NBA
Washington waives Will Barton to make way for Jordan Goodwin’s spot in the Wizards roster
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All posts by Antonio KozlowUpdated1 hour ago on April 26, 2024
Washington’s management are not resting this All-Star Break, as they are taking the opportunity to clean up the house a bit before the NBA competition is back this Thursday. The latest news is that player Will Barton has agreed to a contract buyout with the Wizards, making the wing a free agent as soon as he clears waivers.
As reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, both sides had expressed the importance of finding an agreement before the end of the month, as the Washington team knew that had to waive or buyout deals so that the players still remain eligible for playoff basketball this year.
This means Barton is free to sign with any team up until postseasons starts and still be able to play.
OFFICIAL: We have waived forward Will Barton.
more info → https://t.co/JASF2j66sW pic.twitter.com/LfTe1K78co
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) February 21, 2023
It hasn’t been the greatest season for Barton this time around, as the 32-year-old has only averaged 19.6 minutes in Washington, which is the lowest play rate he’s had since the beginning of his career.
His 7.7 points per game this season come after a 50.5% true shooting, 38.4% from beyond the arc, and his career-worst efficiency from field goals attempts with 39.5%. He also added 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists (1.1 turnovers) per match.
The foward was also known for his strong defensive qualities, which were seen greatly diminished throughout the current campaign. For example, Barton’s Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus (DEPM) this season is easily the lowest mark of his career, with minus-6.5. Everytime he was on the floor, his team suffered, producing at least 1.1 points per possession.
However, not all was poor this tournament. The athlete did produce some great, yet sporadic flashes of brilliance this championship. One of his best performances was a couple of months ago, as he dropped 22 points against the Nets, adding both 7 rebounds and 7 assists to his name.
Watch his highlights back on December 12th as Washington lost that home game against Brooklyn:
Goodwin agrees deal with the Wizards and will take Barton’s spot in the roster
Short after the announcement of Barton’s buyout, it was reported that the Washington management is converting guard Jordan Goodwin into a permanent player in the roster after signing a two-way deal to a standard contract.
Even though his stats aren’t as impressive as they may seem, this is a good business move from the Wizards, considering how well he’s fit the team on the floor and well, he’s 24-years-old and an investment for the future. The guard is averaging 6.3 points on 54.2% TS, 3.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists (0.9 turnovers) and 1.0 steals per contest.
Goodwin has also been a reliable shooter for his squad, dropping in nearly 39% of his attempts from beyond the arc. If he is able to improve his low volume shooting of 1.7 attempts per match, he might just become an invaluable asset with a rotation role in Washington.
The truth is, the 24-year-old has impressed many this campaign, especially the fans. As a guard, he is patient and navigates well with the ball in his possession. Although he is still shy and should dribble and shoot more often, we expect Goodwin to grow in boldness now that the team has placed the confidence in him he needed.
