Looking at the Denver Nuggets’ Loaded Backcourt
By Drew Albee
Will Barton
The Nuggets’ 25-year old swingman, Will “The Thrill” Barton, exploded onto the NBA scene last year. Injuries impacted fellow wing players Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari last season, which opened the door for Barton to see the court. In three previous seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, Barton played a mere 1,581 minutes before registering 2,353 minutes in a vital role off of the Nuggets’ bench in 2015-16.
In his upgraded role, Barton averaged career highs in nearly every statistical category, finishing with career-high per game averages of 14.4 points, 2.5 assists and an outstanding 5.8 rebounds. Barton was given the responsibility of creating offense for the Nuggets’ second unit — one of the league’s highest scoring benches — and he took advantage, leading the league with 38 15+ point games off of the bench. As a result, Barton finished a respectable fourth in Sixth Man of the Year voting.
Barton’s role for next season is unclear, as when the Nuggets are completely healthy, they have other players that can create offense off of the bench, as well. Opportunities for Barton may be fewer and further between in 2016-17 than they were in his breakout campaign last year, but he has shown he has the talent to take advantage of those opportunities.
Next: Rookie 'Combo' Guard Jamal Murray