Sources: Free agent Harrison Barnes signing new $54 million contract with Sacramento Kings

NBA free agency doesn’t start until 3 p.m. Friday, but the Kings have already made their first move.

League sources told The Sacramento Bee on Thursday the Kings have reached an agreement to bring veteran forward Harrison Barnes back on a new three-year, $54 million contract, as first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Barnes, 31, will earn an average of $18 million per year. The deal includes a 10% trade kicker, a source with knowledge of the situation told The Athletic.

Barnes has spent five seasons in Sacramento since the Kings acquired him in a trade with the Dallas Mavericks in February 2019. He started all 82 games last season, averaging 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 47.3% from the field and 37.4% from 3-point range.

Barnes, who has been a consummate professional and a strong locker room presence in Sacramento, was set to become an unrestricted free agent Friday. Barnes first hinted as his desire to stay in Sacramento in a February interview with The Bee as the Kings closed in on their first playoff berth since 2006.

“Just being in this situation now, after having sweat equity in this, I think, obviously, me and (De’Aaron) Fox are the only two here from when I got here,” Barnes said. “Me, Fox and (Richaun Holmes), being through a couple different cycles, I think it’s just rewarding to be a part of this group, and hopefully we can continue to build on that. I’m here. Those things are out of my control. Whatever they put on the table, we’ll go from there.”

Kings coach Mike Brown stressed how important Barnes has been to the team during Sacramento’s first-round playoff series against the Golden State Warriors, calling him “irreplaceable.”

“He’s of the utmost importance to us, not just on the floor, not just late in ballgames, not just in ballgames, but even off the floor and as we go about our daily routines,” Brown said. “To watch him handle his routine and that type of stuff is extremely beneficial for all of us, especially including our young guys, so I truly believe he’s irreplaceable because of the things he brings off the floor as well as on the floor and his championship pedigree. We lean on him for a lot and we will continue to going forward.”

Brown deferred to Kings general manager Monte McNair and assistant general manager Wes Wilcox when asked if that meant he wanted Barnes to return next season, but he made his feelings clear.

“I’m not trying to be funny, but that’s what irreplaceable means. He’s irreplaceable,” Brown said. “Having said that, that’s Monte and Wes’ area. … There’s nobody, at the end of the day, who’s going to be forever and ever in this league and this organization, but HB definitely is a guy who has been a big, big part of what we’ve got going here, and I hope he’s a big, big, big part of what our future looks like.”