Can Harrison Barnes break out like James Harden if he goes to another team?

[wfiles]

I think he has the potential be a 25 ppg with great defense type player on another team. He will never be great with the Warriors with Curry and Thompson.

[CnG]

He doesn't have the "alpha" personality or drive to want to be the best.

Way too passive with flashes of excellence.

[FemaleDogPlease]

[Smash3]

He would need elite ball handling to break out like James Harden.

[lambchop]

No, cause I don't see him scoring in a variety of ways like harden did. Harden made okc a nightmare to defend, cause of the way he could break guys down off the dribble. Barnes is great at the catch and shoot, finishing dunks and blowing by defenders on rotations for strong finishes at the rim off 1 to 3 dribbles.

Harden can play the pick n roll, go 1 on 1, shoot off the dribble, step back etc.

[JDR720]

he can break out, but not close to a Harden break out.

[Johnny Firpo]

Sure, he can break out, but agree with the others that he does not have the same kind of offensive potential. I could definitely see him become a 20/8/3 player though and an all star. It will never happen with the Warriors of course where he is a 4/A or 4/B option (with Igoudala) at best. I am curious if he sees himself as a star player because if he does, there is only one option, leaving the team as soon as he is an UFA.

[mtron929]

Well, James Harden has the capability to be a legit #1 option on a team that competes for a championship. I see no scenario where Harrison Barnes is a #1 option on a championship contending team. #2 option? I don't see that either. So even if he breaks out on another team, it would be a #3 option on a contending team or a #2 option on a mediocre/ok team. This indicates that he is 1-2 levels below Harden.

[TONYROMOHOF]

I think he has the potential be a 25 ppg with great defense type player on another team. He will never be great with the Warriors with Curry and Thompson.

They wanted him to take over in college and he never did

He was drafted for body and potential

Id say the chances are like 10 percent

[Foye]

To be an MVP level player? God no. He's a corner 3pt shooter who can take an off-balance or slower defender off the dribble from time to time. Not a great playmaker (but good at making the smart pass), and really not elite at anything other than the corner three. Terrific role player, but no, he's not a breakout waiting to happen. Harden had skills on skills on skills. Barnes is rigid.

Harden is not an mvp level player either.

Sent from my GT-I9001 using RealGM Forums mobile app

[Mik317]

First Option Barnes looked like **** in college. He's not built for that. Great role player type not your go to guy. Its not his MO

[Italian Job]

To be an MVP level player? God no. He's a corner 3pt shooter who can take an off-balance or slower defender off the dribble from time to time. Not a great playmaker (but good at making the smart pass), and really not elite at anything other than the corner three. Terrific role player, but no, he's not a breakout waiting to happen. Harden had skills on skills on skills. Barnes is rigid.

Harden had an MVP level season last year. But I agree in the sense that he doesn't want it enough to be consistently a top5 player. He's got much worse this year; don't read the boxscore, watch the games, at times he's atrocious. Still the best overall SG, but his playstyle + attitude make me wonder how long he's gonna last at the elite crop of the league. I have a bad feeling about James Harden.

Barnes... nowhere close as polished as the Beard was on offense when got traded in 2012; good defender, great versatile forward (he is both a true 3 and a smallball 4 due to his ability to hit consistently the three ball and switching on D). Didn't have the development I thought he could have when watching him in HS. Not an alpha mentality, you could see that at UNC. Still a fascinating talent with a lot of tools. Was pumped up as the new Kobe... not even close.

I don't see him stepping up his game A LOT (Harden when got out of OKC, thrived because he wasn't anymore in a role of playmaker/scorer off the bench + game closer, he could take over an offense). Barnes came off the bench in 13/14 but struggled so much, because he doesn't create his own shot, The user above said it right, he's rigid not smooth, doesn't have great vision.

I think he got overrated in 2013 after that series against the Spurs when he averaged 17 points or similar. There he was guarded by the 6-2 Tony Parker, he exploited that mismatch to death and was successful.

He's much better on a supporting role; we can all agree that going up from 4th/5th option on offense to 3rd will increase his production and numbers, and will justify better the max contract he's gonna get. If he stays in GSW, he stays the same, having a great night once in a while, but won't take over Klay's role. Curry is 1, Green is 2 and Thompson is 3.

Barnes has to go away from there to maximize his potential, but the Dubs IMO will match since he's such a fit in their system (even if their most replaceable, but Iguodala is gettin' old..)

Somewhere else, I think he could average 17/20 ppg with 6 rebounds. A rich man's Luol Deng.

[ckman]

He needs to learn how to flop his way to the line first

[cksdayoff]

harden gets to the ft line 20 times a game

[JonFromVA]

I think he has the potential be a 25 ppg with great defense type player on another team. He will never be great with the Warriors with Curry and Thompson.

How do you see this happening? He doesn't create off the dribble like Harden. Is he going to post-up 20 times a game?

[DaddyCool19]

I don't think he could break out and be a 1st option. But a 2b/3rd option where he averages like 17/6,5/2,5 isn't that unrealistic.

[turk3d]

I agree with most that it's realistic that he can become a 20/8 (player maybe even a little more depending on the role he's given) with pretty good efficiency, but as mentioned for a different team and a 2nd option on a good team and maybe even #1 on a bad to mediocre team (depending on who else is on it). I think that he realizes as well that he might never reach his full potential if he stays on the Warriors and may be looking to leave (by virtue of him flat out rejecting the Warriors offer of 4/$64 earlier this offseason).

He's young, will have at least one championship ring under his belt (so he won't need to ring chase) thus it makes almost perfect sense for him to at least explore his options elsewhere imo. He's definitely got more upside and room to grow and so I can see a team moving to get him. I also think that he's ready to take on the challenge to have a more important role on some team and he's matured quite nicely in that regard.

[Mugiwara]

Like Harden? No.

[SmoothCriminal]

i don't see him being better than pre injured Luol Deng

[Hector_Reyes_8]

Harden, for all the crap we give him, is skilled as ****. Harden's scoring repertoire allows him to be able to score from the two best areas on the court. Even when his shots aren't falling, Harden's ball handling allows him to drive to the lane for fouls or pass in the P&R.

BARNES HAS SHOWN ABSOLUTELY NONE OF THAT. WHEN HAVE WE SEEN HIM ISO AND BREAK DOWN A PLAYER? WHEN HAVE WE SEEN HIM TAKE OVER A GAME AND LEAD HIS TEAM TO VICTORY?
Barnes is an alright player, but he needs better players around him for him to be effective. He can't create his own shot, and his handle isn't good.

Golden State's bench is overrated, man.