When the Nuggets started to turn their franchise around in the mid-2010s, one of the central figures was Will “the thrill” Barton. The flashy guard was brought to Denver in a trade back in 2015, and played with the team for parts of 8 seasons before being dealt to the Wizards in 2022. After bouncing around the basketball world for a few years, Barton has signed with DMV Trilogy of the Big 3.
Barton will join the Baltimore-based franchise in Ice Cube’s 3-on-3 professional basketball league immediately and is expected to make his debut on Sunday when the team plays the Detroit Amp.
He last played in the NBA in 2023, appearing in 40 games for the Wizards, but was bought out by the team after just half a season in Washington. He latched on with the Raptors for the rest of the season, but has been out of the league ever since.
It was an abrupt downfall for a player who was great in his time with the Nuggets for a long time. He appeared in 479 games for Denver, averaging 14 points per game and being voted top 5 for the 6th Man of the Year Award on two separate occasions.
Barton bounced around internationally for past two years
Since leaving the Raptors after the 2022-23 season, Barton has been a part of five different teams across four different countries and leagues. In April of this year, Barton announced his retirement from professional basketball.
But now, The Thrill will be back on a basketball court, taking his talents to a new league where he can emphasize his skills in the three-on-three setting. With the DMV Trilogy, he’ll join a team that features other pros: Earl Clark, Isaiah Briscoe, Isaiah Austin, Donte Green, and Franklin Session. The team is coached by former NBA legend Stephen Jackson.
Barton was part of KCP trade which led to title
While it was tough to part with Barton in some ways, it was necessary. The Nuggets had gone as far as they could with that crew, and it was time for a change. Trading Barton and Monte Morris for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith proved to be one of the best moves Calvin Booth ever made in Denver.
KCP became a key part of the starting lineup immediately and played a key role in the Nuggets’ first championship in franchise history in 2023. He left the team in the 2024 offseason, signing with the Magic, and has since been traded to Memphis as part of the Desmond Bane deal.