Tap here to view theScore's NBA Offseason Tracker, which includes the latest transactions and rumors.
The Thrill is staying still.
The Denver Nuggets are finalizing a three-year deal to re-sign restricted free agent Will Barton, according to a report from Chris Haynes of Northeast Ohio Media Group. The contract is expected to pay Barton roughly $10 million in total, and could be signed as soon as Saturday.
It was always believed that the Nuggets were intent on bringing back Barton, who excelled after being acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers at the trade deadline.
"It was a blessing in disguise," Barton said in May of his change of scenery.
The 2012 No. 40 overall pick struggled to crack head coach Terry Stotts's rotation in Portland, averaging 11 minutes in 144 games over two-and-a-half seasons. A rebuilding Nuggets squad unleashed him down the stretch in order to see what they had in the 24-year-old, and he responded by averaging 11 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.2 steals in 28 games.
Barton brings tons of energy off the bench, flying around the court and setting the tone on defense and in transition. Because he's not a strong shooter - he's hit 23 percent of his career 3-point attempts - he's best used with the ball in his hands, functioning as a secondary initiator on second units.
That energy also flows to the defensive end, where Barton is quick enough to occasionally check point guards, and long enough - he has a 6-foot-10 wingspan - to spend time on small forwards. His style of play can also bring some negatives, as he averaged 1.6 turnovers in 24.4 minutes with Denver, but for the most part it's infectious and effective.
Landing Barton at $3-million-and-change annually is a smart bet on a heady player getting even better as he enters his prime years, and it will look like a pittance if the cap goes beyond $100 million in 2017, as expected.
