 7, 2019 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA - APRIL 7: Harrison Barnes #40 of the Sacramento Kings attempts a free-throw shot against the New Orleans Pelicans on April 7, 2019 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Harrison Barnes has a player option for the 2019-20 season, but is he the long-term solution for the Sacramento Kings at small forward?

Harrison Barnes filled an enormous hole for the Sacramento Kings over the season’s final months, but after going just 9-16 and missing out on the playoffs after a promising start, are we sure Barnes is the team’s long-term solution at small forward?

Harrison Barnes was a huge get for Sacramento Kings GM Vlade Divac before the trade deadline, even more so because of how little the cost was — the trade cost that is. In terms of financial cost, Barnes holds a $25.1 million player option for next season, though it’s possible he opts out and sacrifices money for long-term security. A four-year, $80 million contract has been thrown out there as a potential starting point for a Barnes extension, but is he worth that kind of investment?

Short answer: yes. Why? A lot of reasons. The important question here isn’t why he’s worth that kind of money, I mean, yes, it’s important, but whether you think Barnes is worth the investment depends on your faith in the Kings. Do you realistically think the Kings will be able to sign somebody better than Barnes in free agency? Not just this season, but the next as well.

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Should Barnes opt-out of his deal, it’d almost assuredly be to help the Kings create more cap space with the promise of a longer, more lucrative deal as a result. If he opts-in, then the Kings don’t have (as) much cap space. Pipe-dreams aside, the Sacramento Kings aren’t signing Kevin Durant or Kawhi Leonard this off-season (or any off-season). The following year? The best free agent small forward is Danilo Gallinari. No slight to Gallinari, but is he, at 32-years-old, a better fit for this team than a 28-year-old Harrison Barnes who, by that time, would’ve been with the Kings for 1.5 seasons? Absolutely not.

Those reasons aside, it’s easy to forget that Barnes is actually a good player and is a perfect fit on this Sacramento Kings team. In 28 games with the Kings, Barnes’ plus-minus improved by 2.5 from his time with the Mavericks, despite him taking a lesser role on offense.

Speaking of a lesser role, Barnes was actually more efficient on offense with the Kings, improving his field goal and three-point percentages by 5.1 and 1.9, respectively. More importantly, however, was Barnes’ impact on the Kings’ defense. After the Sacramento Kings traded for Barnes, their defensive rating improved by 1.1 points, even pushing the Kings to 4th best defense in the NBA in the weeks after the deadline.

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The Kings still fell short in their quest for the playoffs, but that wasn’t on Barnes (that one game against the Clippers was on him though). With little reason to chase a marquee small forward on the free agent market this offseason or next, the Kings should do what they can to lock up Barnes long-term. Of course, if Kevin Durant or Kawhi Leonard wants then you sign them and figure out the rotation and lineup afterwards. With that not being even remotely likely, however, Barnes should be locked up for the foreseeable future.

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