The Spurs playing Harrison Barnes over Carter Bryant isn’t without risk

Cal Durrett of Air Alamo argues that San Antonio Spurs coach Mitch Johnson's decision to play veteran Harrison Barnes over second-year wing Carter Bryant carries long-term risks. While Bryant recently picked up his first DNP of the season, Barnes has re-entered the rotation to supply much-needed perimeter spacing for an offense ranking 17th in 3-point percentage across its first 10 games.

Durrett notes that Barnes provides a short-term shooting boost, averaging 5.7 points on 37.0% shooting from beyond the arc in 13.7 minutes per game. However, the writer contends that benching Bryant could hamper his development when the Spurs still need him to emerge as a vital lockdown defender on the wing.