Denver Nuggets guard/forward Will Barton will be betting on himself this season, choosing to play out the last season of his contract with the team.
After a solid two-and-a-half seasons at the Mile High City, Barton has been a deadly punch off the bench that has drawn plenty of interest from teams around the league, and while the Nuggets intend to keep him, “there is a sense in NBA circles that the right offer for Barton would get real consideration,” according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders.
Denver boasts plenty of depth at the guard position and could likely afford to dangle Barton on trade talks if the offers for him are enticing enough.
The Nuggets have the 13th overall selection in the 2017 NBA Draft and could cash in this very talented freshmen-led class with the likes of Louisville guard Donovan Mitchell, North Carolina forward Justin Jackson, and shooting guard Terrance Ferguson, who played in Australia last season.
Barton's 13.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists are very enticing numbers off the bench that are bound to grow elsewhere with the help of a more generous minute allocation.
If the Nuggets can sell high on Barton and notch another pick in this draft or another one for the future, they can load up even more in the list of young prospects.
Denver struck gold last year, drafting Jamal Murray out of Kentucky with the seventh overall pick, who had a serviceable season as a reserve shooting guard for the team.