Official RJ Barrett Thread

[Scase]

I'm just hoping this is a reset for him. He's always been trying to live up to that draft position and contract. Neither have anything to do with the Raptors, so hopefully he can let it go and just play smart.

I understand taking him was the cost of doing business, but man I just don't like this kid's game at all. I still make this trade every time though.

We got IQ for an expiring, that's all I care about. So long as RJ gets it laid out very clearly he's not here to take 15-20FGA, and rather be an opportunist, I'm ok with him.

I see IQ popping off like Maxey (not in numbers but in a similar type of jump), and as much as I think OG is probably worth more than what we got back, this is a good trade. It's not the fleece a lot of people are calling it, but genuinely I see this as a win-win for both teams. I would not at all be surprised to see OGs averages get back to a 17-18ppg mark, the Knicks are effectively tied for the best OREB team in the NBA, and that means open 3's from defences scrambling.

The Knicks in Randle/Brunson have a legit inside/outside system, which will heavily benefit corner shooters, of which OG has always been one of the best in the league at 45/44% last/this season.

No matter which way you look at this trade, you do it like 9 times out of 10.

[Fat Kat]

How do you rein this in?



Look at that absurd usage% and the terrible metrics, this bum thinks he's him

With the Knicks he had the 3rd pick expectation hovering over his head.....he doesn't have that on the Raptors, I can easily see the usage going down to 20%...similar to Dennis' usage.

He’s gonna hijack possessions to get his numbers. He did this as the fourth option in NY. Thibs had to resort to pulling him early and have him play with the reserves. His game just isn’t ideal for a low usage player. He’d be best served as a 6th man.

[seanbig]

Barrett is Gary's replacement , for better or for worse. Both are hot and cold kind of guys on offence but RJ can score in other ways when he isn't hitting his 3s.

One thing is for sure...whatever his role is...he is a consummate professional and will do what is needed of him.

He will end up averaging out as a 15-18 ppg scorer either as your 3rd or 4th option in the starting lineup or a 6th man... that's a pretty realistic projection IMO. No he isn't worth the #3 pick in the draft but he doesn't suck.

I think Gary should be traded for a pick and expirings. He too could be useful off the bench for a contender.

No he’s not

Gary spaces the offense

Barrett shooting the three at a worse clip than Dennis does not

Wake the :::: up

[mtcan]

Barrett is Gary's replacement , for better or for worse. Both are hot and cold kind of guys on offence but RJ can score in other ways when he isn't hitting his 3s.

One thing is for sure...whatever his role is...he is a consummate professional and will do what is needed of him.

He will end up averaging out as a 15-18 ppg scorer either as your 3rd or 4th option in the starting lineup or a 6th man... that's a pretty realistic projection IMO. No he isn't worth the #3 pick in the draft but he doesn't suck.

I think Gary should be traded for a pick and expirings. He too could be useful off the bench for a contender.

No he’s not

Gary spaces the offense

Barrett shooting the three at a worse clip than Dennis does not

Wake the :::: up

Correction...Gary spaces the offence once every 5 games. The rest of the time...he gives nothing because all he is known for is shooting.

For all his faults...RJ is a bit bigger and can create a little more than Gary...but ya he's isn't as good a shooter as Gary is when he is on...which is once every 5 games.

Both are inconsistent but RJ can give you something offensively even when his shot isn't falling. That's the difference.

I'm not saying RJ is here to be an all-star but he isn't useless.

RJ is a 4th/5th/6th option on offence and if that's what you get from him...that's fine.

[AkelaLoneWolf]

People need to keep their expectations in check here.
IQ Siakam and Barnes are a better 1 2 3 combo than OG Siakam and Barnes. RJ is a better 4th option than Schroeder.
In a very long time we have a balanced team.
If RJ doesn’t work out his salary is tradable for depth.

[anotherhomer]

RJ is a good reclaimation project for Darko to work on

[djsunyc]

I honestly wasn't expecting this kind of negative reaction to us getting Barrett. I know it's not the greatest contract but paying Barrett 25 - 30 over the next 4 years is a breath of fresh air thinking we were going to have to pay GTJ 20/Yr

rj's not a great player. he may not even be a good player. but he is a rotational guy on an nba roster. a few tweaks to how he's used and his efficiency can go up a bit and make him more impactful.

but the deal was about quickley. rj, to me, is a transitional piece unless we can unlock something.

[aminiaturebuddha]

I've watched a lot of Barrett over the years, as I tend to follow the Canadian players closely, and the strange thing is that for his body type he's kind of slow and plodding. Everything seems very deliberate with him and he doesn't seem to move very naturally. That's unlikely to ever change.

The good thing is that he's a very hard worker and actually has pretty good instincts on the court, it's just that his athleticism sometimes holding him back from doing what he wants to do.

To compare him to another Canadian player, if he had Wiggins' body and quick-twitch athleticism, but kept his work ethic and instincts, he'd be a superstar.

I think he can still be a good player, just not a superstar and probably not even an All-Star. But he's still only 23, and the early part of his career has been about trying to test his limitations. Hopefully in Toronto he can start playing within himself a bit more, become more efficient, and focus on contributing with the things he does well. More consistency on his outside shot would help a lot as well (where have I heard that about Raptors players before? lol).

