NBA: Ranking all 30 starting small forwards for 2018-19

12. Will Barton, Denver Nuggets

Will Barton got overpaid in free agency this summer, but no one can say he didn’t earn some kind of payday after his career year, averaging 15.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game on tidy .452/.370/.805 shooting splits.

With Wilson Chandler gone, the Denver Nuggets are paying Barton to be their new starting small forward. The second unit will miss his scoring punch off the bench, but was already playing starter’s minutes last year anyway.

There are times when Barton gets a little shot-happy and tries too hard to take the game into his own hands, and he’s certainly no lockdown defender, but with the title of starting small forward, he may be able to build on his career year with a more efficient 3-point shot and more opportunities. Plus, he’s still only 27, so he’s barely entering his prime now.