NBA: Top 10 Candidates For Sixth Man Of The Year Award In 2016-17

Mar 6, 2016; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Enes Kanter (11) keeps a ball in bound against Milwaukee Bucks center Greg Monroe (15) in the third quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. The Thunder beat the Bucks 104-96. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports /

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Apr 10, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Will Barton (5) dribbles the ball in the fourth quarter against the Utah Jazz at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /

7. Will Barton

Will Barton was another frontrunner for the Sixth Man of the Year Award early in 2015-16, putting up a whopping 20.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in the month of December. But as Barton’s numbers came back down to earth and the Denver Nuggets coped with injuries, Mile High’s emerging sixth man fell back in the conversation.

Barton finished his breakout year with averages of 14.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, shooting 43.2 percent from the field and a career-high 34.5 percent from three-point range for a 33-win Nuggets team.

The problem with Barton’s second half of the season was his consistency, and not just from long range. One night he’d be good for 20+ points; the next game he’d fail to reach double-digits at all. With the Nuggets trying to build something special in an ongoing youth movement, perhaps another season under his belt will help Denver’s new Corey Brewer find a more consistent groove.

Barton finished fourth in Sixth Man of the Year voting last season, so if the Nuggets take a significant step forward and Barton manages to increase his efficiency a bit, he could be a very strong candidate for the award.