- Harrison Barnes’ mid-game trade news is considered the wildest move in NBA history
- The forward was traded to the Sacramento Kings
- Barnes is now a vital component of the Kings’ unit
Harrison Barnes learning that he was traded by the Dallas Mavericks to the Sacramento Kings mid-game on February 6, 2019, will go down as one of the wildest moments in NBA history.
With six minutes left in a close contest between the Mavericks and the Charlotte Hornets, news of Barnes’ trade to the Kings for Zach Randolph and Justin Jackson was announced.
And the cameras captured it all as the news went from screens all the way to Barnes, who was on the bench at that point. It was an absolute rarity in the NBA to see a business transaction play out during a game.
To his credit, the forward handled the situation well by just putting his head down and focusing on the play. He chipped in with 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist in Dallas’ 99-93 home win.
Harrison Barnes was on the court for the Mavericks when reports came down that he was traded. pic.twitter.com/YnqCbW3cuV
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 7, 2019
Soon after the entire drama, there was widespread debate about how cold the NBA could be, and how the timing wasn’t ideal. One segment also added that Barnes perhaps knew he was going to be traded, so it didn’t really come as big news to him.
But perhaps, even he didn’t expect the move to come in that fashion. In all, Barnes spent three seasons with the Mavericks averaging 18.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists from 205 games.
He made his debut for Sacramento two days later, scoring 12 points in a 102–96 win over the Miami Heat. At the end of the season, he inked a four-year, $85 million deal with the Kings.
This past season, Barnes was crucial in the Kings’ playoff run, averaging 15.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.6 assists as the team made the postseason after 16 years. They were favorites to win over the Golden State Warriors in the first round but were outclassed 4-3 in a series that went down to the wire in Game 7.
Paul Pierce Opined That Harrison Barnes Knew He Would Be Traded
Following the game, former Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce said on ESPN that Barnes was aware he was being traded by the Mavericks, and there was a possibility he could be moved as soon as the game. But, he asked to play the game against Charlotte anyway.
“It’s my understanding… that this was in the works in the last few days. I got a call from Harrison’s agent Jeff Schwartz, and they knew something was in the works with Sacramento. And according to my sources, Harrison Barnes wanted to play.”
.@paulpierce34 says Harrison Barnes knew a trade to the Kings was in the works prior to the game, and still wanted to play for the Mavericks Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/06wuxZERBC
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 7, 2019
In a way, the move to the Kings surely benefited the forward, as he is now a vital cog in their setup comprising of De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Malik Monk, Trey Lyles, and Kevin Huerter.
Given their impressive 2022-23 season, the Kings are looked at as bonafide playoff competitors, and if they can repeat their heroics from last season, Barnes and co. will surely be a threat in the West.
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