Harrison Barnes may very well win a second consecutive championship with the Golden State Warriors this season. The versatile forward’s future beyond 2015-16, though, will remain somewhat uncertain until next summer at the earliest.
According to Sam Amick of USA Today, Barnes has decided against continuing discussions on a contract extension with the Warriors.
Warriors GM Bob Myers says talks w/Harrison Barnes are broken off until July, per Barnes' preference. Extension deadline was Nov. 2.
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) October 27, 2015
The 22-year-old will be a restricted free agent in July, meaning the Warriors will have the option to match any offer sheet he signs with a competing team. Barring an unforeseen development, that indeed seems the most likely course of action for both player and team.
Barnes turned down a four-year, $64 million extension from Golden State in September, one that would have made him just slightly underpaid compared to contemporary teammates Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Though that’s more than a fair barometer for a player of his esteemed but certainly lesser caliber, Barnes has legitimate reason to believe he could command more in the summer of 2016.
Not only does he have immense value in the modern NBA as a wing who can capably slide to nominal power forward and defend opposing big men, but teams will be flush with cap space next summer as the salary cap rises to $90 million, too. And perhaps more importantly, capped-out Golden State – which could also be navigating Festus Ezeli’s restricted free agency – has no easy way to replace him, either. The only reason the Warriors could afford Barnes his deserved salary is because they possess his Bird Rights; general manager Bob Myers and company won’t hold the same luxury when it comes to players of a similar price tag in July.
Nevertheless, Barnes and Golden State maintain that these failed discussions never turned contentious. On the contrary, he says tabling talks for now is about a desire to focus on the goal at hand than any frustration gleaned from them.
Harrison Barnes said he just wants to focus on defending the title now… And generally seems very comfortable with waiting until July.
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) October 27, 2015
Barnes wants to play for the Warriors going forward, and the reigning champs have every incentive to retain him. That it won’t happen now doesn’t seem indicative of anything new developments suggesting either reality has changed.
