Eastern Conference team interested in Sacramento Kings’ Harrison Barnes
By Logan Struck
The Sacramento Kings have a handful of pending free agents, headlined by starting forward Harrison Barnes. The 31-year-old forward enters free agency after spending four and a half seasons in Sacramento. While in Sacramento, Barnes averaged 15.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game with 47/38/82 shooting splits.
Harrison Barnes has only seen one playoff appearance since he left Golden State in 2016, which was last season with the Kings. While Barnes’ career outside of the Warriors does not show much winning, he is a winning player. He is a valuable 3-and-D forward who was a big contribution to the Kings on their way to their best season of the last 17 years.
While Barnes might have played his last game in a Kings jersey, all Sacramento fans wish him the best of luck wherever he ends up. We expect many teams to show interest in Barnes this free agency but reports from Marc Stein (via HoopsHype) suggest this Eastern Conference team is expected to pursue him.
The Indiana Pacers have shown interest in Kings’ forward Harrison Barnes.
The Indiana Pacers are coming off a disappointing season with a 35-47 record and finishing as the 11th seed in the Eastern Conference. But there is a silver lining for Indiana. The Pacers landed the 7th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, along with two late first-round selections via the Cavaliers and Celtics.
The Pacers already have a bright future, highlighted by All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton. In our recent mock draft, the Pacers select Jarace Walker, Colby Jones, and Sidy Cissoko, three talented prospects. Indiana might be returning to the playoffs sooner than people think.
By signing Harrison Barnes this offseason, the Pacers show they are ready to return to the playoffs next season. The 3-and-D wing would start for them and allow their incoming rookies to not have so much burden on them immediately. Barnes would be a fantastic fit in their lineup, playing alongside Myles Turner and former Sacramento teammates Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield.
While Harrison Barnes is likely not a long-term option for the Pacers, he would expedite their journey back to the playoffs and help out the young talent in Indiana. A potential closing lineup of Haliburton, Hield, Mathurin, Barnes, and Turner would be exciting, not even counting who they draft with the 7th overall pick.
