Harrison Barnes and the Golden State Warriors have both made it clear that they would like to come to an agreement on an extension this offseason. Barnes loves playing with the Warriors, and the Warriors see Barnes as an extremely talented player who continues to get better. Both sides have until the start of the season to get a deal done, but an extension doesn't seem likely, according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders.
The Warriors recently gave huge contracts to both Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, so they might not be so adamant about giving huge money to Barnes at the moment. Stephen Curry is an enormous bargain for the next two seasons at about $11 million per year, but the Warriors are going to have to pay him soon too, so locking up Barnes right now may not be wise.
At this point, it seems like the scenario that will play out is that Barnes plays the 2015-16 season while making more than $3.8 million and becomes a restricted free agent next offseason. If Barnes becomes a restricted free agent, the Warriors will have the market set the value on how much Barnes deserves and will be able to match any offer he receives so either way they are in great shape to retain him beyond this season.
The question will come down to whether the amount of money Barnes is offered from other teams is too much for Golden State. As mentioned before, they have to pay Curry in a couple of years, and if Barnes gets a huge offer from someone else, it is possible the Warriors won't match because they don't want to have all of their money tied up before the reigning MVP becomes a free agent. Curry has said he has no interest in leaving the Warriors, but he is still likely going to want a maximum contract, and even with the cap continuing to go up the Warriors will only have so much money to spend.
Barnes is coming off a season in which he started all 82 games for the Warriors and averaged a career best 10.1 points per game and had career best shooting percentages of 48 percent from the field and 41 percent from three. The 23-year-old former North Carolina Tar Heel is certainly on the rise and should be in for another great year which will earn him a lot of money heading into restricted free agency, assuming an extension is not agreed upon this offseason.
