Biggest Questions Surrounding the Golden State Warriors in 2013-14
By John Kim
4. Will Harrison Barnes find his place in the rotation?
November 21, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors small forward Harrison Barnes (40) drives to the basket against Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) during the first quarter at ORACLE Arena. The Warriors defeated the Nets 102-93. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Golden State rookies had clearly defined roles last season. Festus Ezeli was expected to defend the paint during the absence of Andrew Bogut. Draymond Green was a versatile forward that provided energy and defense off the bench. Harrison Barnes started for the Warriors in 81 games and took a while to find a groove.
With the acquisition of Andre Iguodala, Barnes will likely be relegated to coming off the bench. Barnes averaged 9.2 points and 4.1 rebounds during the regular season but increased those averages to 16.1 points and 6.4 rebounds during the playoffs. Barnes’ NBA career consists of just a single season, but if history goes to show, he will need some time to get settled into his new role.