4 NBA free agents whose careers the Milwaukee Bucks can revive
By Franco Luna
Free agents whose careers the Milwaukee Bucks can revive: No. 2 – Will Barton
Will Barton has fallen far from his peak glory days with the now-champion Denver Nuggets. After once putting pen to paper on a two-year, $32 million dollar deal with the Nuggets, Barton’s most recent contract was a buyout contract worth $684,712 with the Toronto Raptors, according to Spotrac.
The Milwaukee Bucks have always managed to maximize their glue-guy wings (just look at Pat Connaughton’s trajectory), and they could potentially revive Will Barton’s career. Barton has been relatively inconsistent and injury-prone throughout his career, but he is a talented scorer and playmaker who has had some success in the NBA. A change of scenery with a contending team could be just what Barton needs to get his career back on track.
Milwaukee is already stacked with wing talent, but none of them are as established in that position as Barton. Guys like Marjon Beauchamp, Chris Livingston, and Andre Jackson Jr. are still project pieces until they can prove otherwise, and the Bucks will need pieces that can help them win now.
In terms of his skill set, the Bucks would be a good fit for Barton for a few reasons. More than anything else, they need to add more scoring punch off the bench. Barton is a capable scorer who can create his own shot and a decent play-connector who can keep the ball moving around the court in a near Joe Ingles-esque fashion. He would also give the Milwaukee Bucks more flexibility on offense, as he can play both guard and forward positions.
Will Barton had a solid season in 2022-23, averaging 6.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, and two assists per game. He shot 43.4 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from 3-point range. Barton was a consistent scorer for the Toronto Raptors, and he was also a good playmaker and rebounder.
Barton’s 3-point efficiency and perimeter defense could both use some marginal improvement, but he’s still a solid player with years of evidence to show for it. He shot 35.2 percent from 3-point range in 2022-23, which is below his career average of 36.7 percent.
Despite these setbacks, Barton has still been a productive player in the NBA. If Barton can improve his 3-point shooting, he would become even more dangerous as a scorer. And playing off the all-world gravity of Giannis Antetokounmpo might just be the best place to unlock that last bit of potential remaining.