Kings forward Harrison Barnes has reportedly declined his $25.1 million player option for the 2019-20 season and will become an unrestricted free agent, his agent told The Sacramento Bee on Tuesday.
Excel Sports Management president Jeff Schwartz said Barnes will opt out of the final year of a four-year, $94.4 million deal he signed with the Dallas Mavericks in 2016. Both sides are open to exploring a new deal that would keep Barnes in Sacramento, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, who first reported the story.
The Kings acquired Barnes on the eve of the February trade deadline in a deal that sent Justin Jackson and Zach Randolph to Dallas. Barnes averaged 14.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 28 games for the Kings, giving the team the size, length and strength it had lacked at the small forward position since Rudy Gay left to sign with the San Antonio Spurs.
Barnes just completed the third year of the four-year deal he signed with the Mavericks in 2016. The Kings knew Barnes could opt out of the final year when they traded for him. He is unlikely to command as much money as a free agent but might prefer to sign a long-term deal in the range of $18 million to $20 million per year.
