Golden State Warriors: What Extension Should Harrison Barnes Get?

How Much Should Barnes Get?

So what kind of extension could Barnes expect? On another team, his earnings would obviously be much higher. Looking around the league provides a glimpse of the kind of contracts similar players earned this summer. For example, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist recently earned a four-year, $52 million extension that feels like something of a steal and could set the bar for Barnes’ expectations.

Barnes is not an elite wing defender like MKG, nor is he as impressive on the glass. But Barnes also brings two-way value as a guy who can actually spread the floor with a perimeter shot on a three-point shooting team. Something in the $56-60 million range over four years is not out of the question here, especially since that extension wouldn’t kick in until 2016-17.

It won’t come cheap. Per Basketball Insiders, the Dubs are already on the books for a guaranteed $74.8 million in 2016-17, without including Barnes’ extension/$5.2 million qualifying offer; Ezeli’s extension/$3 million qualifying offer; Jason Thompson’s non-guaranteed $7 million; Shaun Livingston’s non-guaranteed $5.8 million; or Chris Babb and James Michael McAdoo, who will also be restricted free agents.

With the cap tentatively set around $90 million, our hypothetical four-year, $60 million extension for Barnes would eat up most of Golden State’s remaining cap space.

That seems like a huge amount of money to commit to a guy who is often overlooked on both ends of the floor, but I cannot stress Barnes’ two-way value to this team enough. Myers has repeatedly said he’ll deal with the luxury tax to keep a title contender intact; re-signing Barnes to an extension now — rather than REALLY paying up for him next summer — is the best way to do that.

Next: NBA: Complete Offseason Grades For All 30 Teams

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