Ex-Nuggets playoff piece drawing interest as buyout candidate

Jan 30, 2020; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Will Barton (5) warms up before the game against the Utah Jazz at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

A seasoned veteran role player could soon be up for grabs on the NBA buyout market.

Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports is reporting this week that rival executives are monitoring Washington Wizards swingman Will Barton as a possible buyout candidate following the Feb. 9 trade deadline. The 32-year-old is in the final season of his contract.

Barton has been through plenty of playoff warfare before. He got some solid minutes (including a handful of starts) for the Denver Nuggets during their postseason runs in 2019, 2021, and 2022. Barton was also on the roster for Denver’s Western Conference Finals berth in 2020 but did not play because of a knee injury.

As a lengthy wing who has shot over 37 percent from three in the last four seasons, plays decent defense, and can create opportunities off the bounce, Barton is the type of player that teams would love to have in their rotation during the playoffs. He might not get that chance in Washington though since the Wizards are only 20-26 and just traded away a talented player. Those are reasons why Barton is being eyed as a potential buyout option.