Thrill isn't going anywhere.

The Nuggets and free agent Will Barton agreed to a two-year, $32 million deal Monday, a league source told The Denver Post.

The deal, struck soon after the NBA allowed teams to begin negotiating free-agent contracts, can't become finalized until Friday night when teams can officially sign free agents.

Both sides expressed optimism a deal could be reached even after Barton declined his player option last month.

His retention was among the top priorities this offseason for Nuggets president Tim Connelly and his staff. Without Barton, the Nuggets' backcourt would've lacked experience and a scoring burst that cost them in the postseason.

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Barton's return stabilizes Denver's backcourt alongside Monte Morris and reserves Facu Campazzo, P.J. Dozier and incoming rookie Bones Hyland. Barton is bound to see an uptick in usage and production while Jamal Murray recovers from his ACL tear.

He averaged 12.7 points on 38% shooting from 3-point range last season.

The deal was also important to Barton for a different reason. As the longest-tenured Nuggets player, he was intent on seeing through the promising foundation that's been built under Connelly and Nuggets coach Michael Malone. Although long-term security was important to him, especially after battling various injuries the last few seasons, Barton hasn't been a fixture of the playoff success Denver has enjoyed recently.

Three postseasons ago, Barton lost his starting job in the playoffs after his season was derailed by core surgery. Last August he exited the Bubble with a knee issue that prevented him from taking part in Denver's Western Conference Finals run. Last season, a hamstring issue limited Barton to just three playoff games. When he returned in Game 2 of the Phoenix series, he provided an immediate offensive spark. In Game 4, he scored 25 points and shattered his minutes restriction, playing 39 minutes.

After the game, Barton gave an extended answer when asked how taxing the last few seasons had been for him. In the end, he said he just wanted to "be appreciated" when considering his free-agent options.

By virtue of Monday's deal, the Nuggets made it clear how important they feel he is to their future.