3 Reason why keeping Harrison Barnes was the right move for the Sacramento Kings
Barnes is an important piece for the Kings’ roster continuity
Last season, the Denver Nuggets proved that keeping a solid core together over the span of a few years can pay off in a major way. Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray and Mike Malone have been together since 2016. It is rare in the modern NBA that two young players and a young coach get a chance to morph into two superstars and a seasoned coach but the Nuggets stayed the course and won it all.
Similarly, the Sacramento Kings have made a conscious effort to keep their core group of players together and give them time to develop. Their Head Coach, Mike Brown, was able to walk away with Coach of The Year honors in his very first year on the job. He has a voice that the guys in the locker room take seriously and the organization has decided that he will remain at the helm for years to come. While coaching stability is important, giving players time to grow individually and gel together ultimately leads to the highest levels of success.
Barnes is a High-IQ basketball player who has accepted his role on the team. He understands that he will not have plays drawn up for him on offense, but he shows up ready to contribute on a nightly basis. The primary offensive options will continue to Fox and Sabonis next season. As Murray and Davion Mitchell continue to develop, their opportunities will increase as well. However, Barnes will remain an important part of the equation in the team’s formula for success.
Next season, anything less than 50 regular season wins and a top-four seed in the Western Conference will be a disappointment in Sacramento. The team has come a long way from missing the playoffs for 16 consecutive seasons. Their overall chemistry and roster continuity has a lot to do with that.