Retired 11-year NBA veteran Will Barton set to join Timberwolves’ coaching staff in player development role.

Former Denver Nuggets wing Will Barton is reportedly set to take another step in his coaching career with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

According to Charlie Walton of Sports Illustrated, the 11-year NBA veteran will join Minnesota’s coaching staff for the 2026-27 season in a player development role.

Barton spent last season as an assistant coach with the Iowa Wolves, Minnesota’s G League affiliate, and also worked with the Timberwolves during the 2026 NBA Summer League.

Barton reunites with Tim Connelly

The move will reunite Barton with Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly, who played an important role in bringing him to Denver.

Connelly was serving as the Nuggets’ general manager when Denver acquired Barton from the Portland Trail Blazers in February 2015 as part of a trade involving Arron Afflalo.

Barton spent the next eight seasons with the Nuggets, developing into an important scorer and rotation player.

Across 479 appearances for Denver, the 1.96-meter wing averaged 14.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while shooting 36.2% from three-point range.

Barton transitioned into coaching after playing career

Credit AP – Scanpix

Barton was selected with the 40th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft by Portland and went on to play 679 regular-season games.

He finished his NBA career with averages of 11.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while representing the Trail Blazers, Nuggets, Washington Wizards, and Toronto Raptors. His final NBA appearances came during the 2022-23 season.

After leaving the NBA, Barton continued his playing career internationally with stops in China, Puerto Rico, and Spain before moving into coaching.

Barton spent the 2025-26 campaign on Mahmoud Abdelfattah’s Iowa coaching staff, working closely with young players and prospects in Minnesota’s developmental system.

His expected promotion to the Timberwolves’ NBA staff will allow him to continue working in player development while reuniting with Connelly, under whom he enjoyed the most productive stretch of his playing career.

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