Former Sixers Trade Target Reaches Buyout With Wizards

With the 2023 NBA trade deadline in the past, the buyout market has been active over the last week. On Tuesday, another notable veteran is set to hit the free agency market.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, veteran guard Will Barton has completed a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards. Soon, Barton will explore joining a new team.

In the past, Barton has been linked to the Philadelphia 76ers as a potential trade target. Dating back to Barton’s days as a member of the Denver Nuggets, he was one of a handful of guards the Sixers reportedly considered as they searched for reliable depth ahead of their playoff runs.

As we know now, the Sixers never struck a deal to acquire Barton. For seven-straight seasons, Barton started for the Nuggets. Last year, he appeared in 71 games, averaging 15 points per game while knocking down 37 percent of his threes.

This past offseason, Barton was a popular name in the trade market. Back in July, the veteran was traded alongside Monte Morris to the Wizards in a deal that landed the Nuggets Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Ish Smith.

This year, Barton has appeared in 40 games for the Wizards. Spending roughly 20 minutes on the court, Barton struggled to hit his stride with the Wizards, averaging fewer than ten points for the first time since 2014-2015.

Along with his scoring numbers, Barton’s shooting average dipped to 38 percent in his 40-game run with Washington. The last time Barton appeared on the court, he checked in for five minutes against the Charlotte Hornets on February 8. Since then, he missed Washington’s last four games before the NBA All-Star break.

With Barton set to hit the free agency market, he’ll likely search for a team that’s ready to contend for a title. While the Sixers reportedly showed interest in Barton in the past, they are unlikely to consider bringing on the veteran as they filled up their roster last week with the addition of Dewayne Dedmon.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.