Official RJ Barrett Thread

[Boogie!]

He's in that Wiggins situation where he was drafted high and is paid to be the "the guy" but he isn't that player. Hopefully the Raptors can change his role and Barrett embraces that change and becomes a useful piece on the team.

Except wiggins had a lack of drive, which RJ does not. He’s 4-5 years away from his prime. Not sure why so many are writing him off

He's 2 years away from his prime.

Wiggins was not a consistent 3 point shooter until recently and Barrett already had one season sholting 40% I do not know why people have written him off already…

[knicksNOTslick]

in his second season when he shot 40% 3pt on high attempts and 44% FG that only came out to a 53% TS...

Why's that?

why does that seem surprising or not to add up?

He was shooting 61% from the FT line at 4.5 attempts per game that year which brought his TS% down. He's at 83% so far this year which is his only improvement in terms of shooting percentages. When Knicks fans say he's inconsistent, it's year to year, game to game, quarter to quarter. You never know which RJ you'll get. He's gotten better at getting to the rim but has gotten worse at finishing. Improving defensively, regressing offensively. He is good in spurts but has not put it all together so far.

[PerfectJab]

in his second season when he shot 40% 3pt on high attempts and 44% FG that only came out to a 53% TS...

Why's that?

why does that seem surprising or not to add up?

He was shooting 61% from the FT line at 4.5 attempts per game that year which brought his TS% down. He's at 83% so far this year which is his only improvement in terms of shooting percentages. When Knicks fans say he's inconsistent, it's year to year, game to game, quarter to quarter. You never know which RJ you'll get. He's gotten better at getting to the rim but has gotten worse at finishing. Improving defensively, regressing offensively. He is good in spurts but has not put it all together so far.

Read on Twitter

[DreamTeam09]

Barrett Scottie Pascal can all push the ball, finish and make some good passes n reads. RJ has a flat out better feel for the ball and handles compared to OG. Got to the line

His pull up midrange and occasional 3 is what will push him to another level

[XTC]

in his second season when he shot 40% 3pt on high attempts and 44% FG that only came out to a 53% TS...

Why's that?

why does that seem surprising or not to add up?

Let's breakdown his season when he shot 40%

He shot 40.1% on 4.3 attempts per game. He also shot 3.8 free throws per game and made them at a 75% rate. If he didn't shoot a single 2 pointer he would have a TS of 66.9%

Problem is RJ shoots far too many 2 pointers. If he could cut his 2 point attempts in half, he would be a far more efficient player. Judging by the stats he seems to be a very good 3 point shooter in the corners (he's shooting 38% from the corners this season)

[junot111]

From the first game, RJ looked like Precious 2.0 with slightly better driving and finishing. So many wasted fastbreak opportunities because he had tunnel vision. And unlike Precious he's not an impressive defender despite his physical tools. Obviously he's still young and has time to improve but I can already see why Knicks fans were way more upset about losing IQ than RJ...

[brownbobcat]

He's in that Wiggins situation where he was drafted high and is paid to be the "the guy" but he isn't that player. Hopefully the Raptors can change his role and Barrett embraces that change and becomes a useful piece on the team.

Except wiggins had a lack of drive, which RJ does not. He’s 4-5 years away from his prime. Not sure why so many are writing him off

Except Wiggins had elite athleticism, which RJ does not. RJ embodies what Darko said a few weeks back about how a player who thinks he's good at too many things won't have a job in the NBA.

From what I see, RJ tries too many things offensively without sufficient advantage in skill, size or athleticism. He's a little reminiscent of early DeRozan in that regard, who put in a ton of effort into improving his handle and footwork.

[Anatomize]

RJ isn't going to be much better than what he is currently. He's been the same player since he entered the league which suggests he has a high floor but a low ceiling. His percentages have gotten worse as well outside of FT%.

The reason why RJ won't blossom into a star (the way some here seem to believe) is because he's capped by his limitations. He's not explosive/an above the rim athlete, he has a bit of an awkward hitch on his jumper and his leg positioning isn't great. He's fairly slow for his size, not a great first step and often has to carry guys with him on his way to the basket in order to score.

