Harrison Barnes is on the move as a headliner in a major NBA three-way trade
Well, Harrison Ingram won't be the only Harrison (or better yet, former UNC basketball standout) on the San Antonio Spurs roster this upcoming season.
As first reported by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, former Tar Heel Harrison Barnes has been traded to the San Antonio Spurs as part of a three-way blockbuster deal. The move was made to help the Chicago Bulls facilitate a sign-and-trade to send DeMar Derozan to the Sacramento Kings.
Below are the full details of the trade:
Heading into his 13th NBA season, the Spurs (as long as he isn't moved before the start of the upcoming season) will be the fourth team that Barnes suits up for. He's played in 911 career games in the NBA, as he's spent each of the past six seasons with the Kings franchise.
In that time, Barnes became a valuable leader for the franchise, as his leadership on and off the court helped guide the team's young core toward being legitimate contenders in the Western Conference. Although his numbers took a bit of a dip this past season, there's plenty left in the tank for Harrison Barnes, as he has the potential to make a major impact in San Antonio.
The Spurs, as we know, are rebuilding, as the organization hopes to build a true contender around Victor Wembanyama. With a young core intact, Barnes can be a very valuable leader for this group, as he, and fellow veteran Chris Paul, can help provide quality minutes on the court while adding some guidance and wisdom for the team's future stars.
As much as he was valued in Sacramento, teams are always looking to improve their rosters. The opportunity to bring in a top talent such as Derozan was too much for the Kings to pass up, as Barnes' contract helped facilitate the move in order to meet salary cap guidelines.
Now, Barnes will get a fresh start in San Antonio, as the goal will be to help the Spurs get back to the franchise's previous winning ways.