Will Barton: Fantasy Basketball Sleeper Pick

will barton fantasy basketball

Will Norman Barton III, born in 1991 in Baltimore, Maryland, has had an extensive basketball career. He attended four prep schools in five years, including Baltimore City College and National Christian Academy. Barton played for the Denver Nuggets, with whom he signed a two-year, $32 million deal in the 2021 offseason, and later the Toronto Raptors. Barton's performance has been inconsistent, and he has been plagued by injuries, playing only 157 games in the past three seasons. Despite this, he has had some impressive performances, such as scoring a career-high 26 points in a win over the Houston Rockets in 2015. Barton's fantasy basketball value has fluctuated over the years, and he has been considered a risky choice for fantasy team managers due to his injury history and inconsistent playing time.

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Will Barton's injury history

Will Barton has had an injury-prone NBA career so far, with his history of injuries impacting his fantasy basketball stock.

Barton has had several ankle injuries throughout his career. In 2022, he missed several games for the Toronto Raptors due to an ankle injury, including a game against the Washington Wizards, where he played just four minutes before departing with a left ankle sprain. He also suffered an ankle injury while playing for the Denver Nuggets, which kept him out of a game against the Warriors.

Barton has also dealt with hamstring issues, being ruled out of games for the Nuggets due to right hamstring tightness and a hamstring strain. He was expected to test his hamstring ahead of a game against the Suns and was listed as questionable with a non-COVID-related illness.

In addition to these injuries, Barton has also missed games due to illness, including a non-COVID illness that kept him out of a game against the Clippers. He has also had to sit out due to a left ankle sprain, which impacted his playing time and performance.

Despite his injury history, Barton has shown promising statistics when healthy. During the 2017-18 season, he averaged 15.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.0 steals, ranking him among the top 15 players in the league. However, his injury history and inconsistent play have impacted his fantasy value, causing him to fall outside the top 300 in the 2022-23 season.

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Barton's performance with the Denver Nuggets

Will Barton's performance with the Denver Nuggets has been impressive, with several notable achievements and contributions to the team's success. On February 19, 2015, Barton was traded to the Denver Nuggets and quickly made an impact. He re-signed with the team on August 7, 2015, and just a few months later, on November 13, he scored a career-high 26 points in a victory over the Houston Rockets. He continued his strong form and bettered his previous record by scoring 32 points against the New Orleans Pelicans on December 20, earning him recognition as a contender for the 2015-16 Sixth Man of the Year award.

During the 2016-17 season, Barton faced some injury setbacks, appearing in just 6 of the Nuggets' first 18 games. However, he still managed to put up impressive numbers, including a season-high 26 points and 8 assists in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers on January 17, 2017. He then went on to score a season-high 31 points and hit five three-pointers in a victory over the Dallas Mavericks on February 6, showcasing his ability to bounce back from adversity.

Barton continued to be a valuable asset for the Nuggets, re-signing with the team in 2018. Unfortunately, he suffered a right hip injury early in the season, causing him to miss several weeks of action. Upon his return, he showed resilience and determination, scoring 21 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in a close loss to the Utah Jazz on February 28. On March 4, 2022, Barton achieved another milestone, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in made three-pointers, surpassing J.R. Smith.

Throughout his time with the Denver Nuggets, Barton consistently contributed to the team's success, displaying a well-rounded game. He averaged impressive numbers in points, rebounds, assists, and steals, showcasing his versatility and impact on both ends of the court. Barton's performance earned him the love and support of Nuggets fans, who even started a ""Will Barton" chant during a game, to which he humbly replied, "I like to think I'm the people's champ." Barton's impact on the court, combined with his connection with the fans, solidified his place as a key member of the Denver Nuggets during his time with the organization.

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Will Barton's fantasy value

Barton's value can be impacted by injuries, as evidenced by his 2016-17 season where he missed several games due to a sprained ankle. In the 2021 offseason, despite injury issues and inconsistent play, the Nuggets signed Barton to a two-year, $32 million deal, indicating their belief in his potential. With the absence of Jamal Murray for the majority of the 2021-22 season, Barton was expected to take on a larger role and see more minutes on the court.

