The Sacramento Kings were on the cusp of the playoffs when they traded for Harrison Barnes last season, only to see that postseason dream fall short. Barnes reportedly declined his option with the Kings for next season, but that doesn’t mean their time is necessarily over.
Per multiple reports, the Kings seem to be planning on offering Barnes a four-year deal worth nearly $90 million once free agency opens on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET. Here’s more from Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee:
Harrison Barnes and the Kings are reportedly working toward an agreement that could keep the free agent small forward in Sacramento for years to come.
Reports surfaced Friday that the Kings were working on an extension that would pay Barnes $88 million to $90 million over four years. KHTK radio host Carmichael Dave Weiglein was the first to report those figures.
The Kings acquired Barnes in February in a deal that sent Justin Jackson and Zach Randolph to the Dallas Mavericks on the eve of the trade deadline. Barnes recently chose to decline a $25.1 million player option for next season, but Kings general manager Vlade Divac made it clear he would try to sign Barnes to a long-term extension.
“Harrison Barnes is a player who can score, who plays a position of need, somebody we’re looking to have a long future (with),” Divac said in February. “… I see him as a player who is going to help us go to the next level.”
The New York Times‘ Mark Stein also reports via Twitter that a similar pact may be in the works between the sides. Teams and players can set up meetings with each other starting June 29 at 6 p.m. ET.
Although Sacramento was 28-26 at the time it traded for Barnes, it sputtered down the stretch of the season and finished 39-43, nine games behind the No. 8-seeded LA Clippers. After averaging 17.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game with the Mavs (in 49 games), Barnes wasn’t quite as productive with the Kings, averaging 14.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg and 1.9 apg (in 28 games).
Barnes was a restricted free agent in 2016 and signed an offer sheet with the Mavs, which the incumbent Golden State Warriors could not match on the restricted free agent after they signed Kevin Durant.
— 2:18 p.m.