Barrett gets his points through his physicality and ability to go through guys, and he's got some crafty moves (nice eurostep or the ability to adjust in mid air). He reminds me of a less agile version of Tyreke Evans in that way. He can slither around guys and use his body physically to absorb contact and finish. He's also way too left hand reliant, and doesn't have much of a post game. So where does he really stand out? How will he suddenly turn it on and become a star? The abilities aren't there and it's wishful thinking from Raptors fans who want him to be something more than what he is.

He doesn't do anything exceptionally well, but he does fit the mold of a high level role player in terms of his ceiling. If he can improve the hitch on his jumper and get his %'s up a bit he could be very valuable to us as a 3rd-4th scorer. He seems a bit laterally slow defensively but he competes hard.

[HKBOY]

RJ isn't going to be much better than what he is currently. He's been the same player since he entered the league which suggests he has a high floor but a low ceiling. His percentages have gotten worse as well outside of FT%.

The reason why RJ won't blossom into a star (the way some here seem to believe) is because he's capped by his limitations. He's not explosive/an above the rim athlete, he has a bit of an awkward hitch on his jumper and his leg positioning isn't great. He's fairly slow for his size, not a great first step and often has to carry guys with him on his way to the basket in order to score. Barrett gets his points through his physicality and ability to go through guys, and he's got some crafty moves (nice eurostep or the ability to adjust in mid air). He reminds me of a less agile version of Tyreke Evans in that way. He can slither around guys and use his body physically to absorb contact and finish. He's also way too left hand reliant, and doesn't have much of a post game. So where does he really stand out? How will he suddenly turn it on and become a star? The abilities aren't there and it's wishful thinking from Raptors fans who want him to be something more than what he is.

He doesn't do anything exceptionally well, but he does fit the mold of a high level role player in terms of his ceiling. If he can improve the hitch on his jumper and get his %'s up a bit he could be very valuable to us as a 3rd-4th scorer. He seems a bit laterally slow defensively but he competes hard.

I don't think anyone here except him to be a star but some of us think he can still be a good role player that helps this team win. His D isn't bad at all, he is probably an average defender right now, somewhere around Norm's level but he is bigger than Norm.

If Darko gives him a proper role and he can up his three to 36% and plays like a 3rd to 4th option on offense, he can be a vulnerable starter for us. When our shots are not falling, which happens quite often, it's good to have someone who can force his way to the basket to score or draw fouls.

At worst, he is already a better player than Trent and he can be our 6th man if Masai gets a better SG than RJ in the near future.

[Got Nuffin]

From the first game, RJ looked like Precious 2.0 with slightly better driving and finishing. So many wasted fastbreak opportunities because he had tunnel vision. And unlike Precious he's not an impressive defender despite his physical tools. Obviously he's still young and has time to improve but I can already see why Knicks fans were way more upset about losing IQ than RJ...

Lol i think that's a little unfair. I understand the low IQ comparison but Precious barely understands how to play basketball. He would probably need 25fga to average the 18ppg that Barrett got in 15fga in New York. I would be really impressed with Precious if he became a valuable part of their rotation.

[Purple+Black]

From the first game, RJ looked like Precious 2.0 with slightly better driving and finishing. So many wasted fastbreak opportunities because he had tunnel vision. And unlike Precious he's not an impressive defender despite his physical tools. Obviously he's still young and has time to improve but I can already see why Knicks fans were way more upset about losing IQ than RJ...

Lol i think that's a little unfair. I understand the low IQ comparison but Precious barely understands how to play basketball. He would probably need 25fga to average the 18ppg that Barrett got in 15fga in New York. I would be really impressed with Precious if he became a valuable part of their rotation.

I agree with this, I also see that there’s a decent probability that he is just a high floor-low ceiling player, but at age 23 with the well-rounded skillset he does possess, all he really needs to do is become great at 1 or 2 things and he would become a solid 3rd option - there’s still a good chance that he can do that with a change of scenery and a new developmental team behind him, so let’s wait and see.

[GreatWhiteStiff]

in his second season when he shot 40% 3pt on high attempts and 44% FG that only came out to a 53% TS...

Why's that?

why does that seem surprising or not to add up?

