NBA Rumors: Los Angeles Lakers Looking To Sign Harrison Barnes


The Los Angeles Lakers are looking to jumpstart their rebuilding project. It is reported that the Lakers front office have identified at least one player to help them get back to the NBA Playoffs. According to the Sporting News, Harrison Barnes is on the Lakers’ radar.

The Golden State Warriors’ small forward is a restricted free agent this offseason. As soon as the moratorium begins for teams to reach out players, the Los Angeles Lakers are expected to speak to Harrison Barnes. He is among several players whom the Lakers have some interest in, or are linked to in some capacity.

Most NBA observers see the Lakers going after forward Kevin Durant first, in an effort to pry him away from the Oklahoma City Thunder. But, it would not be surprising if the Lakers opt to go with a more realistic option instead. That is one of the reasons why Harrison Barnes makes sense for the Los Angeles Lakers. It is surprising that he will even be available on the free-agency market.

Harrison Barnes
Harrison Barnes is hoping to become a two-time NBA champion. That will garner the interest of the Los Angeles Lakers. [Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images]
Just before the 2015-16 season began, Barnes said “no” to a multi-year deal worth $68 million. He is hoping to do what Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler did a year prior, that is to cash in on a huge contract. Not to say that $68 million is small change. On the contrary, that is a reasonable contract offer for a player who is maybe the fourth offensive option on the Warriors. Having the desire to be higher on the pecking order would be the reason why Barnes would leave a potential two-time NBA champion.

“This could be my last time getting here. Regardless if I stayed or left, so I just want to really enjoy this moment and give it all I have. You don’t know. You look at the Spurs, they have guys who could have left multiple times, guys who could have commanded a lot more money, and almost 20 years later, five championships later, here are those guys still there.”

Barnes can play the waiting game as teams pony up offers, find the one he prefers and agree to a deal. Afterwards, the Golden State Warriors have the right to match any agreement he makes. It is on the Los Angeles Lakers to draw up something that will force the Warriors to let Barnes walk away.

In that same Sporting News report, it was noted that the Warriors will match any offer Harrison Barnes gets. That should not deter the Lakers from going after him.

Harrison Barnes is a perfect fit for the Los Angeles Lakers.

According to the Orange County Register, Lakers’ head coach Luke Walton will take over the job right after the NBA Finals have commenced. The thin line between coaching in the NBA Playoffs and preparing for the Lakers is a delicate balancing act for Walton. It will help him with a scouting report on the available free agents, not only from his opposition, but the Golden State Warriors.

Walton knows what he would have in Harrison Barnes. He, along with Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr knows the forward’s full potential.

The Lakers believe that Harrison Barnes would provide a leadership role. Despite only being 24 years-old, Barnes is a strong contributor on a champion. His playoff experience is invaluable to a roster full of players of a similar age. Players such as D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, and whomever winds up being their No. 2 pick, will all need someone with a pedigree to help teach them how to be pros.

In the eyes of the Los Angeles Lakers and the other teams who are interested in signing Barnes, they see a player of the cusp of doing some great things. They see a potential star who is buried on the Warriors’ roster. This may also be thoughts that Harrison Barnes has himself. And he will want to grow.

Barnes’ averages of 11.7 points and 4.9 rebounds a game in the regular season do not stack up to the top available free agents very well. What cannot be overlooked is that he has never been the focal point of the Warriors’ offense. The Lakers want to make Barnes the next $20 million player, which automatically makes him the go-to star if a deal were to get completed.

Looking at the potential roster, including the draft pick, the Lakers will have a need for a small forward who can score and defend. If Ben Simmons falls to the Lakers at No. 2, he is more of a power forward in the LeBron James mold. Duke’s Brandon Ingram is a small forward in the mold of Kevin Durant.

Harrison Barnes is a different player. He plays with an edge to him, which will entice the Lakers to sign him to a tender offer.

It is possible that the Lakers see Harrison Barnes as a player who can help get the team to at least an eighth seed in the playoffs. After being cellar dwellers for the last two seasons, the Los Angeles Lakers need to turn things around.

[Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images]

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