Because its a longterm decision and not just based on how much he would earn next season.
Quote:
'16-'17
79 79 35.5 7.6-16.2 .468 1.0-2.8 .351 3.1-3.6 .861 1.2 3.8 5.0 1.5 0.2 0.8 1.6 1.3 19.2
'17-'18
77 77 34.2 7.0-15.7 .445 1.5-4.3 .357 3.4-4.1 .827 1.0 5.1 6.1 2.0 0.2 0.6 1.2 1.5 18.9
'18-'19
45 45 32.3 5.8-14.4 .404 2.5-6.4 .395 3.5-4.2 .830 0.7 3.5 4.2 1.2 0.2 0.7 1.7 1.3 17.6
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Noticing anything? Barnes numbers declining each year, his shots, touches, usages etc. It changed dramatically this year with Luka, where in crunchtime its the Luka show or Barnes screws it up badly.
Imagine we replace DJ and Wes with Vuce/Tobias Harris next season. Add a even more dominant Luka. An improved DSJ or whoever we traded him for. Then Harrison is on the way to be again a 12-14PPG 4th or 5th option in his contract year. And maybe his 3p shooting drops back to 35%. And then good luck with getting a big payday at age 28 in 2020 after such a season and four years of a constant decline in numbers.
So its probably smarter to try to sell teams on his 18PPG / 40% from downtown this season to get another four year contract. Could be in the end mean more money than opting in his 25m. Being again a FA at age 31 instead of 32 looks also better on paper.
Worst case if no team bites this summer, he signs a one year deal as tank commander on a shitty team that has to reach the salary floor anyway.
Barnes should be afraid of his role/usage rate in his contract year next season, thats the important factor. Not the 25m or that a new contract would start below that number. Ah and good chances he is butthurt anyway. He came as the new face of the franchise and failed completly. And everyone knows he failed. Good chances he wanna start somewhere else instead of being a roleplayer for Luka.