Fansided

NBA Free Agency 2018: 20 best players available

By Micah Wimmer

NEW ORLEANS, LA - MARCH 22: Isaiah Thomas #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts before a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on March 22, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - MARCH 22: Isaiah Thomas #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts before a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on March 22, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – APRIL 11: Will Barton #5 of the Denver Nuggets defends against Jeff Teague #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the game on April 11, 2018 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Nuggets 112-106. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – APRIL 11: Will Barton #5 of the Denver Nuggets defends against Jeff Teague #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the game on April 11, 2018 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Nuggets 112-106. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

16. Will Barton

Since Barton was traded to Denver three years ago, he has developed into one of the best bench scorers in the league – an athletic guard who is able to score both inside with savvy cuts and drives as well as from outside with his jump shot. Still only 27, Barton figures to be a valuable player for a while. And while he has proven his worth as a sixth man, he also showed promise as a starter when he filled in for the injured Gary Harris the last 13 games of the season. In those 13 games, he averaged nearly 20 points per game while shooting 40 percent from 3. Barton’s game is still improving too as this past season, he posted career highs in assists, field goal percentage, and PER. It’s hard to see him improving much more, but regardless, this is a good scorer who knows his role and performs it quite well.

Barton has appreciated Denver for giving him the minutes he was unable to find in Portland at the beginning of his career and he may reward their faith in him with a sense of loyalty in negotiations. Also, if Denver is interested, rejoining the Nuggets would likely be a much better situation for Barton than joining a rebuilding team, even if he were able to garner more minutes elsewhere, considering the Nuggets’ promising young core led by Nikola Jokic, Gary Harris, and Jamal Murray. Unfortunately, though, the Nuggets already have over 100 million in payroll committed for next season – assuming Wilson Chandler and Darrell Arthur opt in to their respective player options – but since the Nuggets possess Barton’s Bird Rights, they can go over the cap to resign him. The primary obstacle to this is the fact that working on a rookie extension for Jokic will be the Nuggets’ main goal this offseason. Jokic will command a near maximum salary and it’s entirely possible that the Nuggets are unwilling to approach the luxury tax in future seasons so they can sign Barton and Jokic now; if forced to make a choice between the two, Barton will be the one looking for a new team.

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