NBA Free Agency 2019: 5 potential destinations for Tobias Harris

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 5: Tobias Harris #33 of the Philadelphia 76ers handles the ball against the Toronto Raptors during Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on May 5, 2019 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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PHILADELPHIA, PA – MAY 9: Tobias Harris #33 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on against the Toronto Raptors during Game Six of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on May 9, 2019 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) /

4. Sacramento Kings

Harrison Barnes declined his $25.1 million player option to test free agency, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, which sets the Sacramento Kings up as a potential wild card this summer.

If the Kings renounce the rights to all of their free agents (including Barnes and restricted free agent Willie Cauley-Stein) and waive all of their players on nonguaranteed contracts, they could create up to $62.6 million in salary-cap space this summer. Even if they gave Harris his full $32.7 million max starting salary, they’d have nearly $30 million in available room to round out their roster.

The Kings are set in the backcourt with Buddy Hield and De’Aaron Fox, but they need more help at the forward spots. Bogdan Bogdanovic is entering the final year of his contract, and they’re otherwise devoid of long-time building blocks at the 3 or small-ball 4. (No, Marvin Bagley III should not play small forward.)

Harris fits best as a 4, as his face-up game and 3-point shooting make him a mismatch nightmare against traditional plodding bigs. In lineups where Bagley slots in as a modern-day 5, the Kings would have versatility, switchability and long-range shooting at all five positions if they added Harris to the mix.

If the Kings feel strongly about keeping Bagley at the 4 full time, Harris could slide down to the 3 alongside him and play spot minutes at power forward while Bagley catches a breather. Having that type of lineup flexibility could go a long way in the playoffs, where teams must adapt to different matchups on a round-by-round basis.

Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer mentioned the Kings as being among the likely suitors for Harris on the free-agent market. Although he turns 27 in mid-July, he’s still young enough that he aligns relatively well with the ages of Sacramento’s other building blocks.

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