Official RJ Barrett Thread

[Scase]

As far as tweener SG/SF with some power game and passing chops, I'd see RJ's closest comp as Joe Johnson. Both use a combo of strength, skill and patience rather than first step to get their buckets.

Mmmm.

Again, Johnson was a more adept ball handler and a smarter playmaker. Johnson was also an extremely low-turnover guy who was a MUCH better shooter than RJ.

And again, Barrett is dramatically superior at getting to the rim compared to someone like Johnson. He's another one who doesn't make a ton of sense.

Maybe a Corey Maggette with more range and worse FTr?

[Dalek]

As far as tweener SG/SF with some power game and passing chops, I'd see RJ's closest comp as Joe Johnson. Both use a combo of strength, skill and patience rather than first step to get their buckets.

Mmmm.

Again, Johnson was a more adept ball handler and a smarter playmaker. Johnson was also an extremely low-turnover guy who was a MUCH better shooter than RJ.

And again, Barrett is dramatically superior at getting to the rim compared to someone like Johnson. He's another one who doesn't make a ton of sense.

Maybe a Corey Maggette with more range and worse FTr?

I thought about Maggette too especially since he was fellow Duke player, but Mags was a black hole when you passed him the ball. I don't remember him zinging passes the way RJ does.

Maybe RJ is a one-of-one. RJ is just a weird player in that he can have really efficient stretches, but he can have bad lapses mostly in judgement, and his defense is overall just poor. In a lost year, I hope he can improve his all-around game but I think it is hard to do in a losing environment. Eventually, players and coaches just give up trying hard.

[tsherkin]

Maybe a Corey Maggette with more range and worse FTr?

An interesting thought, but Maggette was larger and much more specifically capable of drawing fouls. And, as Dalek noted, a horrid black hole, not just occasionally blindered.

I thought about Maggette too especially since he was fellow Duke player, but Mags was a black hole when you passed him the ball. I don't remember him zinging passes the way RJ does.

RJ is an interesting one in that he shows a lot of different flashes and stuff, but struggles to consistently put together the decision-making side of things, and with consistency on his shot. His middle game also leaves much to be desired, though that's also heavily a product of the era.

[Scase]

Maybe a Corey Maggette with more range and worse FTr?

An interesting thought, but Maggette was larger and much more specifically capable of drawing fouls. And, as Dalek noted, a horrid black hole, not just occasionally blindered.

I thought about Maggette too especially since he was fellow Duke player, but Mags was a black hole when you passed him the ball. I don't remember him zinging passes the way RJ does.

RJ is an interesting one in that he shows a lot of different flashes and stuff, but struggles to consistently put together the decision-making side of things, and with consistency on his shot. His middle game also leaves much to be desired, though that's also heavily a product of the era.

Yeah you both might be right on that, maybe there isn't really a good analogy.

[Johnny Bball]

Barrett's recent shooting woes started the moment Barnes got hurt and Quickly was already out. When the clock runs deep and you have to be the guy that has to take very shot, or the end of the half, or the game is on the line, some guys just are not that guy. So far Barrett isn't that guy when he's got little help out there without someone taking the number one spot.

[TheAlchemist23]

RJ back to being Knicks RJ

[Tripod]

Bad habits creeping back in...like 1 time going 1 on 4 in transition

[MainEvent]

We played to RJs strengths last season. When he caught the ball behind the 3pt line he took it if it was open or kept it moving and we'd give him the rock on the elbow where he could make a quick move to the rim.

Now we got him handling the rock beyond the 3pt line, dancing with the ball trying to initiate the offense going 1on1. if he chooses to drive from the 3point line the D knows where he's trying to get to and is already collapsed and multiple defenders are waiting. its been horrible to watch... next we'll have him taking pull up fade away 2s or something

[Airmiess]

RJ is in a bad position. If he's the #1 and teams prepare to stop him he will have limited options.

This will be the stretch were the haters get to gloat.

[Tripod]

RJ is in a bad position. If he's the #1 and teams prepare to stop him he will have limited options.

This will be the stretch were the haters get to gloat.

No different than the Scottie haters that were gloating how RJ was the real #1 option and true leader of the team.

Reality is neither are #1 scoring options

[PushDaRock]

This is obviously a very rough stretch of Basketball right now for him, but he's not as bad as he has shown the last 5 games. He's also obviously not as good as the 3 game stretch where he went for 30 every night. So, he's somewhere in between these 2 extremes.

[Chandan]

RJ has no practical vertical. I've seen him throw down nasty dunks once in a while, but he's too much of a under the basket player for someone who has no jumpshot.

[Scase]

RJ is in a bad position. If he's the #1 and teams prepare to stop him he will have limited options.

This will be the stretch were the haters get to gloat.

This was not a "team prepared for him" game, this was a "making terrible decisions" game. He was driving 1 on 3 and 1 on 4 for no reason, making stupid passes, taking ATB step back fading air ball 3's for zero reason while he was 2 for 12.

Just poor decision making all game, this is NYC RJ rearing its ugly head.

[Johnny Bball]

We played to RJs strengths last season. When he caught the ball behind the 3pt line he took it if it was open or kept it moving and we'd give him the rock on the elbow where he could make a quick move to the rim.

Now we got him handling the rock beyond the 3pt line, dancing with the ball trying to initiate the offense going 1on1. if he chooses to drive from the 3point line the D knows where he's trying to get to and is already collapsed and multiple defenders are waiting. its been horrible to watch... next we'll have him taking pull up fade away 2s or something

He's playing above the break right now with Barnes and Quickly out. To me that's the main difference in where he's shooting and how many more bodies he has to get through to get to the line, instead of shooting from the corner or driving from the corner and slashing across the lane.

I think he will be fine when he doesn't have to be in that spot. Or maybe the Raptors will move him off the ball instead which would be smart.

[Psubs]

RJ has no practical vertical. I've seen him throw down nasty dunks once in a while, but he's too much of a under the basket player for someone who has no jumpshot.

The 2 things he needs to work on is conditioning and FTs.

[OakleyDokely]

His usage level is just way too high, but it's out of necessity right now with all the injuries. He was around 25 last year, which was at a 2nd/3rd option level. He's currently at almost at 31, which is superstar level.

[ArthurVandelay]

I've always felt RJ's long term future was a 6th man. That isn't a dig or meant to be a put down. I think he'd be elite in that role.

[WaltFrazier]

Read on Twitter

Just posting for reactions

[OakleyDokely]

Don't know why that guy is only focusing on RJ when the Raps also got IQ,and Mogbo as well, but a big part of why the deal was made was so they didn't have to pay OG 45 mil a year.

[Psubs]

He's starting to feel like FVV and should be traded like Demar Derozan in a consolidation, maybe at the draft?