Harrison Barnes: Analyzing Worst NBA Fits for North Carolina Superstar
Harrison Barnes isn't without his faults, but he appears poised to be a top selection in the 2012 NBA Draft and bring his offensive skills to a new team.
Far short of the perfect offensive prospect, Barnes does need to land in the right situation if he's to make the most of his talents.
Ideally, he goes to a team with a need for a small forward, with a point guard who can help Barnes create the shots he can't earn for himself.
These, though, are the worst fits for the former North Carolina Tar Heel.
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings have a gaping hole in their lineup at small forward, which may lead one to believe that Harrison Barnes would be a good fit for the organization. Sadly, it's not that simple.
Sacramento's management needs to win now because they don't seem to have the job security necessary to draft a project player at No. 5 and hope that he works out in the long run. They need an immediate impact and that makes it slightly less likely that Andre Drummond is the fifth player off the board in the 2012 NBA Draft.
However, if they draft Barnes, it won't work out so well.
Sacramento spent much of the season playing Tyreke Evans at small forward in a strange and undersized lineup. Even though the young guard is a natural point guard, he has the size to play either shooting guard or small forward. That said, his talents are by no means best suited for small forward.
Right now, the Kings simply have too many minutes that need to be allotted among the smaller players on the roster. With Evans, Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Thornton and Jimmer Fredette, lining up one of the guards as a 3 is almost necessary.
That situation just becomes even more of a logjam if Barnes is added to the mix
The North Carolina Tar Heel is a fantastic shooter and a player who will one day be capable of carrying the offensive load for an NBA squad, but his development will be hindered if thrust into a situation without enough shots to go around. I haven't even mentioned DeMarcus Cousins yet and we all know that he needs his touches.
Moreover, Barnes isn't adept at creating his own shot off the dribble quite yet, and the young point guard with a name similar to a certain Detroit Pistons legend isn't one of the league's best and most creative assist-generators at this stage in his career.
Thomas has only spent one season in the league, so we aren't too far removed from when NBADraft.net gave him just a seven out of 10 in the passing department.
Barnes needs to land on a team with a hole at small forward, but also on a squad that can and will let him shoot the ball, especially in off-ball situations. With the amount of basketball black holes on this roster, the latter won't be the case.
Charlotte Bobcats
While it may seem like a good thing if Michael Jordan lets his North Carolina ties shine through and takes a flier on Harrison Barnes with the second pick of the 2012 NBA draft, it won't work out well for Charlotte or either of the former Tar Heels.
Barnes has a ton of offensive talent, but he's not ready to carry an NBA offense during his rookie season. He proved that when Kendall Marshall went down with a wrist injury and he wasn't able to keep the UNC offense from stagnating during parts of March Madness.
The small forward has a silky-smooth jumper, but his lack of shot-creating abilities prohibit him from being a true go-to player during this early stage of his sure-to-be-lengthy NBA career.
Kemba Walker has high upside and may still develop into a quality point guard, but he's not exactly renowned for his ability to get teammates involved and in good situations. Kemba is a winner and a guy who can create offense by himself out of what seems like thin air, not a pure point guard who thinks pass first and shoot second.
If Barnes ends up going to the Bobcats, he'll get more money as a rookie and then less when he signs an extension or finds a new team in free agency.
Anywhere Below No. 7
Harrison Barnes has always been about his brand first and foremost, sometimes to a fault.
Going anywhere below No. 7, when the Golden State Warriors pick and might have an opportunity to put him in a perfect situation—unless the injury gods that hate the Dubs so much take over—would not exactly do wonders for that Black Falcon fan he's worked so hard to promote.
The further he slips, the more prestige he loses and the harder he has to work to restore his image.
Fortunately for Mr. Barnes, he isn't slipping past No. 7.
