Harrison

Barnes

Barnes stepped up in the absence of Victor Wembanyama. He had 20 points on 12 shots and knocked down three 3-pointers. Barnes was +17 in 32 minutes, which led the team. He’s a deep league option only, but can still step up with a big game occasionally. Wembanyama will likely be back on Thursday against the Jazz, which will cut into Barnes’ opportunities significantly.

Barnes shot the ball well in his official Spurs debut, knocking down two of his five attempts from beyond the arc. However, this doesn’t change much for him regarding fantasy value. Due to the limited rebounding and defensive numbers, Barnes is a deep-league option at best. As of Thursday night, he was rostered in 14% of Yahoo leagues.

As soon as Sacramento’s season ended, it was clear that the team would look to improve its wing scoring, with either Barnes or Kevin Huerter expected to be moved. The latter is headed to San Antonio, with Chris Duarte, two second-round picks, and cash headed to Chicago. While Barnes was a fixture in the Kings’ starting lineup, not missing a game in either of the last two seasons, the fantasy value was limited. While the Spurs are rebuilding, they did sign Chris Paul to get more experience around Victor Wembanyama. Barnes could potentially provide late-round fantasy value in San Antonio, but he offers a limited ceiling.

Barnes was solid in his final game of the season, duplicating his point total from Tuesday’s win over the Kings. Something evident in the Kings’ six games against the Pelicans (all losses) was a need to get more athletic on the wings. Sacramento should emphasize improving that area of the roster during the offseason, especially in free agency. Barnes has two seasons remaining on his contract, but the positions held by him and Kevin Huerter (when healthy) for most of the 2023-24 campaign are worth keeping an eye on. Entering the season with a Yahoo ADP of 143.4, Barnes finished ranked outside the top 150 in 8- and 9-cat formats. He should be a late-round pick, at best, next season if his role does not change.

Barnes played 32 minutes and was one of four Kings starters to finish Thursday’s defeat in double figures. And this was a performance he desperately needed. In the Kings’ prior five games, Barnes scored 28 points on 7-of-30 shooting from the field. He was significantly better on Thursday, with the 22 points being the most the veteran forward’s scored since March 31 (24 vs. Utah). Keegan Murray also had a solid night on offense, finishing with 19 points, five rebounds, one assist, two steals, and five 3-pointers in 36 minutes.

The task of defending LeBron James for most of Wednesday’s game did not appear to take away Barnes’ legs, as he made seven of his 11 attempts from beyond the arc. Now 11-of-18 from three in his last two outings, Barnes last made seven or more in a game on January 25 (7-of-12 vs. GSW). A double-digit scorer in five of his previous seven games, Barnes has been ranked outside the top 150 in 9-cat formats over the past two weeks. While his status as a starter makes him worthy of being rostered in deep leagues, the veteran wing isn’t a must-have player in standard formats.

Murray sat out Tuesday after sustaining the ankle injury Sunday, but he’s got a chance to take the court after just one game on the sidelines. Huerter is a late addition to the injury report, but both players’ statuses are up in the air. Malik Monk, Chris Duarte and Harrison Barnes could all be in line for expanded minutes, especially with Trey Lyles (knee) already ruled out.

Big Harry B led his team in scoring and three-pointers, outpacing De’Aaron Fix (19 points, three triples) and Malik Monk (18 points, two triples), though this was a night to forget for the Kings, as the team took a 26-point drubbing on the road. Barnes has been red-hot as a scorer and three-point shooter over the last three weeks, averaging 17.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 3.0 triples across 33.9 minutes. In that span, he’s shooting 48.1% from the field and 82.6% from the charity stripe. He’s been a bit of a one-note guy over that productive stretch, but the points and threes have been so elite that he’s provided top-100 value. He’s still available in 57% of Yahoo leagues and worth a look for managers who need help in either category.

Harrison Barnes turned heads with his performance on Friday, delivering a much-needed boost for his team and fantasy managers alike. Scoring 22 points and sinking four triples in a victorious effort against the Pacers, Barnes showed flashes of high-level play. This performance could mark a turning point for Barnes, who has struggled to find consistent form throughout the season.

After dropping 32 points with four 3-pointers against Atlanta on Monday, Barnes was even better in his encore. He set a new season-high for triples and set a career-high for points. He has only scored more than 20 points in two other games this year and has been largely disappointing in fantasy hoops this season, even by his standards. The back-to-back performances that he has had are impressive, but they aren’t enough to alter how he should be viewed in fantasy basketball. He doesn’t produce value in enough categories to justify a roster spot in standard leagues.