Let's breakdown his season when he shot 40%

He shot 40.1% on 4.3 attempts per game. He also shot 3.8 free throws per game and made them at a 75% rate. If he didn't shoot a single 2 pointer he would have a TS of 66.9%

Problem is RJ shoots far too many 2 pointers. If he could cut his 2 point attempts in half, he would be a far more efficient player. Judging by the stats he seems to be a very good 3 point shooter in the corners (he's shooting 38% from the corners this season)

Breakdown the fact that the last 2 seasons he's shooting 49% from 2. Honestly I think this has reflected some growth in this area compared to a younger RJ. Some craftiness, getting bigger, more experience etc. And he's improved his free throw shooting (or his variance is helping him, one or the other) and he's shooting above 80% from the line this year (above 75% over the last two, which admittedly isn't fantastic but still nice to get to the line with that). This is something he's worked on with his trainer.

If anything one could look at his poor three point shooting the last 2 seasons, compare that with the efficiency in the nba over the last several years, and realize every time he attempts an outside shot, well you could argue it's hurting your offence (in terms of efficiency, a 33.3% 3 point shot is low efficiency). I think he's going more towards finishing rather than outside shooting. A solid outside shot is going to help his game with balance and efficiency of course as well.

[Hackett]

What really bothers me is that the way the announcing crew and tv crews hype RJ is as if Toronto fans are just morons. As if none of us have the internet and here comes this star that will save us. I think this is quite insulting to those of us that follow basketball.

This team needs a lot more than RJ and IQ. To act like this was worth loosing a talent like OG, is straight out lying to the fans about where this squad is heading. It's overhyping what RJ brings to the table. IQ I see the potential in, he actually looked good as a defender, and did not turn the ball over once.... but if you were new to basketball and relied on what our TV hosts are saying, you would think that RJ is the best part of the trade, and to me the message they are pushing is grade A propaganda and insulting to anyone who actually follows basketball.

I wish they would just be honest and say, that OG most likely wanted out of Toronto. He was our best 2 way player, with skills that are difficult to find in this league and the Raptors did their best to get something for him rather than be stuck with nothing. Our team most likely has gotten worse overall. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel, as IQ looks like a player that will break out if given sufficient playing time, and may end up balancing this trade. Also, the pick from Detroit is a high 2nd rounder, one spot out of the 1st round. Considering how good Masai has been at spotting talent, it is possible that we will find a very capable player at the position. This of course is not going to be easy, but, if our scouting puts in the maximum effort that they are capable of, I have a feeling that we can turn that pick into something worth while, maybe even great.

So in short, unless you are new to basketball or a teenager, this team did the best back-peddling it could do with what was about to happen in free agency, knowing what we know about OG's mindset and his desire for change, we made the best move we could make to keep our heads above the water.... but we are not making the playoffs! Anyone that thinks this team just needed to dump OG and Precious and replace them with RJ and IQ to be successful is smoking some seriously good stuff.

[maternal85]

What really bothers me is that the way the announcing crew and tv crews hype RJ is as if Toronto fans are just morons. As if none of us have the internet and here comes this star that will save us. I think this is quite insulting to those of us that follow basketball.

This team needs a lot more than RJ and IQ. To act like this was worth loosing a talent like OG, is straight out lying to the fans about where this squad is heading. It's overhyping what RJ brings to the table. IQ I see the potential in, he actually looked good as a defender, and did not turn the ball over once.... but if you were new to basketball and relied on what our TV hosts are saying, you would think that RJ is the best part of the trade, and to me the message they are pushing is grade A propaganda and insulting to anyone who actually follows basketball.

I wish they would just be honest and say, that OG most likely wanted out of Toronto. He was our best 2 way player, with skills that are difficult to find in this league and the Raptors did their best to get something for him rather than be stuck with nothing. Our team most likely has gotten worse overall. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel, as IQ looks like a player that will break out if given sufficient playing time, and may end up balancing this trade. Also, the pick from Detroit is a high 2nd rounder, one spot out of the 1st round. Considering how good Masai has been at spotting talent, it is possible that we will find a very capable player at the position. This of course is not going to be easy, but, if our scouting puts in the maximum effort that they are capable of, I have a feeling that we can turn that pick into something worth while, maybe even great.

