Agent: Kings’ Barnes to become unrestricted FA

11:03 am | June 18, 2019 | Go to Source | Author:

2:33 PM ET

Adrian WojnarowskiESPN

Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes is declining his $25.1 million player option and becoming an unrestricted free agent, his agent, Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports, tells ESPN.

Barnes, 27, one of the top small forwards in the marketplace, will pursue a long-term deal.

Barnes and the Kings remain open to exploring a long-term deal after a successful partnership in the final few months of the 2018-19 season, league sources said.

Barnes could join what promises to be a free agent landscape that includes 10 teams with over $20 million in salary cap space.

Sacramento traded with Dallas for Barnes last season with the hopes of making him a long-term focus of a franchise core that includes guards De’aron Fox and Buddy Hield, and forwards Bogdan Bogdanovic and Marvin Bagley III.

Barnes averaged 16.4 points with the Dallas Mavericks and Kings in 2018-19, splitting the season between the two teams after a February trade.

Barnes played three-plus years with the Mavericks after signing the $94 million free agent deal there. Barnes left the Golden State Warriors upon Kevin Durant’s arrival in free agency in 2016. Barnes was part of a 2015 NBA championship with the Warriors, and won a gold medal as part of Team USA in the 2016 Rio Olympics.