LeBron James clearly knows what it feels like to want to leave a team and the fans and team management pouncing on you and calling you a traitor (his first Cleveland experience when he left them for Miami Heat) and it is a whole different discussion both from fans and team management when a player his traded without his consent, just like the Harrison Barnes experience, traded by Dallas during a game.
Harrison Barnes will not be the first to be traded or traded during a game, but it was just him not having a prior knowledge that it was going to happen when it did, which came as shock to him. He unlike many, after he realized he has been traded continued his game like a true professional.
His team Dallas Mavericks had announced today that they have acquired second-year small forward Justin Jackson and forward Zach Randolph, in exchange for forward Harrison Barnes. In a related move, Dallas has also requested waivers on center Salah Mejri…the team management said.
Harrison Barnes who has since moved on, took out time to appreciate his former team, saying:
“Thank you to the entire Dallas Mavericks organization, @mcuban , Coach Carlisle, my teammates and all the #MFFLswho have made Dallas feel like home for the last 2.5 seasons! I will never forget how the incredible fans in this city held it down at AAC every game, win or lose. Excited for the next chapter @sacramentokings !!!!!”
LeBron James reacting to the trade, put out a long message on his social media talking about the trade policy in NBA. He said:
“So let me guess this is cool cause they had to do what was best for the franchise right??? Traded this man while he was literally playing in the game and had ZERO idea. I’m not knocking who traded him because it’s a business and you have to do what you feel what’s best but I just want this narrative to start to get REAL/CHANGE and not when a player wants to be traded or leaves a Franchise that he’s a selfish/ungrateful player but when they trade you, release , waive, cut etc etc it’s best for them! I’m ok with both honestly, truly am. Just call a ♠️ a ♠️!!
Barnes (6-8, 225) was originally signed as a free agent on July 9, 2016. He averaged 18.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 205 games (all starts) for the Mavericks.