Barnes wasn't looking to leave Warriors: The decision was made for me
Not only did Kevin Durant's decision to join the Golden State Warriors send shock waves across the basketball world, but it also sent several players packing from Oakland to accommodate his new two-year, $54.3-million deal.
Harrison Barnes is one of those players.
While he insists he's happy to be joining the Dallas Mavericks - with whom he inked a four-year, $94-million pact - he wasn't actually looking for a fresh start.
"The decision was more so made for me," the 6-foot-8 forward told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. "I was not necessarily walking away from the (Warriors). I wasn't saying, 'I don't want to be here. I want to go there.' But at the same time, I'm very excited about Dallas. It gives me an opportunity to grow."
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Barnes, who was drafted seventh overall by the Warriors in 2012, is set to host China on Tuesday night as a member of Team USA in a rematch of Sunday's 106-57 exhibition thrashing.
Although it marks the first time in the 24-year-old's career that he'll play at Oracle Arena as a representative of another team, he isn't expecting a negative reception from the crowd.
"It won't be emotional," Barnes said. "I had a great experience at Golden State. They were a first-class organization. The fans there were great. It won't be anything bitterness or anything like that. In the regular season, it will be a different feeling than now. It's still fresh.
"I'm going there with USA. It's not like I'm going there with the Dallas Mavericks."
Not yet, anyway.