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Let's talk about RJ a bit.

The season prior RJ put up a stat line of 19.6 points on a 43.4/31.0/74.0 slash line through 73 games for a 53.6% TS

This season RJ put up a stat line of 20.2 points on a 49.0/36.0/71.0 slash line through 58 games for a 58.0% TS

Yes, that's accounting for both his time in the Knicks as well.


I'll be honest, i've never ever thought RJ was ever going to put up even half a season of 49/36/71 type efficiency in any role, but here we are.

This really won't say either way what he's going to do in the following season (I have no idea tbh) but I never ever would have thought he could put up a statline like that through a lengthily period of time. (and i'm taking off my Raptor lens here and considering how I thought of him when he was on the Knicks)

As a Raptor, RJ put up a slash line of 55/39/63 with a TS of .615 which is a noticeable improvement from his Knicks period.

Looks like they refined his shot diet (a lot more paint opportunities / less midrange stuff) and his efficiency shot up.

Hope it continues over a full season because if it does, he's a lot more valuable of an asset than he was with the Knicks.

He went from a "toxic asset" to becoming my favourite player on the team. Yes, he has flaws like most 23 year olds would have but his strengths are great too. I love the balls he plays with when attacking the rim.

He stated in his end of season presser that he needs to improve his 3 point shot and his defense. If he is truly able to do that then we might have a potential allstar on our hands. Looking forward to seeing how he looks this upcoming season.

He has that Scarborough rizz. It's a paternal gene, passed from his father, Rowan Barrett, who attended West Hill C.I..

What's weird is how his 3p% went up from 33% to 39% in TO, but his FT% dipped from 83% to 63%.

I don't know what to do with this info.

In 32 games as a Raptor:

33 min
22 points
6 boards
4 assts
1 stock
55% FG, 39% from 3, 61% TS (horrendous 63% FT)

Darko is simplifying his game. But it will come down to shot and defense (-3.3 net rtg) to really elevate him

Can he become a better defender?

He seems like one of those like Demar who “have the tools”…but they are never quite good on D.

ontnut wrote:What's weird is how his 3p% went up from 33% to 39% in TO, but his FT% dipped from 83% to 63%.

I don't know what to do with this info.

I think you can safely assume the FT% will revert to the mean. It's the same shot. I think you also have to assume the 3p% also revers back toward his career %s unless he can replicate what he did with us for a full season. If you compare his shot chart in Toronto and NY, he's shooting from the same spots and distribution seems pretty identical. He was just hitting at a higher rate:
https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask?q=rj+barrett+shot+chart+in+2023-2024+with+knicks
https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask?q=rj+barrett+shot+chart+in+2023-2024+with+raptors

Seems like a change of scenery worked wonders for him.

Him Barnes and Quickley would make a good supporting cast next to a star player. Just need that final piece.

I feel like if he works, he's going to mirror Derozan. Help us get back into the playoffs, slowly be a leader and add value.

Then dealt in a package to help win a title.

Guy with great work ethic gets better. I think I've seen this story before.

Mister Ze wrote:Seems like a change of scenery worked wonders for him.

Him Barnes and Quickley would make a good supporting cast next to a star player. Just need that final piece.

I think with Poeltl, this is Masai's vision. Try and find that #1 scoring option / star to add to this crew and get back up again.

Easier said than done but...

ontnut wrote:What's weird is how his 3p% went up from 33% to 39% in TO, but his FT% dipped from 83% to 63%.

I don't know what to do with this info.

3pt% probably ends up at 36%, FT% at 73%

Career averages are 35% and 71% respectively.

YogurtProducer wrote:

ontnut wrote:What's weird is how his 3p% went up from 33% to 39% in TO, but his FT% dipped from 83% to 63%.

I don't know what to do with this info.

3pt% probably ends up at 36%, FT% at 73%

Career averages are 35% and 71% respectively.

This.

Hopefully he improves his defense because that is the swing skill between him being a star and an empty stats starter/6th man.

he was mostly pretty good in his time with us and showed a lot of his natural scoring prowess. they did a solid of simplying his game and cutting out the bad shots.

think the thing I wanna see improved next year is that defense. hope that another season of maturation/working out helps unlock a bit more athleticism/burst.

One of my new favorite players fr, like his leadership.

I love RJ.

I've wanted him on the Raps for years and no one was happier than me when we finally did get him.

Always believed a change of scenery would do wonders for him and that certainly turned out to be the case!

He's played like an all-star since coming home.

The next step is to improve on the defensive end.
The upside is definitely there as he's shown flashes of being a reliable defender in past years.

This was RJ in only his second year:

Would like to see him round out his game and become more consistent with the 3 ball and consistently knocking down at least 80% FT.

It was clearly not functional for him to share a role with another left handed rim attacker in Randle. Their favourite spots to attack from are very similar and he had to cede those opportunities. It's not an excuse, it's just common sense. Some Knicks fans still really liked him and believed in him for a reason.

BetterCallSaul wrote:It was clearly not functional for him to share a role with another left handed rim attacker in Randle. Their favourite spots to attack from are very similar and he had to cede those opportunities. It's not an excuse, it's just common sense. Some Knicks fans still really liked him and believed in him for a reason.

I always laugh when I see this "left handed attacker" thing. Why is this such an issue for lefties but we never ever say that two righties is an issue?