Harrison Barnes Most Likely Free Agent Destinations

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The Sacramento Kings expected Harrison Barnes to be an integral part of their young core after acquiring him at the NBA trade deadline. However, the 27-year-old small forward has opted to test free agency after opting out of the $25.1 million player option for the final year of his last contract.

One of the top small forwards on the market, Barnes is bound to have several suitors vying for his services, but only a select few teams make the most sense for him. Here are three likely destinations for Barnes.

1. Golden State Warriors

Going back to the Golden State Warriors would be an interesting homecoming for Barnes, but it would also make sense for the team that drafted him. Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson suffered major injuries during the NBA Finals and may not be on the roster next year if either chooses a new home in free agency. Barnes isn't nearly as talented as the aforementioned duo, but he's familiar with Steve Kerr's system and has the skill set to adequately fill Durant's shoes.

2. Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic are a young team on the rise and, with a little over $46.5 million in cap space to work with this offseason, have more than enough financial pull to sign a big name off of the free-agent market. Barnes is looking to sign a max deal and, if the Magic can't lure a tier-1 player, which is expected, he could be Orlando's second option. Orlando already has a budding young front court in place, but Barnes' ability to stretch defenses and shoot from deep would go a long way in building the Magic into a contender.

3. Sacramento Kings

Barnes just declined his player option with the Kings, but that doesn't mean he isn't open to a new agreement with them. Barnes is apparently looking for a long-term commitment and, considering how vital he was to Sacramento's success last year, the Kings would be smart to meet his terms. He shot 40.8 percent from behind the arc while averaging 14.3 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game after being traded to the Kings.

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Mike Esposito is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Mike Esposito also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username espo6891. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.