Call him Mr. 100%. San Antonio Spurs power forward Harrison Barnes has proven to be the ultimate role player for an up-and-coming team. Considering that he was a former lottery pick turned journeyman and was essentially acquired for free from the Sacramento Kings, no one could have imagined he would be as good of a fit with the Spurs as he has ended up being.
HARRISON BARNES AND A KINGS 2031 PICK SWAP FOR NOTHING.
Brian Wright 🫡
— Zach (@ZachNBA_) November 19, 2025
However, roughly 95 games into his first career, Barnes is quickly emerging as one of the better role players in franchise history. His sharpshooting at the four has been a godsend to a Spurs team that's light on spacing.
Not just that, but he has also added different facets to the Spurs offense. Despite him not being known for attacking the basket, his slow, old-man drives have been surprisingly effective.
Take, for instance, his ridiculous 23-point performance against the Memphis Grizzlies when he was matched up against former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. He attacked Jackson Jr. on an iso, only to pass, get the ball back and attack him again.
HARRISON BARNES SCORES 7 STRAIGHT.
DE'AARON FOX WITH THE FILTHY WINDMILL SLAM.
SPURS END THE GAME ON AN 11-0 RUN TO SEAL W. pic.twitter.com/qxo37dDpLd
— NBA (@NBA) November 19, 2025
Normally challenging a former Defensive Player of the Year is a bad idea, but Barnes drove past him in crunch time and finished with a big dunk. That play highlights why Barnes has been such a revelation in San Antonio.
Harrison Barnes is who the Spurs want Keldon Johnson to be
Barnes' ability to space the floor, operate with or without the ball, and compete on defense has been exactly what the Spurs needed and what they hoped Keldon Johnson would develop into. Johnson initially looked as though he could be a high-volume 3-point sharpshooter who could also bully defenders with physical drives to the rim and score with ease.
Unfortunately, he never developed into that player, though he has finally found a role that suits him, using a dialed-back version of that skill set. His energy and effort have made a huge impact on the second unit, while Barnes' calm demeanor and seamless offensive fit have made a huge impact on the starting five.
During his Spurs career he is shooting a blistering 43.9% from three on 4.6 attempts per game—a shocking number that few saw coming. Better still, putting him next to two stars in De'Aaron Fox, who previously played five and a half seasons with Barnes in Sacramento, and Victor Wembanyama makes both their and his job easier.
Teams aren't likely to leave him open, and when they do, he usually makes them pay. He can also put the ball on the floor when needed and create offense for himself.
Without him, the Spurs offense would be far less effective with only Devin Vassell and Wembanyama there to space the floor. Defensively, he might not be a stopper on that end of the floor but isn't a pushover either that teams look to exploit.
All of that, combined, makes Barnes a perfect role player. It gives the Spurs something that they desperately needed after Johnson took a different development track. Now, the Spurs have both players playing well and serving different roles. Better still, even at 33 he appears more than capable of playing at this level for the next couple of seasons.