Advertisement

Sources: Nuggets' Will Barton to become unrestricted free agent

Denver Nuggets guard/forward Will Barton will decline his player option for next season to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Barton's player option for the 2021-22 season is valued at $14.7 million. He signed a four-year, $53 million contract with the Nuggets in 2018.

As a playmaker with athleticism and a shooting touch, Barton will hit the market as one of the top guards available with hopes of securing a multi-year deal, and re-signing in Denver is very much an option, sources said.

The 30-year-old averaged 12.7 points during the 2020-21 season and shot a career-high 38.1% from beyond the arc.

He was sidelined for the latter part of the season because of a right hamstring injury and returned in the second-round series against the Phoenix Suns to give his team a boost.

Phoenix swept Denver to advance to the Western Conference finals. Barton was the team’s leading scorer in the elimination game, scoring 25 points with five boards.

Will Barton runs back on defense during a Nuggets game.
Will Barton hopes to secure a multi-year deal and could re-sign with the Denver Nuggets after declining his player option and entering free agency. (Aaron Ontiveroz/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) (AAron Ontiveroz/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images via Getty Images)

More from Yahoo Sports: