NBA Power Rankings: Tiering all 30 projected starting small forwards for 2023-24

Phoenix Suns Kevin Durant (Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)
Phoenix Suns Kevin Durant (Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)
16 of 30
Harrison Barnes (Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports)
Harrison Barnes (Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports)

15. Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings

You can make the argument that Harrison Barnes was one of the unsung heroes in Sacramento last season. The Kings made their illustrious return to the postseason and I’m not sure they do it without the contributions of Barnes on both ends of the floor – that’s probably the biggest reason why the Kings ended up signing him to a contract extension this offseason. Even though Barnes is 31 years old, he still has very much left in the tank as a difference-maker.

Coming off a season in which he averaged 15 points on 37 percent shooting from 3-point range while also playing an important role for the team as a versatile defender, it’s easy to see why Barnes was almost the ideal veteran leader that a young and talented Kings team needed.

At this point in his career, I don’t think there are many people expecting Barnes to make the jump into superstardom but he’s without a doubt a fringe star talent at the small forward position in this league. \