FILE – Will Barton #5 of the Washington Wizards shoots the ball over Larry Nance Jr. #22 of the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on January 28, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Chris Graythen/Getty Images/AFP
Swingman Will Barton reached an agreement on a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards and will become a free agent, ESPN reported Tuesday.
The team officially announced it waived Barton on Tuesday afternoon.
Barton, 32, will be playoff-eligible provided he signs with a new team ahead of the March 1 deadline. He was making $14.375 million in the final year of his contract.
Barton is averaging 7.7 points per game in 40 appearances off the bench for the Wizards this season, his first in D.C. He’s shooting just 38.7 percent from the floor.
Barton was dealt to Washington in the summer trade that sent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith to the Denver Nuggets.
Barton averages 11.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in 663 career contests (284 starts) with the Portland Trail Blazers (2012-15), Nuggets (2015-22) and Wizards. The Blazers selected Barton in the second round of the 2012 draft.