Woj: RJ Barrett, Knicks Finalizing 4-Year Rookie Extension Worth Up to $120M

[Pointgod]

So after all of this hubbub it turns out Barrett is getting around 25 a year unless he hits the all NBA team marks which would increase his average salary to around 30? In which case he would pretty much deserve it right? So he’s making Jalen Brunson money but has a higher upside than Jalen Brunson. Not sure what’s to complain about when this is exactly what the owners wanted when they negotiated the salary cap and advantage when resigning their own free agents.

Bingo. Key words: worth up to

RJ settled for $65 million less than the rookie max. And if he does get $120 million, Knicks will have made an absolute steal as RJ will then have met all the built-in incentives.

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The way I evaluate whether a contract is an overpay or not is two things. Will it limit future flexibility and will it be hard to trade later on down the line? I’d say Barrett’s contract is a no on both ends so I don’t see an issue with the extension. There might have been a team will to max him next year.

[dhsilv2]

i'm not the biggest Mitchell fan but he's getting underrated now. Mitchell is a lot better than RJ

DMitch will be making $37 million in 2026, let's see if he's $17 million better than RJ by then.

Is RJ’s deal declining? If not there is no way there would be a $17m gap.

Either way, this deal seems ok.

First 2 years: probably overpay

Last 2 years: fair or underpay

If RJ is making $26m in 2025/26 when the cap is likely $150m that’s the equivalent of him making $20m today. I don’t think anyone should have an issue with him making $20m/year (or the future equivalent).

Barring disaster, the cap going up in 2025 will make this deal fair or even good value. I’m actually sort of surprised he didn’t get more.

Assuming the TV deal works out, more like 180-200 for the cap. That will make him under paid as long as he has normal progression.

[dhsilv2]

i'm not the biggest Mitchell fan but he's getting underrated now. Mitchell is a lot better than RJ

DMitch will be making $37 million in 2026, let's see if he's $17 million better than RJ by then.

No expert but if it's a standard contract, RJ will be making something like $32m in 2026 himself. That's on the low end, assuming he doesn't hit any incentives and makes an average of $26m per year (105 total /4 years). Usually increases 10% each year, so his deal would be loosely something like 22/25/28/32 each year.

I believe it's 8.5% which I think is the max raise.

[Jadoogar]

Honestly, I’d take RJ over Mitchell so I wouldn’t worry about it too much if I was a Knicks fan.

i'm not the biggest Mitchell fan but he's getting underrated now. Mitchell is a lot better than RJ

DMitch will be making $37 million in 2026, let's see if he's $17 million better than RJ by then.

On average RJ is making 30M/year (120/4), so the difference is only $7M (could be less if it's a standard escalating contract).

Yes i think DMitch is atleast 7M better than RJ.

[HotelVitale]

So after all of this hubbub it turns out Barrett is getting around 25 a year unless he hits the all NBA team marks which would increase his average salary to around 30? In which case he would pretty much deserve it right? So he’s making Jalen Brunson money but has a higher upside than Jalen Brunson. Not sure what’s to complain about when this is exactly what the owners wanted when they negotiated the salary cap and advantage when resigning their own free agents.

Bingo. Key words: worth up to RJ settled for $65 million less than the rookie max. And if he does get $120 million, Knicks will have made an absolute steal as RJ will then have met all the built-in incentives.

The way I evaluate whether a contract is an overpay or not is two things. Will it limit future flexibility and will it be hard to trade later on down the line? I’d say Barrett’s contract is a no on both ends so I don’t see an issue with the extension. There might have been a team will to max him next year.

I think that conclusion's mostly right and that this is a fine move for the Knicks, but you're still leaving out the risk here. The risk isn't that he's a nice starter who's slightly overpaid but is still tradeable--the risk is that he remains a mediocre player who takes up a good chunk of cap space as the team's plans move past him. It's not the worst thing in the world and probably won't cripple the franchise, but it should be factored in. When you're committing solid starter $ to a player who hasn't put together a good season yet, and whose trajectory has been very up and down, only seems fair to include the possiblity that he ends up short of 'solid starter.'

