Harrison Barnes and the Sacramento Kings have ignited their discussions of hammering an extended partnership.
According to James Ham of ESPN 1320 Sacramento, both Barnes and the Kings “are back at the table” as they restarted their contract extension negotiations.
Ham recently noted that both camps have initially engaged in the last few weeks about a new deal, but those conversations turned “quiet.”
Barnes will become an unrestricted free agent this summer as his four-year, $85 million deal he inked last 2019 with the Kings is about to expire.
He was a crucial piece to the franchise’s renaissance year last 2022-23 as his versatility, shooting, and veteran presence aided Sacramento to erase its 16-year postseason drought and eventually establish an impressive top-three regular season finish in the Western Conference.
The veteran appeared in all of the Kings’ 82 regular season matches and averaged 15 points, 4.5 boards, 1.6 assists, and 37.4 three-point shooting per 32.5 minutes.
The Indiana Pacers were recently tagged as a “strong contender” to land Barnes, via Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports. The wingman shares a strong bond with All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton and has that fond familiarity with Rick Carlisle dating back from their tenure in the Dallas Mavericks.
