Harrison Barnes will likely be back with Golden State next season, considering that the Warriors are reportedly willing to match any offer for the small forward. That said, many teams will at least make an offer for Barnes, and if he decides that he really wants out of Golden State for some reason, the Warriors would probably let him walk. Sean Deveney of SportingNews reported four teams that will pursue Barnes:
Several teams with significant cap space this summer — the Celtics, Lakers, Suns, Mavericks among them — have the intention of pursuing Barnes, especially as a fallback option for Durant. Barnes is expected to receive and offer of at least $20 million per year or perhaps as much as a max offer starting at about $23 million.
Of course, as Barnes is a restricted free agent, the Warriors have the right to match any offer sheet. But again, if Barnes wants out, there’s no point in forcing him to stay. Why he would want out of this phenomenal team, though, is beyond me. Therefore, the most likely scenario is that Barnes stays a Warrior past this season. However, teams that want to acquire him –like the four listed– should, and will do their due diligence, and court the 24-year-old.