In the 2022-23 season, Barton's fantasy value took a significant hit as he averaged just 2.4 points and 1.2 rebounds in 10.2 minutes per game for the Toronto Raptors. He struggled to find consistent playing time and his production declined as a result. However, there were occasional glimpses of his potential value, such as in his first game with the Raptors, where he scored 15 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in 27 minutes.

Barton's fantasy value is heavily influenced by his playing time and ability to stay healthy. When given sufficient minutes, he has shown the ability to produce solid fantasy numbers, particularly in the 2015-16 season when he was recognized as a contender for the Sixth Man of the Year award. However, with advancing age and strong competition from other players, maintaining a consistent role in the rotation may be challenging for him.

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Barton's performance in the 2022-23 season

Will Barton's performance in the 2022-23 season was a far cry from his glory days with the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers. After averaging 6.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 17.7 minutes per game while shooting just 37.9% from the field, Barton's time in the NBA seemed to be coming to an end.

Barton's decline in form was evident, as he went from being a top-90 player in the previous season to falling outside the top 300 in 2022-23. His minutes on the court decreased significantly, and he was unable to make an impact during his time on the court. In one particular game, Barton played just 11 minutes, scoring only three points and grabbing one rebound.

Injuries also plagued Barton during this season, as he dealt with a sprained ankle that caused him to miss multiple games. He returned from a three-game absence and posted his third-highest scoring total of the season, but his scoring had been lackluster for most of the season. He averaged just 4.2 points in his previous 14 appearances, and it had been over a month since he scored in double figures.

Barton's fantasy value took a significant hit during the 2022-23 season. His all-around playstyle, which had made him a valuable fantasy asset in the past, was no longer enough to make up for his declining production and limited playing time.

Despite his struggles, Barton remained a veteran presence on the Toronto Raptors, providing experience from his 12 seasons in the NBA. However, his impact on the court was minimal, and he was unable to replicate the success he had earlier in his career.

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Barton's career-highs

Will Barton is an American basketball player who plays shooting guard and small forward. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and grew up in a single-parent household with two siblings. Barton attended four different high schools over five years and was rated the best shooting guard by Scout.com and ESPN.com in his senior year. He chose to attend the University of Memphis, where he played every game in his freshman season and led the team in scoring with 12.3 points per game.

Barton had a breakout sophomore season, leading the Tigers in points per game (18.0) and rebounds per game (8.0). He then decided to forgo his final two years of eligibility and declare for the 2012 NBA Draft, where he was selected 40th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers. On February 26, 2014, Barton recorded a season-high 20 points and a career-high 11 rebounds in a 124-80 win over the Brooklyn Nets. This performance earned him the nickname "The People's Champ" from Trail Blazers fans.

On February 19, 2015, Barton was traded to the Denver Nuggets. He re-signed with the Nuggets on August 7, 2015, and scored a career-high 26 points in a win over the Houston Rockets on November 13, 2015. Barton continued to improve and put up several impressive performances over the next few seasons. On December 20, 2015, he scored 32 points against the New Orleans Pelicans, further establishing himself as a contender for the 2015-16 Sixth Man of the Year award. Barton's strong performances continued into 2017, where he had several season-high scoring outings, including a 35-point performance against the Los Angeles Clippers on March 16, 2017, which was a new career-high.

Barton re-signed with the Nuggets again on July 9, 2018, and continued to be a key contributor for the team. However, he suffered a right hip injury early in the 2018-19 season that sidelined him for an extended period. He returned to action on January 12, 2019, against the Phoenix Suns. In recent years, Barton has continued to be a reliable scorer for the Nuggets, and his active social media presence has made him a fan favorite off the court as well.

Frequently asked questions

Barton has been one of the most inconsistent fantasy players due to his injury history. However, in 2021, he signed a two-year, $32 million deal with the Nuggets, indicating his potential for a great season.

On December 20, Barton scored 32 points against the New Orleans Pelicans. He also recorded 11 rebounds in a game against the Brooklyn Nets in 2014.

Barton ranked 193rd in 2018-19, 71st in 2019-20, and 147th in 2020-21.

Barton has played for the Denver Nuggets, the Guangdong Southern Tigers, and the Atléticos de San Germán. He has also played for multiple high schools and academies.

Barton has been ruled out of Sunday's game due to an ankle injury. However, he is expected to return for Tuesday's game against the Hornets.

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