So in short, unless you are new to basketball or a teenager, this team did the best back-peddling it could do with what was about to happen in free agency, knowing what we know about OG's mindset and his desire for change, we made the best move we could make to keep our heads above the water.... but we are not making the playoffs! Anyone that thinks this team just needed to dump OG and Precious and replace them with RJ and IQ to be successful is smoking some seriously good stuff.

Nobody has proof OG wanted out. While he's one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, people here hype him up like he's a Scottie Pippen in his prime. We did get better overall. If Quickly reaches his full potential and we draft a decent player in the 2nd round, what else can you ask for ?

[ArthurVandelay]

Looks like Knicks front office want to ensure they are viewed as the winner of this trade. No one said this about RJ before the trade. Overpaid? You can make a good argument yes. Toxic? Does he show guns on social media? Does he deck guys in practice? He's not a toxic asset and he might have warts but he doesn't stink.

ESPN’s Zach Lowe revealed former New York Knicks wing R.J. Barrett’s contract was viewed as a “toxic asset” by some anonymous NBA front office members and coaches following his trade to the Toronto Raptors. “I’ve always said if there’s a continuum of RJ Barrett optimism and pessimism—and over here on the pessimistic side is like, ‘He just stinks, he’s a toxic asset.’ And that is a word that got thrown around yesterday in my conversations with front office people and coaches—toxic asset. Like you’re swallowing his contract,” Lowe said during the latest edition of The Lowe Post podcast (20:30 mark).

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10103244-report-rj-barretts-contract-called-toxic-asset-by-nba-insiders-after-knicks-trade

RJ needs to change his game a bit, no question. Now that he isn't viewed as a 3rd overall pick but the franchise and its fans, hopefully he can. If they can fix Scottie's shot, they can work with RJ too. And if they get him to understand the ball will come back to him and it will be easier to get his drives coming off good team ball movement, that will also make a huge difference to his game.

[ATLTimekeeper]

Looks like Knicks front office want to ensure they are viewed as the winner of this trade. No one said this about RJ before the trade. Overpaid? You can make a good argument yes. Toxic? Does he show guns on social media? Does he deck guys in practice? He's not a toxic asset and he might have warts but he doesn't stink.

ESPN’s Zach Lowe revealed former New York Knicks wing R.J. Barrett’s contract was viewed as a “toxic asset” by some anonymous NBA front office members and coaches following his trade to the Toronto Raptors. “I’ve always said if there’s a continuum of RJ Barrett optimism and pessimism—and over here on the pessimistic side is like, ‘He just stinks, he’s a toxic asset.’ And that is a word that got thrown around yesterday in my conversations with front office people and coaches—toxic asset. Like you’re swallowing his contract,” Lowe said during the latest edition of The Lowe Post podcast (20:30 mark).

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10103244-report-rj-barretts-contract-called-toxic-asset-by-nba-insiders-after-knicks-trade

RJ needs to change his game a bit, no question. Now that he isn't viewed as a 3rd overall pick but the franchise and its fans, hopefully he can. If they can fix Scottie's shot, they can work with RJ too. And if they get him to understand the ball will come back to him and it will be easier to get his drives coming off good team ball movement, that will also make a huge difference to his game.

They can say what they want. Generally when there's an overpaid/underwhelming player that is competitive and professional they stick around long enough and end up being appreciated. RJ isn't Ben Simmons of John Collins, ffs. He puts in the work.

[jrask]

I don't like when he attempts to "bully" his way to the basket. It just looks forced - and everyone knows that awkward eurostep is coming so they just slide in front of him.

he's trying to be Giannis without the size, strength, and athleticism.

[MugRunch]

Looks like Knicks front office want to ensure they are viewed as the winner of this trade. No one said this about RJ before the trade. Overpaid? You can make a good argument yes. Toxic? Does he show guns on social media? Does he deck guys in practice? He's not a toxic asset and he might have warts but he doesn't stink.

