Official RJ Barrett Thread

[Thaddy]

RJ is also the worst defender on this list. He's a "Power" Guard which isn't going to help us win any games. I hope we can dump him for picks and prospects soon. I don't find the whole Canadian angle worse exploring and he won't be on a title contention roster for us barring immense strides. No shooting ability and no defense. We can't have him as our undersized SF of the future if we want to build a winning team here.

He's the new Derozan.

A few people have outlined the issue:

- "Empty calories" meaning his stats are good but not translating to winning.
- At 24+ the chances of an all star appearance significantly dip

This means we have a player who is talented as much as a role player but he only brings skills that you would want from a core player.

The best situation for him is a bench role. I could see him being a 6th man candidate in that kind of position. Next season I hope we start whoever we draft even if it puts our lineup in a weird situation.

Poeltl / Chomche
Barnes / Mogbo
Dick / Agbaji
Harper / Barrett
Quickely / Shead

It's obvious that Quickely and Barrett don't really fit here. I think they are transient pieces that Masai knew he'd likely trade prior to having the team meaningfully compete.

[Scase]

RJ is also the worst defender on this list. He's a "Power" Guard which isn't going to help us win any games. I hope we can dump him for picks and prospects soon. I don't find the whole Canadian angle worse exploring and he won't be on a title contention roster for us barring immense strides. No shooting ability and no defense. We can't have him as our undersized SF of the future if we want to build a winning team here.

He's the new Derozan.

A fair amount of us have been saying that for a while, but a lot of people misinterpret it as similar play styles, not impact. To his credit he's a better 3pt shooter and he seemingly tries on defence, despite being as bad.

But the comparison to me, is that they both have limited games, that are inefficient and easy to counter. They are players that will get you to that low playoff seed/high play in threshold, but limit you there if they are any major part of the team. I keep saying I think RJ would be a fantastic 6th man, but I don't think I see him being relegated to that. I don't think he should be right now, but if the team has any chance of becoming a legit contender, him in a priority role is not compatible with that outcome, unless he takes massive steps forward.

[Ell Curry]

RJ is also the worst defender on this list. He's a "Power" Guard which isn't going to help us win any games. I hope we can dump him for picks and prospects soon. I don't find the whole Canadian angle worse exploring and he won't be on a title contention roster for us barring immense strides. No shooting ability and no defense. We can't have him as our undersized SF of the future if we want to build a winning team here.

If we don't include rookies like Rissacher, Cody Williams, Sarr and Holland on the assumption they will be better defenders than Barrett (and both have shown more than enough signs to think they will be, even if they never become rotation quality players due to their offence), I'd still say D-Lo Russell and maybe Kevin Porter Jr (haven't seen him much this year) are worse. But obviously it's easier to roster build/scheme around a bad defensive guard than a bad defensive wing.

But yeah, the ideal situation here is probably that we can move RJ, but looking around I don't see a ton of need for him anywhere (which is sort of the whole problem) which isn't that surprising in a league where nobody has paid a seemingly fairly small price for a better version of RJ in Brandon Ingram.

My guess is that he ends up sticking around for this season and the next, and then he's an expiring contract, we'll have picks we can deal with 3 new rookies on cheap deals for 3+ years (2025 1st, 2026 1st and Pacers 2026 1st) along with Walter and Mogbo as cheap bench guys, so even with Barnes, Quickley and Poeltl making about 90-95M or so and Grady Dick and Agbaji making more than they make now, there should still absolutely be enough space to move Barrett and some 10M type contract we have (from the MLE or an Olynyk, Bruce Brown or Boucher trade or re-signing one of them or Davion Mitchell) and a young player and picks for a better player than Barrett making 40+ Million from some team that is throwing in the towel and tanking.

[Thaddy]

RJ is also the worst defender on this list. He's a "Power" Guard which isn't going to help us win any games. I hope we can dump him for picks and prospects soon. I don't find the whole Canadian angle worse exploring and he won't be on a title contention roster for us barring immense strides. No shooting ability and no defense. We can't have him as our undersized SF of the future if we want to build a winning team here.

If we don't include rookies like Rissacher, Cody Williams, Sarr and Holland on the assumption they will be better defenders than Barrett (and both have shown more than enough signs to think they will be, even if they never become rotation quality players due to their offence), I'd still say D-Lo Russell and maybe Kevin Porter Jr (haven't seen him much this year) are worse. But obviously it's easier to roster build/scheme around a bad defensive guard than a bad defensive wing.

But yeah, the ideal situation here is probably that we can move RJ, but looking around I don't see a ton of need for him anywhere (which is sort of the whole problem) which isn't that surprising in a league where nobody has paid a seemingly fairly small price for a better version of RJ in Brandon Ingram.

My guess is that he ends up sticking around for this season and the next, and then he's an expiring contract, we'll have picks we can deal with 3 new rookies on cheap deals for 3+ years (2025 1st, 2026 1st and Pacers 2026 1st) along with Walter and Mogbo as cheap bench guys, so even with Barnes, Quickley and Poeltl making about 90-95M or so and Grady Dick and Agbaji making more than they make now, there should still absolutely be enough space to move Barrett and some 10M type contract we have (from the MLE or an Olynyk, Bruce Brown or Boucher trade or re-signing one of them or Davion Mitchell) and a young player and picks for a better player than Barrett making 40+ Million from some team that is throwing in the towel and tanking.

The Knicks did literally use him as a salary filler. Eventually a big will arise and be in similar cost & value to Barrett. I rather have another PF that shoots the 3 at a similar rate. He's fairly comparable to Grant. I'm not sure if POR would be open to that deal. Barrett is younger so I would want a future MIL pick coming this way.

