DALLAS — Although he knows 13-time All-Star Dirk Nowitzki still has plenty left in the tank after completing a 19th season with the Dallas Mavericks, versatile forward Harrison Barnes believes he showed glimpses of becoming a franchise player during the 2016-17 campaign.
With Nowitzki forced to miss 25 of the Mavericks’ first 30 games this season due to a right Achilles strain, Barnes assumed the bulk of the scoring responsibilities in his absence. Meanwhile, the Mavs were forced to speed up the process of making the 24-year-old the primary offensive focus after inking Barnes to a reported four-year deal worth $94 million in free agency last summer.