Harrision Barnes: Solid Role-Player or Budding Superstar

(Courtesy of NBA.com)

     Harrison Barnes, or the "Black Falcon" as he has been dubbed, is on a career path that will eventually split in two directions. One path will lead him to becoming a rock-solid role player. Barnes has shown the skills to be consistent supporting player in the NBA, along with a maturity level beyond his years that allows him to accept his role with little to no grief. The other path leads him to potentially NBA stardom.  During the 2013 playoffs, Barnes displayed the qualities that could catapult him to all-star status. His career could possibly veer in either direction, but one thing is for certain. The Golden State Warriors will influence which path Barnes career ultimately takes.

Unspectacular, but Consistent

During his rookie season, Barnes showed that he had all the makings of a solid starter and role player for the Warriors. He displayed consistently good form on an improving jumpshot, above average athleticism for his position, decent rebounding instincts, and solid defensive techniques. Possibly the most important quality that Barnes possesses is his lack of an ego. He was a highly touted high school senior and college player out of the University of North Carolina, yet he fully embraced his diminished role on the Warriors with no complaints. In the starting lineup, his job was to spot up for jumpers, rebound, defend, and take the ball to the rim when he got the chance. On this Warriors team, he may never be the star with all of the productive players in the lineup, but his role as an athletic "3 and D" hybrid forward will continue to be invaluable.   

Bound for Stardom

During the regular season, Barnes was relegated to the fourth of fifth option on offense. According to ESPN, he ranked fifth on the team in attempts reflecting his place on the totem pole order. The playoffs brought out a different side of Barnes and he showcased the potential to become a legitimate star in the NBA. Lee's injury moved him up in the offensive pecking order and he responded with best stretch of performances of his young career.  Barnes became more aggressive with the ball in his hands. He appeared more confident with his offensive moves and he scored more as a result. Freed from the shackles of his role during the regular season, Barnes used his innate feel for the game as well as his athleticism to hit threes, drain post-up shots, and throw it down with reckless abandon on opponents. He managed to raise his production from the regular season (9.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg, on %.439 shooting), to the postseason (16.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg, on %.444 shooting). If Barnes can polish his ball handling and improve his ability to create for others, then he will be on his way to becoming a star in the NBA sooner rather than later.  

The path that Barnes takes will be heavily influenced by the Warriors. If the team decides to keep him in his current role, or move him to a sixth man role, Barnes will not be able to fully capitalize on his star potential. Incremental improvement would occur, but he would not be afforded the chance to fully blossom, especially now that Andre Iguodala is set to absorb some of Barnes minutes. On the other hand, if the Warriors decide to move Barnes to the starting lineup in place of Thompson, Iguodala, or Lee, he has the potential to become the star he showed in the playoffs. Either way, the Warriors have the ultimate say regarding Harrison Barnes' career trajectory.