DALLAS _ The Mavericks on Wednesday night traded forward Harrison Barnes to the Sacramento Kings for Zach Randolph and Justin Jackson, a move that will clear about $22 million in salary cap space for Dallas entering the start of free agency next summer.
Wednesday's trade, which occurred roughly 17 hours before Thursday's 2 p.m. NBA trade deadline, is Dallas' second major trade in six days.
Last Thursday, in a seven-player, two-draft-pick blockbuster, the Mavericks acquired Kristaps Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr., Trey Burke and Courtney Lee.
That deal added the considerable 2019-20 season salaries of Hardaway ($18.1 million) and Lee ($12.7 million), seemingly inhibiting Dallas from making a significant summer acquisition, but by trading Barnes and his $25.1 million 2019-20 salary, the Mavericks will be in the market for at least one significant offseason addition.
Potential targets include Orlando center Nikola Vucevic, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and Miami guard and Luka Doncic mentor Goran Dragic, who has a player option for next season at $19.2 million, but could decide not to opt in.
Doncic's agent, Bill Duffy, is the agent for both Vucevic and Dragic.
Barnes played in the first two-a-half quarters of the Mavericks' 99-93 victory over Charlotte on Wednesday night at American Airlines Center, but exited the game when the trade was consummated and spent the rest of the game watching from the bench.
"I got word during the game. That's why he didn't play down the stretch, obviously," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "I had a chance to speak to him in the locker room and thanked him for over two and a half great years of being a model pro and one of the most improved players in the game.
"I'm going to miss him an awful lot, we're going to miss him an awful lot. But I believe he's going to have a great situation where he's going."
Barnes, 26, was in his third Mavericks season and has been one of Dallas' top two scorers each year. The News on Tuesday asked him whether last week's New York trade affected Barnes' view of where the franchise is going and his place in its future.
"Nah," he said. "I have a pretty transparent relationship with the organization, with the front office. My job is still the same, to go out there, play every single night, be consistent, be solid. Especially with a lot of moving pieces, try to provide stability every single night. That's something I try to take pride in, be out there every single night for my teammates.
"And hopefully that can continue."
