Barton tallied 12 points (3-10 FG, 1-7 3Pt, 5-6 FT), a rebound and three assists in 23 minutes in a 104-95 loss Sunday against the Warriors in a preseason contest in Japan.

EDGE Analysis

In his first appearance of the preseason, Barton struggled from the field. He missed the Wizards' first preseason game due to a lower back injury and wasn't announced as a starter Sunday until close to game time. Washington acquired the 31-year-old in July from Denver and hopes he will maintain his production from eight seasons with the Nuggets when he averaged 14 points per game and made 36.2 percent of three-point attempts.

Barton is starting Sunday against the Warriors, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic.

EDGE Analysis

Morris went from being probable, to being confirmed as available and finally to end up as a starter in a matter of hours. The veteran will replace Bradley Beal, who was given an scheduled rest day for this contest.

Barton (back) will play Sunday against the Warriors, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic.

EDGE Analysis

Head coach Wes Unseld confirmed the availability of the veteran sharpshooter, who missed the previous preseason contest with lower back soreness. Barton averaged 14.7 points per game while shooting 36.5 percent from three-point range during the 2021-22 season.

Barton (back) has been listed as probable for Sunday's game against the Warriors, according to Ava Wallace of The Washington Post.

EDGE Analysis

The 31-year-old veteran did not face the Warriors in the preseason opener, but there is a chance he can play this time around since his injury has never been deemed serious in the first place. Barton is expected to play a consistent scoring role for Washington in 2022-23.

Barton didn't play in Friday's preseason opener against the Warriors in Japan due to lower-back tightness, Ava Wallace of The Washington Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 31-year-old apparently had his back tighten up during the long flight to Japan, so the Wizards opted to play it safe and hold him out of Friday's exhibition, per Wallace. It appears to be a minor concern since coach Wes Unseld Jr. said Barton would have played were it the regular season.

Barton was traded to the Wizards from the Nuggets on Wednesday, along with Monte Morris, in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Nuggets are looking to duck the luxury tax line to begin the 2022-23 season, so it looks as though Barton is a casualty of that goal. The fan favorite spent the last seven-plus seasons in Denver after beginning his NBA career with the Trail Blazers. The 31-year-old has been a key piece of the Nuggets' core, and he's coming off of a 2021-22 season in which he averaged 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 0.8 steals in 32.1 minutes per contest. In Washington, Barton figures to slide in on the wing next to Bradley Beal and No. 10 overall pick Johnny Davis. As an expiring contract on a team that could struggle to contend in the Eastern Conference, it's possible Barton could eventually be a buyout or midseason trade candidate.

Barton closed Thursday's 118-113 loss to the Warriors with 13 points (5-13 FG, 3-7 3Pt), four rebounds, five assists and one steal over 34 minutes.

EDGE Analysis

Barton has scored in double digits in each of the three games of the series so far, but he's been struggling with efficiency and has shot under 40 percent from the field in each of his last two appearances. He's averaging 16.3 points per game while shooting 43.5 percent from the field.

Barton notched 12 points (5-15 FG, 2-4 3Pt), 10 rebounds, two assists and one steal across 31 minutes during Monday's 126-106 loss to Golden State.

EDGE Analysis

Barton followed his standout Game 1 performance with just his second double-double of the campaign, but Denver was again overwhelmed by the Warriors in the loss. The shooting guard was one of five Nuggets with double-digit scoring in the contest, though only Nikola Jokic scored more than 12 points. Barton is averaging 18.0 points, 8.0 boards and 3.5 assists in the first two game of the series.

Barton ended with 24 points (10-18 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six rebounds, five assists and one block across 36 minutes during Saturday's 123-107 loss to the Warriors.

EDGE Analysis

Barton served as a standout sidekick to Nikola Jokic, falling just one point behind the big man for team high-scoring honors. However, the Nuggets didn't have any other player score more than 10 points, leading to an 0-1 series deficit. Barton was the team's third-best scorer during the regular season and will be looked to for continued offensive production as the matchup against the Warriors progresses.

Barton (knee) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Lakers, Harrison Wind of TheDNVR.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Barton had started in each of the last 14 games, but he'll be held out for Sunday's regular-season finale. Bryn Forbes, Bones Hyland and Austin Rivers should see additional run against the Lakers.