Will Barton, Nuggets ‘Hopeful’ For New Deal After He Declined Option
Denver Nuggets wing Will Barton has been in the franchise since the 2014-15 season, and while he will hit free agency this summer, both he and the team are optimistic that he will stick. As reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Barton has turned down player selection on his contract for the 2021-22 season, and will pay him $14.7 million.
Even so, there seems to be optimism on both sides of the equation that Barton won’t be leaving town, as the team and players want to work on a deal to keep him in Denver.
Denver Nuggets guard Will Barton will decline his $14.7 million player selection for the 2021-22 season, sources say @TheAthletic @Stadium. Both sides hope to find an agreement in the free agency.
– Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 17, 2021
ESPN Source: Denver Nuggets G/F Will Barton has turned down a $14.7 million player selection for the 2021-2022 season and will become a free agent. There is a strong interest between the organization and Barton to negotiate a new deal when the free company opens in August.
– Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 17, 2021
Nugget with the longest with 7 seasons, Barton’s top priority for Tim Connelly to keep long. He started 52 games and averaged 12.7 PPG. He lost several weeks to a hamstring injury at the start of the playoffs, but finished with a 25-point performance against the Suns in the knockouts. https://t.co/SV5HDPmKK
– Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 17, 2021
While Barton has been a reliable source of attack for the Nuggets over the years, injuries have limited him this past season to 56 games, with his 13 absences at the end of the season. That entailed a post-season period, where he missed all of Denver’s first series against the Portland Trail Blazers before returning for a 2-4 against the Phoenix Suns, all of which was a loss to the Nuggets.
During the season, the 30-year-old Barton averaged 12.7 points, 4 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 31 minutes per game while connecting for 42.6% of shots from the field and 38.1 % of his throws.
Report: Will Barton And The Nuggets Are ‘Hopeful’ For A New Deal After He Declined His Player Option
