Is Harrison Barnes becoming underrated in this draft?

[LoneyROY7]

I'm seeing a lot of people now list Barnes as a fringe top 5 pick/low top 10 pick and I'm wondering if he's unfairly losing value.

Just take a look at his stats this season: 17.4 ppg and 4.8 rpg on 48 percent shooting in ONLY 26.3 mpg.

Those statistics are very similar to new mock draft darling Jeremy Lamb...except Lamb averages over 10 more minutes a contest. I'm just not seeing it.

Has Barnes now become underrated?

[Jazzfan12]

Every mock has him still in the top 4.

He's a very good catch-and-shoot player who hasn't rebounded or defended this year but can and doesn't create for himself or others and probably never will.

He's properly rated.

[7-Day Dray]

I think a lot of posters are underrating him. His handle still isn't that great, and he'll never be a guy that can shake off his defender multiple times and dance around the perimeter, but his handle has improved. He's not as upright as he used to and, and does a good job of securing the ball.

I think he'll be a Luol Deng/Danny Granger hybrid at the next level. And he's more athletic than most people thing.

[JamesNaismith]

Every mock has him still in the top 4.

+1

Not sure what more you want people to say....that he's #1 overall????

[ManualRam]

on this board, yes.

[Ruzious]

He's in the Danny Granger mold, but he's not as good. He's simply not a difference maker. I just watched the UNC/NC State game. On the college level, Barnes is the 3rd best front court player on UNC. Henson destroyed Leslie in their matchup, and Zeller dominated the boards and showed his outstanding BBIQ on offense.

[Dr Positivity]

He's almost a lock to go top 7, I think that's fair for him. He's underrated compared to MKG, I think Barnes is clearly the better prospect

[Steely Reserve]

Mufasa, you're clearly wrong about your post.

[MalonesElbows]

He can do very little off the dribble, and has a disastrous assist/turnover rate. Those players typically flounder in the NBA.

[noobcake]

He can do very little off the dribble, and has a disastrous assist/turnover rate. Those players typically flounder in the NBA.

And his hype has been massively dissapointing. If you follow UNC basketball and use advance statistics, Barnes is their 6th player statistically.

Barnes was promised to be this transcendental basketball player but has not yet shown enough handles, shooting or atheleticsm to dominate at the collegiate level.

[erudite23]

He's a good player, but not transcendent I don't think. You can never say what a player might develop into, but at this point its hard to see him being better than a 10m/year player in the NBA. Someone as good as Iggy, Deng, Gay, or Granger, like people are saying. That still probably worth a top 5 pick in some drafts, and is certainly good enough to earn a top 10 spot in any year, but not the superstar prospect that he was being billed as coming in. Mildly disappointing, if so, but let's keep in mind that Steve Nash turned into a superstar at age 30, that Tyson Chandler morphed into a quality big in his 6th NBA season, that Jermaine O'Neal broke out into stardom in his 6th season (iirc) and that Mayo's hairline didn't begin getting recognition until two years ago.

Things can change as time goes on, and development is impossible to predict with accuracy. He could become that guy. But people who demonstrate the game he currently has right now rarely do so.

I think he's properly rated.

[Jazzfan12]

If Barnes is as good as Deng, he should definitely be a top 3 pick. I think Deng is much better than Granger.

[erudite23]

I would tend to agree that Deng>Granger, although I'd say its pretty close. But I don't think Deng would be a top 3 pick in any except the weakest drafts.

For example:

2003:
LeBron
Wade
Bosh
Carmelo

2005:
Paul
Deron
Bogut

2007:
Durant
Noah
Horford

2008:
Rose
Westbrook
Love

2009:
Griffin
Curry
Rubio
Harden

As I expect this year's draft to be very deep 2-10, I think he'd have to be significantly better than Deng to deserve a top 3 selection. However, I agree that its no shame to be tabbed as the next Luol Deng (which I think is what you were saying).

[Steely Reserve]

The dude doesn't pass, drive, or create for others. If he's not hitting his jumper he's essentially useless on the court.

The fact some fanbases (Cavs, Raptors) are targeting this guy is really weird to me. If I had no other choice but to draft him, I would. But to think this guy will be a real difference maker at tge nexg level is a bit generous. I mean, he doesnt even post up. All that size and he feels most comfortable standing 20 feet from the basket.

Maybe get him with a great point guard and his ceiling increases. I dunno.

[BIG FURB]

Definitely being underrated on this board by some people. He isn't the Kobe Bryant type player he was projected to be coming out of HS, but any college player that scores 17ppg shooting nearly 50% from the field and 45% from 3 on a team as stacked as UNC is a legit NBA talent. He'd probably be one of the leading scorers in the nation on a less talented team, and nobody would be asking these type of questions

[Steely Reserve]

Definitely being underrated on this board by some people. He isn't the Kobe Bryant type player he was projected to be coming out of HS, but any college player that scores 17ppg shooting nearly 50% from the field and 45% from 3 on a team as stacked as UNC is a legit NBA talent. He'd probably be one of the leading scorers in the nation on a less talented team, and nobody would be asking these type of questions

If he was on a lesser team he wouldn't have a Kendall Marshal setting his shots up in a platter. You know, just like the begining of his freshman year when he struggled mightily?

[Ruzious]

Definitely being underrated on this board by some people. He isn't the Kobe Bryant type player he was projected to be coming out of HS, but any college player that scores 17ppg shooting nearly 50% from the field and 45% from 3 on a team as stacked as UNC is a legit NBA talent. He'd probably be one of the leading scorers in the nation on a less talented team, and nobody would be asking these type of questions

If he was on a lesser team he wouldn't have a Kendall Marshal setting his shots up in a platter. You know, just like the begining of his freshman year when he struggled mightily?

Your posts are absurd in the PJ vs Davis thread, but here you're exactly right. When he had Larry Drew - a poor PG - playing with him, Barnes was pretty much a disaster. That's because he showed absolutely zero ability to create his own shot - much less create for anyone else. It's only since he's gotten to play with the best passing PG in the nation that he's blossomed. And with all due respect to Furb, having 2 very good inside scoring threats on your team is hardly a detriment to Barnes scoring. Their presence has certainly helped his efficiency.

[umopapisdn]

He's a poor mans Adam Morrison. At least ammo could create at the college level.

[Steely Reserve]

In 21 games played this season, Barnes has an absurdly low 20 assists.

That's pathetic.

I mean, seriously, 20 assists in 21 games for supposedly a top 5 lock draft pick?

[advanced]

i dont see what makes Harrison Barnes right now a better prospect than Danny Granger was comin out of college. Granger fell to 17th in the draft to some surprise and he was perfect size SF 6'8 225 .524/.433./.755 19 ppg 9 rebounds 2.5 assists 2blk 2stl in 30 mpg .624 TS% compared to .574 of Barnes 7.6vs3.3 WS of Barnes all around better stuff than Barnes at literally everything but a couple % points of 3pt shooting.

Eyetest wise they are both solid scorers average ball handlers, neither is particularly explosive athletically, neither hustles or leads quite as much they probably could.

whats the big deal??? What is Barnes doing to be considered drafted anywhere near the same pick as Durant when you look at what he did and showed in only 1 year in this supposedly awesome deep draft?

imo this draft is pretty terrible at the top and can't be too deep either if Barnes is someone projected in the top 2 or 3