Harrison Barnes (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
The LA Lakers is the team with the most cap space and they are also being discussed as the team most likely to overpay free agents this summer.
The Lakers have the most cap space among all teams, and they are also not afraid to venture into luxury tax territory. Aside from the financial factors, their fan base demands them to be relevant again after three years of mediocrity.
With the acquisition of Brandon Ingram, the Lakers have a star to develop for the post-Kobe Bryant era. However, they still need some veterans who can contribute right away, and Harrison Barnes of the Golden State Warriors has been identified as one of their targets.
Barnes is a small forward, a position of need for the Tinseltown team. When he is fielded with the Golden State Warriors "death lineup" he shifts to power forward and has proven that he can guard taller and stronger players using his size and athleticism.
However, the optimism hit a wall when Barnes crumbled in the NBA Finals. Right in front of the world stage, Barnes shot bricks, even went on a 0-14 stretch and failed to deliver when Draymond Green was out. Carl Steward of the local East Bay Times felt that Barnes is on the edge.
"If he doesn't pull it together by Sunday's Game 7 at Oracle Arena, the Warriors just might let him go for good," Steward warned.
The meltdown raised serious questions on whether he is really worthy of a bigger role in another team and the max money that comes with it.
The Golden State Warriors have the right to match any offer, even the max, but since they lost their title, the willingness to keep Barnes has waned, as Marcus Thompson of Mercury News reported.
"The Warriors will be taking a long, hard look at if they can do better than Harrison Barnes." Thompson wrote and he was specific. "Free agents Nicolas Batum and Evan Turner are among the players being considered at small forward, per sources, if the Warriors don't get Kevin Durant."
Is this good news for the Lakers, who want to pursue Barnes?
"To be sure, the Warriors are not going to throw Barnes away. His ill-timed slump in the NBA Finals hasn't wiped away his defensive versatility and his well-timed big games leading up to the Finals."
But that's also the reason why other teams are looking to pursue him, Thompson admits that the Warriors "could get gun shy at $23.5 million, which is the max the Barnes could get."
The ball seems to be in the Lakers' court now. If they still want Barnes, giving him a max offer could seal the deal. The Warriors can still match but it's hard to imagine that they would strike out on all their targets. Besides, they have other players to address.
