The Denver Nuggets are making sure that Will Barton does not wind up on the open market as a free agent. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski was reporting that a deal is expected to be reached between the Nuggets and Will Barton. That deal wound being a four-year, $54 million contract, according to ESPN .
The news of the Nuggets push to re-sign Will Barton comes just days after Denver Stiffs reported that the Indiana Pacers were interested in bringing him in. Now it becomes clear that Barton will be back with the Nuggets.
Because of league rules restricting NBA teams and players discussing contract negotiations prior to July 1, nothing can be made official. Wojnarowski notes that an agreement will be reached shortly after midnight, EST, suggests that both sides have already engaged in preliminary contract discussions. Those talks likely took place before the end of the NBA season.
Will Barton has enjoyed a couple of good seasons with the Denver Nuggets, who acquired him from the Portland Trail Blazers in a trade midway through the 2014-15 season. It was not until the following year when Barton began to pay big dividends.
Injuries forced Will Barton into the Nuggets’ starting lineup for 40 games this past season. Whenever he has started, Barton has played remarkably well, averaging 17.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in those games.
Will Barton’s usage rate of 19.5 percent was surprisingly lower as a starter than the 22.6 percentage as a reserve. Conversely, the Nuggets’ sixth-man has a much better plus-minus when he was inserted in the starting lineup.
The Denver Nuggets and Will Barton are discussing new contract, according to reports. https://t.co/EN8nSqnTLf pic.twitter.com/6XyhuOZSVl
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) July 1, 2018
Some people have questioned Will Barton’s game, considering him more of a product of the Denver Nuggets’ system than anything else. Barton struggled during his time with the Trail Blazers, although that can be summed up as a lack of opportunities more than anything else.
Once the Nuggets gave Barton a chance to play, he has done nothing but reward them. It will likely turn into a multi-year contract for Barton.
Locking up Barton was the first order of business for the Denver Nuggets. They will have some roster decisions to make regarding possible trades for forwards Wilson Chandler and Kenneth Faried. Also on the Nuggets’ agenda was to sign star center Nikola Jokic to a multi-year extension, which the were able to agree to terms on a five-year extension for the maximum.
Will Barton has serves as the primary facilitator for the Nuggets’ second unit, while Nikola Jokic gets the offense going for the starters. Being able to retain Barton should pave the way for the remainder of the Denver Nuggets moves.
