Will Barton: Nuggets, Barton Have Mutual Interest

Barton said Wednesday that he hopes to return to Denver next season, the Denver Post reports. "I definitely would like to come back," Barton said. "They gave me a chance. I feel like we've got some good guys on this team, and if we keep building we have a strong future."

Analysis:

Barton, who came to Denver in the Arron Afflalo deal, averaged 11.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals for the Nuggets over the final two months of the season after playing sparingly in Portland. The Memphis product is set to become a restricted free agent this summer, and the Nuggets are expected to tender a qualifying offer. Doing so would afford the team the opportunity to to match any offer Barton might receive from another team. Of course, the offseason is still in its infantile stages, but at this point it appears as though Denver and Barton are headed toward a multi-year agreement.