Spurs Grades: Harrison Barnes Season Recap, Prediction For Next Year

In a roster full of veteran front court pieces, Harrison Barnes stands as the final one left to graded following this past season for San Antonio.

While there were several centers in the depth chart, Barnes was a rare power forward and arguably the most textbook example at the position. He also holds the unique distinction of being the only NBA Champion on the roster after taking home the 2015 crown with the Warriors.

In his 14th year, Barnes appeared in nearly every regular season game for the Spurs, topping out at 77 outings. He got the start in 52 of these matchups, which is a steep drop off from the complete 82 starts he racked up for Sacramento and San Antonio in three straight seasons.

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Despite the decrease in games and starts, Barnes was able to keep his numbers near the same level as his time with the Kings and debut with the Spurs. In his first season with San Antonio, he went for an average of around 12 points, four rebounds and two assists in 27 minutes per game.

This past year with the Spurs, Barnes still hit averages of 10 points, three rebounds and three assists and saw pretty much the same amount of minutes at 26 a game.

His time on the court began to get slimmer until it eventually went away completely at the end of the NBA Finals, with the devastating Game 2 loss inside Frost Bank Center proving to be Barnes' last outing of the year.

However, Barnes' consistency and flexibility are main reasons why the Spurs sought to keep him readily in rotation after finding a replacement in the starting lineup and can continue to benefit moving forward with him next season.

Speaking of Barnes' replacement, it was Julian Champagnie that took up his duties in 2025.

Although Champagnie was great, which he will get his full time in the spotlight of this recap series soon, he was not the most fundamental of power forwards. Actually, he was arguably the best perimeter shooter on San Antonio's roster. Not what most think of from a front court presence.

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Granted, the modern NBA has embraced the positionless basketball mentality and having a bigger body that can also knock down three-pointers is never a bad thing for any franchise. However, the lack of physicality and inside threats outside of Victor Wembanyama became a glaring issue for the Spurs late in their playoff run.

Enter Barnes, whose more old-school approach provides a balance to Champagnie's versatile newer style.

It is naive to think that an ever-aging Barnes would suddenly slot back into the lineup, especially given Champagnie's new deal. But the veteran's differing skillset allows him to be a strong complimentary piece in a one-two punch and is just one year removed from being the primary starter showing he still has some left in the tank.

Barnes could even fully transition to the mentorship role and teach the newest Spurs like Tarris Reed Jr. or Jayden Quaintance and have them take over alongside Champagnie. Whatever role he takes on, Barnes could become a serious X-factor for a team looking to end up on the right side of the Finals this time around.

FINAL GRADE: B, 2026 OUTLOOK: Key Rotational Piece, True Interior Presence