Harrison Barnes: Teams That Are Perfect Fit for North Carolina Star's Game

Harrison Barnes needs the perfect team to be successful in the NBA.

The young small forward's talents are obvious. He's most intriguing because he has prototypical NBA size for the position (6'8", 215 pounds), but his large frame doesn't take away from his athleticism or quickness.

On the offensive end, Barnes is a stud. His jump-shot is as pure as it gets, and even though he only shot 36 percent from long range during his sophomore season, he has the footwork and mechanics that suggest he will only get better with more repetitions at the next level. 

Not only is he pure off the catch-and-shoot, Barnes is money off one dribble, off the fadeaway and from other tough situations. 

His unique blend of size, athleticism and pure scoring ability makes him a lock for the top 10, if not the top five. 

However, Barnes has his drawbacks, too. His ball-handling is less than ideal, and because of that he struggles going north and south and can't always create his own shot.

Just look at how much Barnes struggled without Kendall Marshall, a pure point guard who could set up anyone he wanted with a decent look, in the 2012 NCAA Tournament.

Barnes' potential is through the roof, but he needs help. Let's take a look at the three teams that would help him succeed the quickest.

Note: I'm only taking into account the bottom 10 teams because they are the only ones with a realistic shot at Barnes.

Detroit Pistons

Brandon Knight isn't the best passing point guard out there, but he's young and he took some nice steps forward at the end of 2011-12. 

He's a talented player, and the attention he draws would help free up Harrison Barnes.

What's more, the Pistons have a up-and-coming dominant big man in Greg Monroe. As he continues to improve his game, he'll draw double-teams and open up looks for the young small forward.

A young trio of Brandon Knight, Harrison Barnes and Greg Monroe makes the Pistons scary for the future if they add the right role players. 

Toronto Raptors

With the exception of Steve Nash, Jose Calderon is the best pure passer in the lottery. In 2012, he averaged 8.8 assists to go along with a ridiculous assist-to-turnover ratio of 4.50.

Calderon is as close to Kendall Marshall as anyone not named Kendall Marshall will get, and I'm sure Barnes would like the idea of continuing to play with a similar style point guard. 

Being next to DeMar DeRozan and Andrea Bargnani, two players who demand a lot of shots, won't be the best thing for Barnes, but he'll still see a lot of open looks with Toronto. 

Washington Wizards

John Wall doesn't scream "true point guard," but people fail to realize he managed to average 8.0 assists per game in 2012 without a whole lot of talent around him. 

Insert a shooter like Barnes, who would immediately become the second or third option on the team (depending on your opinion of Jordan Crawford), and Wall takes a big step forward.

Oh, and Barnes himself would benefit from playing next to Wall, who loves to get out in transition, thus taking pressure off the former Tar Heel. 

The Wizards don't present immediate success like the Timberwolves and Raptors likely will, but the style of play and ability to get plenty of minutes would help Barnes immensely. 

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