Why the Warriors Shouldn’t Trade Harrison Barnes

December 28, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors small forward Harrison Barnes (40) looks on during the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at ORACLE Arena. The Warriors defeated the 76ers 96-89. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Harrison Barnes, the 7th pick the draft, has been used sparingly, one might say. As Jarrett Jack was signed in the off-season, the Warriors got the veteran guard they needed. This was a pretty good trade considering that all the Warriors needed to give up was Dorell Wright, who wasn’t shooting the ball well.

Unfortunately for Barnes, he isn’t a part of the Warriors’ closing lineup, which consists of Stephen Curry, Jarrett Jack, Klay Thompson, David Lee/Carl Landry, and Andrew Bogut. All the spots are filled up. This doesn’t mean that the Warriors don’t need Barnes, however.

When the Warriors win, it’s often Barnes who has had a double-digit game. He has broken out quite a few times, while also pulling down more than five boards. This is all good and the Warriors can’t afford to give this up. Barnes is a part of all that depth which makes the Warriors a really dangerous team.

At times, Barnes has showed flashes of brilliance. He’s capable of scoring 21 PPG, and grabbing 10 rebounds per game on any given night. The Warriors are lucky to have taken in at the 7th pick, as fellow rookie Thomas Robinson isn’t impressive right now. Right now, Barnes may be classified as streaky and inconsistent. While that may be true, that doesn’t mean trade is essential. If Barnes can become more consistent, he’d be a secret weapon that other teams have no idea is coming.

What Barnes doesn’t realize is that he is better than he thinks. Whenever he makes an attempt to drive, he usually finds himself right at the basket. When given the open three pointer, he will silence the crowd by dropping it. He’s the most ideal small forward for the Warriors right now.

If they were to give him up for a pure scorer like Danny Granger, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and David Lee’s production of averaging 15+ PPG would go down. This isn’t what the Warriors are looking for right now. So they’ve lost four in a row, it’s not time to go into panic mode. At the most, the Warriors staff and management should be a little bit worried.

Reports have indicated that the Warriors may be shopping Barnes, who is drawing some interest. It’s not a good move. Unless the Warriors get someone like Barnes, averaging 10 PPG, and pulling down 5-6 Rebounds per game, which is unlikely, they should stick with Barnes. He is inconsistent, but that may all change soon.