It's not breaking news to say that San Antonio's favorite NBA vet has been struggling lately. But when you look closer at his numbers throughout the season, you actually need to remove the word "lately" when you realize this has been a season-long issue. Harrison Barnes hasn't been good at putting the ball in the basket all year long, and that's very alarming, but not for the reason you think.
Despite his inability to get buckets, turning in his lowest point per game average since his third season and worse efficiency ratings in years, the Spurs still need him right now. Of course, that could change with the right move ahead of the trade deadline on February 5, but we have no idea what the front office's plans are, so let's discuss what's in front of us.
Barnes' real value this year isn't in the stats
Let me be clear: if the Spurs can make a trade to upgrade this position, I'm pleading for them to do it. But that doesn't mean there aren't positives to HB's presence this season; even though his production has been so bad, it gives me a minor migraine.
He's the adult on the floor, at the end of the day, though. There's immense value in that. I went through the on/off date for just about every San Antonio lineup possible that makes sense, and they all take a hit when Barnes is off the floor. It's not a small impact, either.
According to Databallr, Harrison is basically the key cog to whether the Spurs look buttoned up or sloppy. Taking him off the floor sends the Silver and Black's net rating into a downward spiral, introducing more chaotic elements, likely due to the youth on the team. When you think about that, it makes sense.
HB rarely, if ever, makes the wrong read. He doesn't have a high turnover rate, and he knows how to space the floor, whether his shot is falling or not. The same is true for his defensive ability. It's mediocre in isolation, but he's a solid team defender who isn't often out of position. You get more mistakes when he's on the bench. That's not something that can be summarily dismissed right now.
Unless they can figure out how to maintain their basketball maturity without him, San Antonio will just have to hope Barnes can find his shot again. He had one November stretch of blistering three-point shooting (44%), but other than that, he's been pretty bad all year. By month, he's averaged 36% in October, 35% in December, and 25% in January.
Maybe it's just an extended slump, and the floodgates will open for him at the right time. Probably not, though. Thankfully, it hasn't stopped the Spurs from putting up points, maintaining a top 10 offense for the majority of the season. He's a part of that. Just not in the way we expected. That might have to be enough.