Barnes on Warriors choosing Durant: 'I guess I died'

Almost forgotten in the blockbuster story of Kevin Durant signing with the Golden State Warriors was the quick, unceremonious end it brought about to Harrison Barnes' four-year tenure with the team.

Business is business, and significant talent upgrades are significant talent upgrades. Yet Barnes can probably be forgiven for being human about his being replaced.

"I guess I died," the new Dallas Mavericks forward joked with the Bay Area News Group's Marcus Thompson this week. Beyond the dark humor though, Barnes said that he had become well accustomed to rumors of his departure over the past few years.

"Dwight (Howard) trade rumors. Kevin Love trade rumors. Kevin Durant ... oh, that one happened. There's been a few instances where you consider what might happen," Barnes told Thompson.

"I was just more so glad to be there as long as I was."

Barnes being made expendable by the Warriors was greeted with outright glee by some observers. Despite his unquestioned potential and 10 points per game on 37 percent 3-point shooting the last four seasons - and despite the fact he's highly-regarded enough to land on the U.S. Olympic team alongside Durant - the Iowa native never demonstrated prolonged consistency.

When he went 5-for-32 from the floor in the last three games of the NBA Finals - all losses as the Warriors blew a 3-1 lead to the Cleveland Cavaliers - his time in Oakland was up.

"It's been a chaotic summer," Barnes said. "I haven't really had time to process too much. We lost in the Finals. I'm going to Dallas. I'm here on the Olympic team ... it's been a whirlwind. I'm just trying to take it all in."