Reaction to Will Barton being a buyout target for the Milwaukee Bucks

With the trade deadline nearing, everyone wants to know what the Milwaukee Bucks will do.

Will they strengthen their forward depth by adding Jae Crowder or Cam Reddish? Will they try to bulk up their offense with Bojan Bogdanovic? These are some of the questions that will have to be answered in the coming weeks. Everyone has been discussing the trade deadline lately, but there has not been much chatter regarding the buyout market, which tends to take shape right after. However, the rumors have now started to flood in.

On a recent episode of The Mismatch, The Ringer’s Chris Vernon had some interesting things to say about Washington Wizards’ wing Will Barton and his future with the team.

"Somebody told me maybe like a week ago, out of nowhere, and there has been some buzz about Will Barton getting bought out. And that if he does possibly get bought out, just keep an eye on Bucks or Nets."

Reaction to Will Barton being a buyout target for the Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks’ rumored interest in Barton makes a lot of sense. While it is unclear what their roster will look like following the NBA trade deadline, the Bucks could always use another wing scorer. Over the previous seven seasons, Barton has averaged 14.2 points while shooting 43.7 percent from the floor and 36.5 percent from behind the arc. Given how stagnant Milwaukee’s offense gets at times, having a player like Barton who can put points on the board quickly would help.

In addition to his scoring, there are several other reasons why Barton would be a great piece for the Bucks, including his height. As it stands, the only wings who are permanently in Milwaukee’s rotation who are above 6-foot-5 are Khris Middleton and Joe Ingles. The 6-foot-6 Barton would give the Bucks some length, which could be useful in defending opposing wings. Speaking of that, Barton is not a lackluster defender either. He might not dazzle on that side of the ball, but he can hold his own when called upon.

Barton’s fit in Milwaukee would primarily be about his offense and ability to create some shots, but solid defense would only solidify his desirability.

Playoff experience is also something Barton would bring to the table in Milwaukee. The wing has appeared in 29 playoff games in his career with the Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets. In his last two playoff runs over the past two years, Barton has averaged 14.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. Adding another experienced veteran who can produce numbers like that would be a tremendous addition to this Bucks roster, especially if they are able to snag him off of the buyout market for cheap.

For any of this to happen, the Wizards will first have to buy Barton out of his current deal, which seems to be a possibility. If so, the Bucks must make a strong run at the veteran forward.

Stay tuned to see if these Will Barton rumors amount to anything leading up to the trade deadline and buyout sweepstakes.