The Golden State Warriors and swingman Harrison Barnes have suspended contract extension talks in advance of the Nov. 2 deadline, general manager Bob Myers said Tuesday. Barnes will now become a restricted free agent and have the chance to take offer sheets from other teams next summer, although negotiations with the Warriors will commence in July.
Harrison Barnes, Warriors agree to halt contract extension talks until next summer
Barnes and the Warriors will pick up negotiations next summer after failing to agree on a new deal in advance of the Nov. 2 deadline.
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Barnes reportedly turned down a four-year, $64 million offer from the Warriors earlier this offseason before changing agents, but the two sides still couldn’t reach a deal. He’s banking on a bigger offer next summer when the cap jumps to around $90 million, and while Golden State would like him around for the long haul, the team clearly had some reservations about committing too much to him right now.
Barnes, the No. 7 overall pick in 2012, has experienced some ups and downs during the first three years of his pro career. A starter for all 81 games he played as a rookie, Barnes then went into a sophomore slump before rebounding with a solid third season for Golden State.
Time to Tip Off
The 22-year-old started all 82 regular-season games and all 21 postseason games for the Warriors as they won their first NBA title in decades. Barnes has never put up flashy numbers, but he’s a strong two-way forward who can play defense, finish at the rim and step out to hit three-pointers. Last season, he averaged 10.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. There’s a decent chance Barnes could do more than he’s been asked. On the other hand, he’s thrived in his role with Golden State.
That makes it understandable that the Warriors want Barnes back, even after signing fellow forward Draymond Green to a big extension this summer. Golden State's small-ball style has worked wonders with those two as key frontcourt players, and it's a formula the team is going to stick to after winning a championship. Barnes can play the 3 or step over to the 4 in small lineups, and that makes him quite valuable for what coach Steve Kerr tries to do.
In three seasons, Barnes has averaged 9.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. He’s been inconsistent as a shooter year-to-year, but peaked in 2014-15 by shooting 48 percent from the field and 41 percent from three.
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