ESPN’s Zach Lowe revealed former New York Knicks wing R.J. Barrett’s contract was viewed as a “toxic asset” by some anonymous NBA front office members and coaches following his trade to the Toronto Raptors. “I’ve always said if there’s a continuum of RJ Barrett optimism and pessimism—and over here on the pessimistic side is like, ‘He just stinks, he’s a toxic asset.’ And that is a word that got thrown around yesterday in my conversations with front office people and coaches—toxic asset. Like you’re swallowing his contract,” Lowe said during the latest edition of The Lowe Post podcast (20:30 mark).

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10103244-report-rj-barretts-contract-called-toxic-asset-by-nba-insiders-after-knicks-trade

RJ needs to change his game a bit, no question. Now that he isn't viewed as a 3rd overall pick but the franchise and its fans, hopefully he can. If they can fix Scottie's shot, they can work with RJ too. And if they get him to understand the ball will come back to him and it will be easier to get his drives coming off good team ball movement, that will also make a huge difference to his game.

Related to this, I listened to this Lowe Post podcast and Lowe said that he’s on the 65-70% side of RJ becoming a solid player (assuming 0% is view that he’s a toxic asset and 100% a star). Even Kevin Pelton, who was more down on the trade on the Raptors side, said toxic asset was way too strong and said he’s more on the 30% side.

[pingpongrac]

What really bothers me is that the way the announcing crew and tv crews hype RJ is as if Toronto fans are just morons. As if none of us have the internet and here comes this star that will save us. I think this is quite insulting to those of us that follow basketball.

This team needs a lot more than RJ and IQ. To act like this was worth loosing a talent like OG, is straight out lying to the fans about where this squad is heading. It's overhyping what RJ brings to the table. IQ I see the potential in, he actually looked good as a defender, and did not turn the ball over once.... but if you were new to basketball and relied on what our TV hosts are saying, you would think that RJ is the best part of the trade, and to me the message they are pushing is grade A propaganda and insulting to anyone who actually follows basketball.

I wish they would just be honest and say, that OG most likely wanted out of Toronto. He was our best 2 way player, with skills that are difficult to find in this league and the Raptors did their best to get something for him rather than be stuck with nothing. Our team most likely has gotten worse overall. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel, as IQ looks like a player that will break out if given sufficient playing time, and may end up balancing this trade. Also, the pick from Detroit is a high 2nd rounder, one spot out of the 1st round. Considering how good Masai has been at spotting talent, it is possible that we will find a very capable player at the position. This of course is not going to be easy, but, if our scouting puts in the maximum effort that they are capable of, I have a feeling that we can turn that pick into something worth while, maybe even great.

So in short, unless you are new to basketball or a teenager, this team did the best back-peddling it could do with what was about to happen in free agency, knowing what we know about OG's mindset and his desire for change, we made the best move we could make to keep our heads above the water.... but we are not making the playoffs! Anyone that thinks this team just needed to dump OG and Precious and replace them with RJ and IQ to be successful is smoking some seriously good stuff.

On the flip side, your last paragraph is also a bit insulting. Are you seriously of the opinion that everyone that thinks the trade made us a better team is just a teenager or new to basketball? OG was a VERY good defender – arguably a top 3 1-on-1 defender in the league with the versatility to be able to defend nearly everyone successfully – and he was a great C&S / corner 3 guy, but he did nothing else at a high level while he was terrible at creating his own offence (~10th percentile in isolation and ~25th percentile in PnR ball-handler the past few seasons). Before even considering OG's upcoming contract, what is essentially a 2-for-1 swap of players with potential to be average or above starters is a great deal. This trade has effectively solved some of our most glaring issues (half-court scoring, ability to get into the paint, secondary/tertiary ball handlers, depth, etc.) for the cost of giving up one of the best 1-on-1 defenders in the league – who had seemingly mailed it in over the past month or so while our team defence dropped all the way to 16th.

OG has been one of my favourite players since he came into the league and I have raved about his defence and impact on winning numerous times in the past, but he hasn't really improved much the past two seasons and he's not a guy that our team should be paying 35-40M/year. This seems to be one of those rare trades where both teams get better; we needed more ball handling and offence as well as some extra depth while the Knicks needed a lockdown defender who could hit open threes/be opportunistic with his offence alongside two ball dominant players.

[Harcore Fenton Mun]

Honestly, I don't get why people are so down on him. It's easy enough to see a path to him being good here.