9 Potential Boston Celtics free agent targets with ties to Jayson Tatum
By Tyler Watts
5. Harrison Barnes
Barnes just finished his fifth season in Sacramento, and the Kings were the surprise of the NBA during the regular season. They snapped a 16-year playoff drought as Sacramento finished third in the Western Conference. The Kings were bounced by the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs, but Barnes played a key role in their turnaround as he averaged 15.0 points and 4.5 rebounds in 32.5 minutes per game.
Jayson Tatum and Barnes were teammates at the 2019 FIBA World Cup. The Celtics superstar played just two games because of an ankle injury as Barnes was second on the team in minutes played and third in scoring. Team USA finished a disappointing seventh in the event, but they bounced back to win the 2020 Olympics which did not happen until 2021 because of the pandemic.
Harrison Barnes is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and the 30-year-old forward will be looking for $20-plus million per season. The only way the Celtics could acquire him would be a sign-and-trade, which seems unlikely. The six-foot-eight forward would give them some size and shot-making, but it would mean ducking under the hard cap too.
Expect Harrison Barnes to land a hefty payday this summer as the Boston Celtics look for other ways to improve their roster around Jayson Tatum.