Harrison Barnes selected to play on Olympic team
U.S. will be seeking its third straight gold medal at Rio Olympics
Warriors forward Harrison Barnes has accepted an invitation to play for Team USA in the Rio Olympic Games in August where the team will be seeking its third straight gold medal, according to multiple reports.
Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical first reported the news, citing sources. Sources confirmed Barnes’ inclusion to USA Today and The Associated Press, adding that Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving will fill out the 12-person roster.
Barnes will be join teammates Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. The other eight players: Chicago’s Jimmy Butler, Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant, Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins, Toronto’s Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, Indiana’s Paul George, New York’s Carmelo Anthony, and the Los Angeles Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan.
Team USA will train in Las Vegas and play exhibition games in Las Vegas, Oakland, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston.
Barnes is a restricted free agent who turned down a $64 million contract offer before the season averaged 11.7 points and 4.9 rebounds. But he became a lightning rod for fan unrest in the Finals as he shot just 35 percent from the field. Barnes was just 5 of 32 from the field over the final three games of the series — all losses.
Asked for thoughts on his future after Game 7, Barnes said, “I haven’t thought about it.”
The Warriors’ pursuit of free agent Kevin Durant will impact — and be impacted by — Barnes and Festus Ezeli, also a restricted free agent.
Coach Steve Kerr, recently on Tim Kawakami’s “The TK Show” podcast, said, “I talked to Harrison about (free agency) the other night. I love Harrison. He’s such a great guy and great teammate. So versatile. He’s done so many things. He’s also very mature. We kind of had a discussion. I said, ‘Hey, this is the NBA. You might choose to go somewhere else; we might choose to sign someone.’
“Who knows what’s going to happen, but it’s all business. You have to take care of your business, we take care of ours. There’s never hard feelings with this stuff, but again, I want him back.”