It was one of the hot issues of the summer of Kings but, on the eve of the opening of the free agency, Harrison Barnes has returned for three years, and 54 million dollars, with the Californian franchise.
Exactly what he imagined and, three months later, the strong winger of Sacramento still appreciates having been preserved by its leaders.
“ I’m touched and honored, because there hasn’t been a lot of stability here », he notes, for The Athletic. “ To be able to build, to see a complete process happening in one place and to say that I was part of a successful rebuild, it’s great. I was part of a rebuilding process in Dallas, but I wasn’t able to complete it, so to be able to do it here is something special. Hoping it goes much further than that… »
A more experienced and hungry group
Mentioned in several transfer rumors for many months (for OG Anunoby or Kyle Kuzma…), Harrison Barnes has nevertheless managed to stay in this environment where he feels desired and valued at his true value.
Considered “irreplaceable” by his coach, Mike Brown, the 31-year-old is now looking forward to the new season, as the Kings training camp opened this week.
“ Last year at training camp we were just trying to create good habits. Now our whole group has gained together the experience of feeling [en playoffs]the importance of execution, details, that kind of thing… “, he says. “ It’s a different starting point for our group this year. Last year we had confidence, but it was just based on our own beliefs, we had nothing to show it. This year we felt like we still had a lot left in the tank. Congratulations to the Warriors, [Stephen Curry]has [Kevon] Looney… But what could have been? That stuck with us all offseason. »
No regrets about the series against the Warriors
Concerning this painful series against Golden State, lost in Game 7 at home, Harrison Barnes expresses no regrets regarding his two misses in Game 4, which could have given his team a 3-1 lead…
“ You have to move forward and, on the contrary, if you don’t take those shots, if you start to think too much and doubt, that’s where the problem lies “, he concedes.
At the dawn of his twelfth season in the league, and his sixth year in Sacramento, the “quiet force” Harrison Barnes has already identified the aspects on which the Kings will have to focus to do better than in 2022 /23. In the regular season, where they will now be expected, and especially in the playoffs, where they will hope to advance at least one round…
“ Taking care of the ball, the execution, the rhythm of our actions, these are the most important things », replies the man who averages 15.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists since his arrival in California in February 2019.
| Harrison Barnes | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2012-13 | GOS | 81 | 25 | 43.9 | 35.9 | 75.8 | 0.7 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 9.2 |
| 2013-14 | GOS | 78 | 28 | 39.9 | 34.7 | 71.8 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 4.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 9.5 |
| 2014-15 | GOS | 82 | 28 | 48.2 | 40.5 | 72.0 | 1.4 | 4.1 | 5.5 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 10.1 |
| 2015-16 | GOS | 66 | 31 | 46.6 | 38.3 | 76.1 | 1.2 | 3.8 | 4.9 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 11.7 |
| 2016-17 | DAL | 79 | 36 | 46.8 | 35.1 | 86.1 | 1.2 | 3.8 | 5.0 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 19.2 |
| 2017-18 | DAL | 77 | 34 | 44.5 | 35.7 | 82.7 | 1.0 | 5.1 | 6.1 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 18.9 |
| 2018-19 * | All Teams | 77 | 33 | 42.0 | 39.5 | 82.4 | 0.7 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 16.4 |
| 2018-19 * | DAL | 49 | 32 | 40.4 | 38.9 | 83.3 | 0.7 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 17.7 |
| 2018-19 * | BAG | 28 | 34 | 45.5 | 40.8 | 80.0 | 0.8 | 4.8 | 5.5 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 14.3 |
| 2019-20 | BAG | 72 | 35 | 46.0 | 38.1 | 80.1 | 1.1 | 3.9 | 4.9 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 14.5 |
| 2020-21 | BAG | 58 | 36 | 49.7 | 39.1 | 83.0 | 1.1 | 5.5 | 6.6 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 16.1 |
| 2021-22 | BAG | 77 | 34 | 46.9 | 39.4 | 82.6 | 1.1 | 4.6 | 5.6 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 16.4 |
| 2022-23 | BAG | 82 | 33 | 47.3 | 37.4 | 84.7 | 1.1 | 3.4 | 4.5 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 15.0 |
| Total | 829 | 32 | 45.5 | 37.8 | 81.1 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 5.1 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 14.2 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
