SACRAMENTO – One of the first things Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle did when he arrived at Golden 1 Center on Thursday was to seek out Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes.
From the time he signed a four-year free agent contract with the Mavs in July of 2016 until he was traded to the Kings this past Feb. 6, Barnes was a fixture in the Mavs’ starting lineup.
“He was great for us for two-and-a-half years, Carlisle said. “We invested a lot in his development. I was very proud of how he improved each year.
“I got a chance to say hello to him briefly on the court (before Thursday’s Mavs-Kings game) and just thanked him for everything he did for us for those two-and-a-half years, and I wished him the best.