Golden State Warriors: 7 Bold Predictions for 2013-2014
By Mike Dill
7. Harrison Barnes becomes the Warriors’ second option
May 14, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Harrison Barnes (40) drives to the basket as San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) and guard Danny Green (4) defend during the second half in game five of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at the AT
Anyone who watched this year’s playoffs saw how special of a player Barnes can be. Once David Lee went down with a torn hip flexor, the Warriors needed a player to step up and Barnes did just that.
During the regular season, Barnes was very passive. He chose to stand back and let Curry, Lee and Thompson handle most of the offensive load. However, when he was aggressive, fans saw what kind of player he can be.
Barnes has a decent three-point shot (36 percent), he can attack the rim and he has a decent post game for his age. As a rookie, it made sense for Barnes to defer to the other players on offense. As a second-year player, he should be itching to continue what he started in the playoffs.
The only thing holding him back from becoming the second option is Lee. Lee has an impressive offensive game and he can score with either hand – it could be hard for Barnes to jump ahead of him. The smart thing for Lee to do would be to give Barnes the green light.
An injured Lee saw how valuable and dominant Barnes was in the playoffs. The NBA has been moving toward smaller, more athletic players for a while now. Lee finally got a taste of the playoffs this season. If he wants to win a championship, he should know to let the Black Falcon soar.