[Ell Curry]

The Knicks did literally use him as a salary filler. Eventually a big will arise and be in similar cost & value to Barrett. I rather have another PF that shoots the 3 at a similar rate. He's fairly comparable to Grant. I'm not sure if POR would be open to that deal. Barrett is younger so I would want a future MIL pick coming this way.

I don't see Portland giving up a first to turn Grant into Barrett.

Portland is probably happy to tank, draft a wing in 2025 and move forward with a Scoot-Sharpe-2025-Avdija-Clingan starting lineup that will still tank next year, and try to get picks themselves for their veterans (Ayton, Simons, Grant, maybe Timelord). It's even possible Grant is chosen by some team over Barrett as their wing trade target at the deadline.

I think maybe we could get a 2nd and say Lonzo's expiring from Chicago, but there's a real shortage of bad money floating around out there, and there isn't the kind of bad money out there you'd give up a first to turn it into RJ.

[nikster]

Nuggets and Warriors.

Curry was probably neutral at best, Murray is a negative.

It’s way more common than a Wing being a complete liability on defence.

RJ if he doesn’t improve his defence is destined to go on a Demar like path. Successful numbers wise but no contender will ever go for them. He’ll be switching from low ceiling teams to other low ceiling teams for the rest of his career if he doesn’t address it

Plus Kyrie won a title and was in a finals last year. Miami made a finals with Dragic then Gabe Vincent. It's really common.

But wing liabilities aren't that rare either on contenders. If Kyrie was PG then Luka was a terrible wing defender. Heat had Max Strus, Caleb Martin, and Duncan Robinson in the wing in 2022, and started Herro at SG in 2020. Warriors had Jordan Poole at SG. Devin Booker isn't great either. Cavs had a rotation of Jeff Green, Kyle Korver and JR Smith in 2018....

I don't think RJs as bad as Demar, and Demar arguably had a bigger problem offensively in the playoffs. 50TS% for his career in the post season.

Those Miami guys are good team defenders. They played nearly perfect zone defence.

RJ’s off ball defence and team defence is worse than his on ball defence. If he’s able to get back to that RJ version of himself from the 2nd half of the season last year then that would help compensate for his lack of defence but if not? I don’t see him being a long term core piece.

Herro a good team defender? The point is teams have won and competed with poor defenders at any position, Centre is the hardest one to make up for.

[MEDIC]

Great game by RJ. Looks like he is starting to settle in now that Scottie is back in the lineup. Good to see.

[raincityraptors]

I love watching RJ run the offense.

[Shwaguy]

I will never know what to make of this dude longterm. If he could just play some **** Defence he would be such an asset but idk how you win longterm with a Gradey/RJ wing duo defensively.

[deck]

I will never know what to make of this dude longterm. If he could just play some **** Defence he would be such an asset but idk how you win longterm with a Gradey/RJ wing duo defensively.

He played good defence tonight.

[mad-man]

This board will always look to run someone out of town. Wouldnt be the Raps board if they didnt have their sights set on someone.

[XTC]

He had a horrible 8 game stretch which really screwed his stats, but he's slowly getting back on track.

He's managed to get back up to a 55% TS after the performance tonight.

[Vampirate]

Keep it up, 0 complaints tonight.

[PushDaRock]

RJ is averaging 30.4 PPG in home games this year, pretty crazy stat.

[tsherkin]

He had a horrible 8 game stretch which really screwed his stats, but he's slowly getting back on track.

He's managed to get back up to a 55% TS after the performance tonight.

9 of his first 11 were pretty rough, then 2 of his last 6. He runs hot and cold, it's just how his game manifests because he lacks consistency. It is what it is at the moment; he was huge against Miami. He's 8/15 from 3 over his last 3 games, which obviously isn't really representative, but he's on that streak from 3 again which typically defines his good runs.

[PushDaRock]

RJ's TS% is up to 54.6, not too far off from league average for guards and wings now who range from 55.5-57% at those positions.

The assisted 2's are now up to 37.8% from 29% at one point while his efficiency has also gone up since. It's looking like he probably can be an efficient player when he has another creator out there to share the burden like Scottie. IQ coming back should only help him out.

[MEDIC]

RJ's TS% is up to 54.6, not too far off from league average for guards and wings now who range from 55.5-57% at those positions.

The assisted 2's are now up to 37.8% from 29% at one point while his efficiency has also gone up since. It's looking like he probably can be an efficient player when he has another creator out there to share the burden like Scottie. IQ coming back should only help him out.

That's why I am not going to put too much stock in the games that were played without Scottie. He's an off-ball guy & needs an on ball facilitator to get the best out of him. Things should.improve again once Quick comes back..

[Kingsway_fan]

RJ is averaging 30.4 PPG in home games this year, pretty crazy stat.

If he keeps that up in this homestand, we are play in bound.... likely winning 40 percent of the games...

[TorontoBarneys]

Tankbros probably have to start hoping for injuries, unethical as it is. BBQ will be too good.

Grim outlook for tankers. I'm personally easy, I don't want to fix myself to any one position this year and as a result I'm enjoying the season more.

[tsherkin]

RJ's TS% is up to 54.6, not too far off from league average for guards and wings now who range from 55.5-57% at those positions.

Volume scoring below league average isn't going to help us develop a high-end offense.

The assisted 2's are now up to 37.8% from 29% at one point while his efficiency has also gone up since. It's looking like he probably can be an efficient player when he has another creator out there to share the burden like Scottie. IQ coming back should only help him out.

When he is supported by others and not creating everything, that's our best look for him, yes. That's a big part of why he was so dramatically different last year versus previously in New York or to date this season. So it's something we should continue to support. More of RJ in the corner will be good, too. He's WELL below his average there in terms of proportion of his shots, and that isn't helping him at all.