Harrison Barnes thanks the Golden State Warriors via Twitter

By John Buhler | Jul 4, 2016

OAKLAND, CA - APRIL 05: Harrison Barnes #40 of the Golden State Warriors reacts after he made a three-point basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves at ORACLE Arena on April 5, 2016 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

Harrison Barnes gave thanks to the Golden State Warriors four his first four years in the league before signing a max contract with the Dallas Mavericks.

With Kevin Durant deciding to join the Golden State Warriors in 2016 NBA free agency, this means the end for former Warriors starting small forward Harrison Barnes’ time with the Bay Area basketball franchise.

Barnes had spent his first four NBA seasons in Golden State after being a lottery pick by the club out of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill back in the 2012 NBA Draft. Before signing a maximum salary with the Dallas Mavericks on the 4th of July, Barnes took to Twitter to thank the Warriors organization for his four-year stint with Golden State.

I just want to thank the entire Warriors organization, my teammates & coaches for the amazing 4 years I've had there pic.twitter.com/QDb04pLYci
— Harrison Barnes (@hbarnes) July 5, 2016

Though they will be 2016 Summer Olympic teammates on Team USA in Rio De Janeiro in a few short weeks, for Durant to join the Warriors it meant that Barnes would have to go in restricted free agency. That means Golden State is deciding not to match Dallas’ maximum offer sheet and Barnes will now play for Rick Carlisle’s Mavericks at starting small forward.

While Barnes struggled mightily shooting the basketball in the 2016 NBA Finals versus the Cleveland Cavaliers, he was going to be a maximum salary player and one of the most highly coveted small forwards on the 2016 NBA free agency market.

With a great head coach in Carlisle, another strong owner in Mark Cuban, and a future Hall of Fame jump shooter in Dirk Nowitzki, going to Dallas is not a bad outcome for Barnes in the Durant free agency sweepstakes.

He could have been bitter about Golden State not matching Dallas’ offer sheet, but he seems both thankfully for the opportunities he had with the Warriors in his early 20s and the future opportunities he’ll have in his mid-20s with the Mavericks.

For more NBA free agency news, please check out our NBA free agency category page.

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