Like you said 'he's making Jalen Brunson money but has a higher upside than Jalen Brunson' so what's the problem--but skipped the part where Brunson is a couple tiers better than him currently, and that might remain the case going forward.

[Fairview4Life]

i'm not the biggest Mitchell fan but he's getting underrated now. Mitchell is a lot better than RJ

DMitch will be making $37 million in 2026, let's see if he's $17 million better than RJ by then.

On average RJ is making 30M/year (120/4),

Only if he hits all those unlikely bonuses about all NBA teams, all D teams, all star games, etc., in which case, he's worth more than Mitchell, not less.

[taikibansei]

i'm not the biggest Mitchell fan but he's getting underrated now. Mitchell is a lot better than RJ

DMitch will be making $37 million in 2026, let's see if he's $17 million better than RJ by then.

On average RJ is making 30M/year (120/4), so the difference is only $7M (could be less if it's a standard escalating contract).

Yes i think DMitch is atleast 7M better than RJ.

As has been explained repeatedly, this is just wrong.

RJ's base salary is $107 million. RJ gets $120 million only if he makes the all-star game ever year plus other incentives...at which point, yeah, I'd much rather have him than Mitchell.

[Capn'O]

Ainge is at the point where he needs to be careful trying to strongarm some of these teams. Don't think many teams (other than the Timberwolves ) are going to fall for his shenanigans this time around.

Knicks are one of the few teams that are willing to give up the picks for him, he keeps pushing for more and they're out of the market as well. Knicks are doing the right thing though, a potential Mitchell trade shouldn't stop them from making other roster moves.

Bingo. And Ainge just wasn't that interested in acquiring and extending RJ in lieu of draft picks. If he were, RJ would be on the Jazz.

[Zenzibar]

i'm not the biggest Mitchell fan but he's getting underrated now. Mitchell is a lot better than RJ

DMitch will be making $37 million in 2026, let's see if he's $17 million better than RJ by then.

On average RJ is making 30M/year (120/4), so the difference is only $7M (could be less if it's a standard escalating contract).

Yes i think DMitch is atleast 7M better than RJ.

Right now yes. But RJ is younger and if we are looking 4 years down the line, it might be closer than you think.

[Meat]

DMitch will be making $37 million in 2026, let's see if he's $17 million better than RJ by then.

On average RJ is making 30M/year (120/4), so the difference is only $7M (could be less if it's a standard escalating contract).

Yes i think DMitch is atleast 7M better than RJ.

Right now yes. But RJ is younger and if we are looking 4 years down the line, it might be closer than you think.

oh no, in 4 years rj will still be younger. DMitch will also continue to age

[Zenzibar]

120 Mil for Brunson, Barrett, Randle and Fournier

2022-23 Dallas Mavericks Salary Cap Totals
The Mavericks are currently over the league salary cap. This means Cap Holds & Exceptions are NOT included in their Total Cap Allocations, and renouncing these figures will not afford them any cap space. The team may only sign outside players using any available exceptions or at league minimum salaries.


CAP TYPE CAP TOTAL
Active Roster Cap $163,132,392
Dead Money $1,782,621
Cap Holds $6,669,465
Total Cap Allocations $171,584,478
Salary Cap Maximum

Talking about a triggered guy
How about you make the playoffs first huh?

Now we have to make the playoffs in order to take the attention away from your smoked salary cap?

[Jadoogar]

DMitch will be making $37 million in 2026, let's see if he's $17 million better than RJ by then.

On average RJ is making 30M/year (120/4), so the difference is only $7M (could be less if it's a standard escalating contract).

Yes i think DMitch is atleast 7M better than RJ.

