The 2018 NBA Manifesto
Will Barton
SG - 6’6, 190lbs - 27 years old - 6 years of experience
Will Barton, the People’s Champion, is about to get a big pay rise.
This season, Barton played more of a point forward role than ever before. This was fairly new to him, and considering how often this resulted in him basically dribbling the whole shot clock before taking a Barton Shot (defined in Webster’s as “a much tougher shot than Will had to take”), that inexperience shone through. Nevertheless, it is Barton’s ability to hit Barton Shots that makes him the People’s Champion. As a bench scorer and leader, he is quite the potent reserve to bring in.
Asked to play point guard, small forward and reserve shooting guard at the same time, and simultaneously charged with the task of making tough bail-out shots and not taking tough shots in the first place, Barton filled an ill-defined role admirably. Confident as hell, Barton can score in isolation, even if he often shouldn’t, and as he has improved as a shooter, he can do so from all areas. He is much more efficient when he just moves the ball and spots up, as most players are, and much as the Nuggets do sometimes need him to create something as the clock expires, they more often than not do not want that. He just does it of his own volition. But that’s Will Barton. He giveth and he taketh away.
Similarly polarising on defence, where he can either be good or dreadful with little in between, Barton is a mystery wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a Kobe impression. But if he is not always good value, he is always good fun.
Player Plan: Expiring $3,533,333 contract. Headed towards an eight figure per annum sum, but Denver can only afford it if Faried is moved. Worth re-signing anyway, even in a Nene-like delayed sign-and-trade.
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SG - 6’6, 190lbs - 27 years old - 6 years of experience
Will Barton, the People’s Champion, is about to get a big pay rise.
This season, Barton played more of a point forward role than ever before. This was fairly new to him, and considering how often this resulted in him basically dribbling the whole shot clock before taking a Barton Shot (defined in Webster’s as “a much tougher shot than Will had to take”), that inexperience shone through. Nevertheless, it is Barton’s ability to hit Barton Shots that makes him the People’s Champion. As a bench scorer and leader, he is quite the potent reserve to bring in.
Asked to play point guard, small forward and reserve shooting guard at the same time, and simultaneously charged with the task of making tough bail-out shots and not taking tough shots in the first place, Barton filled an ill-defined role admirably. Confident as hell, Barton can score in isolation, even if he often shouldn’t, and as he has improved as a shooter, he can do so from all areas. He is much more efficient when he just moves the ball and spots up, as most players are, and much as the Nuggets do sometimes need him to create something as the clock expires, they more often than not do not want that. He just does it of his own volition. But that’s Will Barton. He giveth and he taketh away.
Similarly polarising on defence, where he can either be good or dreadful with little in between, Barton is a mystery wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a Kobe impression. But if he is not always good value, he is always good fun.
Player Plan: Expiring $3,533,333 contract. Headed towards an eight figure per annum sum, but Denver can only afford it if Faried is moved. Worth re-signing anyway, even in a Nene-like delayed sign-and-trade.