San Antonio Spurs’ new veteran Harrison Barnes already embracing ‘warm welcome’

It was a patient move, just like the rest of them.

That’s Wright’s philosophy.

“The group has done an excellent job of identifying opportunities to build a team,” he said of San Antonio’s off-season transfers.

But what exactly does Barnes bring to Spurs?

There are two sides to this. One side involves his talent on the court — that is, his marksmanship — while the other side involves his future mentorship of the rest of the roster, who are still learning to “play,” as Gregg Popovich would say.

This last point is especially important for the new veteran.

“Obviously, coming in with CP, we’re two of the older guys in the locker room,” Barnes said. “Just getting a chance to talk to some of the guys here, there’s good energy, good excitement. I’m definitely looking forward to putting my arm around guys and getting started.”

Mentoring a team in the NBA is not a job to take lightly, and Barnes knows that all too well. He probably would have welcomed the chance to do so with another team, but he wasn’t shy about talking about what makes San Antonio a unique, positive destination at this stage of his career.

“It takes a while to build things in this league,” Barnes said. “To be good, you have to have a formula for success. And I think Spurs have been one of the strongest teams I’ve ever played against over the years.

“They are a first-class organization in every way.”

The 32-year-old certainly knows what he’s talking about. When he first entered the league, he witnessed stars like Steph Curry and Klay Thompson in their glory days, even winning a title in 2015 alongside the iconic duo.

READ MORE: What’s going on with Spurs’ squad? What are the scenarios?

That level of success hasn’t been as high since, but it’s certainly no indication of what Barnes knows he can bring to a team, especially one as storied as San Antonio. For him, playing with the Spurs is a new experience, yet an oddly familiar one — and perhaps long-awaited one.

Because playing for the Silver & Black meant playing for Gregg Popovich.

“I’ve played against the Spurs for years and I have the utmost respect for the franchise and everything they’ve accomplished,” Barnes said. “The opportunity to play for Pop, get some experience with him. … He’s a character. I’m just happy to be here with this group.”

Barnes got the chance to play under Popovich, albeit on a limited basis, during the 2019 FIBA ​​World Cup, where he got a first-hand experience of what it was like to play for one of the NBA’s best coaches.

“The guy is a basketball encyclopedia,” Barnes said of his new coach. “We get history lessons in the meetings about everything you can think of, (but) somehow it comes back to basketball, but how it starts — you have no idea where it’s going to go.”

Whether it’s because of that past experience or simply what he’s seen from Barnes during his 12-year professional career, Popovich was full of praise for his veteran.

“(To have) Paul and Harrison at this stage of (their) careers is really great for the youngsters we have,” the coach said. “When a player you respect says the same things we do, sometimes that’s a lot more valuable to a player. It’s great to have them around.”

While the Spurs benefit from having a player like Barnes on the court and in the locker room, he had to want it. Before the DeRozan trade, Barnes had a no-trade kicker on his deal that he waived to make the trade go through.

Popovich played a role in that decision, but it also had to do with the clear pull many veterans around the league felt to play in San Antonio: a rising NBA sophomore named Victor Wembanyama.

READ MORE: Chris Paul understands expectations but knows what he wants with Spurs

“He’s a great young player in this league,” Barnes said. “Certainly on his way to being one of the best. He was a big part of it.”

And of course the culture surrounding the franchise in San Antonio.

“Since I landed, (I feel) warmth from everyone in his building,” he said. “In a genuine way. Not something that’s for show … (it’s) real how people are treated here.”

Barnes, Paul and Wembanyama are a unique trio for Spurs. Even last season, Wembanyama was one of the youngest players in the team, but now he has real experienced mentors at his side. As a cornerstone of the budding squad, learning from them will be especially important.

And on the other hand, Barnes is ready for that challenge.

“(I’m here) to do whatever is asked of me,” he said. “The goal of every season is to go out there, play 82 games and do my best. The last two seasons I’ve been able to do that, so I’m excited to build with this group.”