Right now yes. But RJ is younger and if we are looking 4 years down the line, it might be closer than you think.

4 years down the line, Mitchell will only be 29.

[WillyJakkz]

2022-23 Dallas Mavericks Salary Cap Totals
The Mavericks are currently over the league salary cap. This means Cap Holds & Exceptions are NOT included in their Total Cap Allocations, and renouncing these figures will not afford them any cap space. The team may only sign outside players using any available exceptions or at league minimum salaries.


CAP TYPE CAP TOTAL
Active Roster Cap $163,132,392
Dead Money $1,782,621
Cap Holds $6,669,465
Total Cap Allocations $171,584,478
Salary Cap Maximum

Talking about a triggered guy
How about you make the playoffs first huh?

Now we have to make the playoffs in order to take the attention away from your smoked salary cap?

Hey they have Luka and he lives on the 2nd Floor

Watch on YouTube

[Jadoogar]

DMitch will be making $37 million in 2026, let's see if he's $17 million better than RJ by then.

On average RJ is making 30M/year (120/4), so the difference is only $7M (could be less if it's a standard escalating contract).

Yes i think DMitch is atleast 7M better than RJ.

As has been explained repeatedly, this is just wrong.

RJ's base salary is $107 million. RJ gets $120 million only if he makes the all-star game ever year plus other incentives...at which point, yeah, I'd much rather have him than Mitchell.

The difference is still a lot less than $17M, i have no idea where that number came from.

[JulesWinnfield]

As a Knicks fan who is not an RJ fan at all and is tired beyond belief of the kid gloves Knicks fans treat him with, at least now this will alter the lens through which he is viewed. He’s no longer the warm and fuzzy home grown pick, getting his name chanted by 20,000 at MSG every time he farts, who gets a pass for inefficiently chucking his way to 20 ppg: unable to shoot off the dribble or finish in the paint… He’s now the 30 mil per year player (or marginally less based on incentives) who is going to have to deal with expectations. The conversation is going to shift pretty quickly. It’s a win for my sanity if nothing else

[KnicksGadfly]

2022-23 Dallas Mavericks Salary Cap Totals
The Mavericks are currently over the league salary cap. This means Cap Holds & Exceptions are NOT included in their Total Cap Allocations, and renouncing these figures will not afford them any cap space. The team may only sign outside players using any available exceptions or at league minimum salaries.


CAP TYPE CAP TOTAL
Active Roster Cap $163,132,392
Dead Money $1,782,621
Cap Holds $6,669,465
Total Cap Allocations $171,584,478
Salary Cap Maximum

Talking about a triggered guy
How about you make the playoffs first huh?

Now we have to make the playoffs in order to take the attention away from your smoked salary cap?

Stop making fun of them for having to surround Luka with guys like Frank, KP, Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr...that's really wrong. If the Mavs want to sign trash even the Knicks don't want anymore, they have that right!!!!!!!!!

[Blame Rasho]

I get Jerry Stackhouse vibes from him. Good for him to get money and nowadays everyone gets paid. Hope he can evolve and be a better well rounded player. You expect with a contract like that, you get an all star type player and production from him.

[GSWFan1994]

Good deal for the Knicks. I thought Barrett would get the max based on being a high pick and potential relative to production.

I think he has a good chance of being named an All-Star during this contract, he averaged 20/6/3 as a 21 year old and seems to have a good head on his shoulders.

[JulesWinnfield]

Good deal for the Knicks. I thought Barrett would get the max based on being a high pick and potential relative to production.

I think he has a good chance of being named an All-Star during this contract, he averaged 20/6/3 as a 21 year old and seems to have a good head on his shoulders.

Tons of guys can average 20 if given the freedom to post a .511 TS% in the process. If he wasn’t the least efficient 20 pt scorer in the nba last season (I’m betting he probably was) then it’s a very short list of guys who were worse

[Spree2Houston]

Deal is really 4yr/105 mil