Will Barton – Denver Nuggets
One of the most underrated and underappreciated players in the league this year has been Will Barton. Now in his 9th season in the league, Barton has stepped up into a much bigger role for Denver this year with Jerami Grant departing for the Pistons.
In 47 games, Will Barton has averaged 12.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and is shooting 38% from three-point range. While he may not be the best scorer on his team or the best shooter, Will Barton affects the game in more ways than one and is a really solid two-way wing.
He takes a ton of pressure off of other high-level players on the Nuggets roster like Jokic, Murray and Porter Jr. and his ability to make extra passes and open up space on the court is what has made this team a dark-horse to potentially make the NBA Finals this season.
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While they have Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum on the wing, adding Will Barton could really make a difference for this team as a result of everything he does. He can crash the glass or rebounds, disrupt passing lanes because of his length and can push the ball in transition, either getting to the rim or knocking down a shot from the perimeter.
Will Barton will be in the final year of his contract next season, assuming he does not opt out of his contract, and is set to be paid $14.6M, which is definitely affordable for the Celtics with their trade exceptions.
