Golden State Warriors: What Extension Should Harrison Barnes Get?
Barnes’ Value To The Warriors
Last season, Barnes played in and started in all 82 games for the Dubs. He posted career highs in scoring (10.1 PPG), rebounding (5.5 RPG), field goal percentage (48.2 percent) and three-point percentage (40.5 percent). His ability to spread the floor with a three-point shot both as a 3 and a small-ball 4 should not be overlooked, especially when you factor in his strong defensive play.
The versatility Barnes brings to the table was on full display throughout the postseason, but it stood out in that series against the Memphis Grizzlies in particular. With the Dubs trailing 2-1 in the series and their backs against the wall in a seemingly do-or-die Game 4 on the road, head coach Steve Kerr made the executive decision to ignore Tony Allen on the perimeter by “putting” Andrew Bogut on him.
That left Barnes to guard Zach Randolph, Draymond Green to defend Marc Gasol and Bogut to float around as a help defender on the interior. It wasn’t all on Barnes to defend the massive Z-Bo, but he was a huge reason the Dubs held him to 12 points and 11 boards with four turnovers as Golden State easily won the game.
Biggest and best two-way game of Harrison Barnes' career. No doubt in my mind.
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) May 12, 2015
Barnes, meanwhile, finished with 12 points and six boards on 6-of-14 shooting. If you had only looked at the box score, you would’ve dismissed it as a forgettable game.
But between his defensive effort and a number of tough midrange jumpers that kept the Warriors ahead every time Memphis tried to build momentum, Barnes had one of the most underrated games of his career.
On offense, Barnes may never be a high usage player behind Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. On defense, Barnes’ versatility may always be overshadowed by Defensive Player of the Year candidates like Draymond Green and Andrew Bogut.
In fact, that Game 4 against Memphis was perfectly indicative of the kind of player Barnes is: intrinsic to the team’s success on both ends of the floor, but generally overlooked in the grand scheme of things. That makes it a bit harder to determine his true value when it comes to a contract extension.
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