Harrison Barnes was prepared for his exit from Golden State

Most Golden State Warriors fans will not shy away from saying goodbye to Harrison Barnes, as his departure opened up the door for Kevin Durant. But, his contributions to both the Warriors NBA championship in 2015 and their 73-win season this past season should not be forgotten.

This summer, Barnes was a restricted free agent and signed an offer sheet with the Dallas Mavericks. It is likely that the Warriors would have matched that offer had they not landed the big fish in Durant. But, according to an article from Marcus Thompson II of Mercury News, Barnes was prepared for his departure from the Bay Area.

When describing how he was prepared to leave the Warriors, Barnes said, “Dwight trade rumors. Kevin Love trade rumors. Kevin Durant … oh, that one happened. There's been a few instances where you consider what might happen. I was just more so glad to be there as long as I was.”

Although Barnes' contribution to the Warriors and their small ball lineup was vital throughout his tenure with the team, it is fair to note that he played a major role in the Warriors' choke-job in this year's Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Missing open shot after open shot, Barnes shot 15.6% from the field, 20% from 3-point range, and averaged only five points in the last three games of the NBA Finals. Had Barnes made even half of his wide open looks, the outcome of that series may have been very different.

Dallas fans probably are not ecstatic to see a Western Conference foe gain such a talented player in Durant, but they probably don't mind picking up their leftovers by signing Barnes and trading for center Andrew Bogut. Barnes may not have wanted to leave the Warriors and move on, but he was certainly prepared for the move.

And let's not feel to bad for the guy; he did just sign a four-year max contract.

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