NBA Free Agency 2019: 6 biggest player option decisions

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SACRAMENTO, CA – FEBRUARY 10: Harrison Barnes #40 of the Sacramento Kings looks on during the game against the Phoenix Suns on February 10, 2019 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /

5. Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings

2019-20 option: $25.1 million

During a recent appearance on ESPN’s The Jump, Harrison Barnes said he had yet to decide whether he’ll decline his $25.1 million player option and that he was taking it “day-by-day.”

Richard Jefferson, who mentored Barnes when they were teammates with the Golden State Warriors, didn’t mince words when asked to give his advice.

“Take that $25 million, young fella,” he said. “I’ll tell you the same thing I would have told you 10 years ago: Take that money. Twenty-five million dollars is something that’s guaranteed. Put it in your bank and then just hit free agency [in 2020].”

The Sacramento Kings traded for Barnes in early February, sending 2017 No. 15 overall pick Justin Jackson and Zach Randolph’s expiring contract to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange. His scoring output decreased in Sacramento, but his shooting efficiency soared from 40.4 percent with the Mavericks to 45.5 percent with the Kings.

Barnes signed his four-year, $94.4 million max contract in the halcyon summer of 2016 when an unprecedented salary-cap spike caused teams to spend recklessly. Many teams are still recovering from those ill-advised decisions three years later — see: Biyombo, Bismack — so the 27-year-old should not expect to match his current annual average salary if he does opt out.

If Barnes prioritizes the security of a long-term contract over his 2019-20 earnings, he may decide to test the free-agent waters regardless. In doing so, he could turn the Kings into a dark-horse bidder for some of the summer’s top free agents.

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