[sbsat]

Rj will annoy us it seems

[Pointgod]

The RJ acquisition is meh but I’ve learned from multiple examples not to give up on young players too early. The biggest thing with RJ is can he be efficient. He can score 20 a game here, but can he do it in the flow of the offence and pick his spots. We don’t need him to be Lebron out there, if he can play the Tobias Harris role, then he’ll have a long career on this team and beyond.

[gbball]

If we were going to move OG, we could’ve had Sharpe instead. Younger, cheaper, higher upside, more athletic, better shooter.

With RJ, we’re doubling down on guys whose games are limited by their mediocre athleticism. I don’t know why we’re against bringing in dynamic athletes.

[rapsincr]

welcome to the team RJ, i will give you a chance here before i make a judgment on the type of player you are i promise.

no matter your flaws, you cant be worse than current GTJ so im excited to see what u can do!

[Dennis 37]

If you’re honestly comparing McDaniels to Barrett in any way shape or form I’m sorry man but I can’t trust your basketball evaluation skills. McDaniels was trash from the get go. Barrett was a top 3 pick for a reason. He has game. Has he reached his potential, no. But 10 times the player McDaniels is in his sleep. McDaniels is barely an nba player. Barrett actually has nba level skills.

The man is less efficient than FVV Boogie.

He’s also 23 and has skills that actually can translate into improvement… it’s **** weird to me how when we traded Powell for Gary Trent everyone was on Trent’s nuts acting like he had so much potential when it was obvious to me he was a one dimensional chucker, and then we trade for a guy 23 who was. Former top 3 pick who actually has a much more refined and versatile skillset with. Some semblance of actual basketball iq and people are dumping on him for efficiency acting like he can’t get better. I’m sorry I tried to be nice but you guys honestly have no idea what you’re talking about.

Inconsistent efficiency can be tolerated when a player plays the right way. Now, playing with Julius Randle, maybe ones efficiency is affected.

As Boogie says he was a number 3 for a reason. I predict we will be very pleased with him by the end of the year.

[Dennis 37]

If we were going to move OG, we could’ve had Sharpe instead. Younger, cheaper, higher upside, more athletic, better shooter.

With RJ, we’re doubling down on guys whose games are limited by their mediocre athleticism. I don’t know why we’re against bringing in dynamic athletes.

The trade was for IQ. We are not getting IQ in a Sharpe trade.

[Bruin]

[mtcan]

RJ is a good reclaimation project for Darko to work on

If nothing else...RJ's smile will make the inefficiency bearable.

I don't have high expectation for him but I don't hate him.

[Dennis 37]

DeMar took awhile to become a useful player. I don't think it's out of the question RJ can improve to that level but it's probably unlikely.

Absolutely. He's probably a bust. But he is still only 23 and if we do one thing well as an organization, it's player development (while the Knicks are among the worst in the league at it). I'm still intrigued to see if we can salvage his development.

What "player development" is going to happen with him here? He's not going to the gleague lol

Stanley Johnson went from being glued to the bench for entire year, to getting 30 points in a game. He didn't play in the G-league. Was he a star? No, but he did develop.

[Harcore Fenton Mun]

Go watch him on Duke if you want to see what type of player he is. If you watch him on the Knicks, you're just seeing their dysfunction. He needs a dynamic wing to play with, they don't have that.

[Thaddy]

RJ is only 23 years old and he's got some good experience under him already. I have more faith in Darko uplifting him than trash prospects like Flynn and Achiuwa. The price tag isn't that much considering the cap difference from now and even ten years ago.

Barrett is going to probably start while IQ is going to get our bench spark plug. Barrett will make our starting unit better than OG did because he is a threat to shoot, drive, and make the right pass.

[mtcan]

The man is less efficient than FVV Boogie.

He’s also 23 and has skills that actually can translate into improvement… it’s **** weird to me how when we traded Powell for Gary Trent everyone was on Trent’s nuts acting like he had so much potential when it was obvious to me he was a one dimensional chucker, and then we trade for a guy 23 who was. Former top 3 pick who actually has a much more refined and versatile skillset with. Some semblance of actual basketball iq and people are dumping on him for efficiency acting like he can’t get better. I’m sorry I tried to be nice but you guys honestly have no idea what you’re talking about.

Inconsistent efficiency can be tolerated when a player plays the right way. Now, playing with Julius Randle, maybe ones efficiency is affected.

As Boogie says he was a number 3 for a reason. I predict we will be very pleased with him by the end of the year.

Thibs is a defence first coach. His offence is basically 'your turn, my turn'...as evidence by the fact that the Knicks rank 28th in assists per game...just above the Bulls and Blazers at the bottom. Brunson, Randle and Barrett have been extremely high usage guys in an iso-based offence.

Meanwhile we rank 3rd in assists per game and while that has meant jack **** when it comes to wins and losses...playing with a guy like Scottie...his passing and eventually his gravity will put IQ and Barrett in better positions to score. That's the hope at least.