The Boston Celtics might have interest in forward Harrison Barnes, but the Sacramento Kings do not seem inclined to move him ahead of the deadline.
Sam Amick of The Athletic wrote there appears to be a misconception when it comes to Sacramento's stance on Barnes. The former North Carolina star is playing well, and his salary begins to decline over the next couple seasons. Plus, the Kings are still hoping to win in the coming years:
While this is most assuredly a “gap year,” as myself and Jason Jones wrote recently, the combination of Barnes’ play, his professionalism and his declining pay ($20.2 million next season; $18.3 million in 2022-23) is such that it will take a significant offer to pry him away. And the Kings’ ability to remain competitive, it seems, will be a factor in the decision.
Translation: A combination of late first-round draft picks and young players like the ones wearing green in Boston, it appears, likely wouldn’t be enough to get it done. The Kings are clearly still pondering the possibility of adding the kind of impact piece that they believe would put them in the playoff mix.
Barnes is having one of the better seasons of his career.
The 28-year-old is averaging 16.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest. He is shooting a career-high 49.2 percent from the field, as well as 37.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Barnes is still usually a defensive negative. But he would make sense for the Celtics as a guy who could play both forward spots and create his own shot. Plus, he could benefit from Boston's total team effort defensively.
However, the Kings might set the bar high in terms of asking price. Such a price could preclude a potential suitor from ponying up for Barnes.
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