Official Welcome to the Knicks... The Maple Mamba!!

[Chanel Bomber]

Be prepared for him to be called RJ Bennett or NoJ Barrett.

Damn.

[RiseOfTheEmpire]

Where are all of the highlights?
MAPLE MAMBA FOR THREE. SPLASH!!!

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[dakomish23]

From the GB

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1871091

[CharlesOakley]

I wonder if management views RJ as more of a small forward than a 2-guard?

He should play the 2 for now until he gets strong enough to play the 3. KD played his first season as a shooting guard to protect him.

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RJ is physically mature.

A player at 6'7"/210 doesn't need to get stronger really. That is bigger than the average SG and right in line with the average SF.

His current strength, speed, and handle make me think his best position, for now, is SF. He looks too slow to play SG but strong enough to hold his own against SFs.

[NoDopeOnSundays]

He should play the 2 for now until he gets strong enough to play the 3. KD played his first season as a shooting guard to protect him.

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RJ is physically mature.

A player at 6'7"/210 doesn't need to get stronger really. That is bigger than the average SG and right in line with the average SF.

His current strength, speed, and handle make me think his best position, for now, is SF. He looks too slow to play SG but strong enough to hold his own against SFs.

I want him to go against guys that he has a strength advantage over, which would be at the 2, I'd worry about his defense second but let him get used to playing against all the 6'4" shooting guards in the league right now.

[ny-n-md]

Looking at his struggles and seeing it will not be an easy adjustment for him, I now understand the signings of Ellington and Bullock. Good veteran leadership with experience while he goes through his struggles. Lighten the load and pressure. Also having Trier and Dotson is major too. I’m going to give him time to adjust. We’ve been this patient on Frank, why not RJ?

[Milk]

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[HarthorneWingo]

Okay. We saw some nice improvement from RJ over the last two games. The game two night ago, his stats were mostly padded from the second half against the summer league scrubs. Last night's game was a good around game for him. He definitely looked calmer and at ease on the court. Really looking forward to preseason. October is around the corner.

[BeagleBoss]

Okay. We saw some nice improvement from RJ over the last two games. The game two night ago, his stats were mostly padded from the second half against the summer league scrubs. Last night's game was a good around game for him. He definitely looked calmer and at ease on the court. Really looking forward to preseason. October is around the corner.

Agreed. I'm not worried at all about Barrett. He needs to improve his jumper, which we all knew. The kid is a workhorse who will spend the rest of the offseason shooting jumper after jumper so I think he'll shoot much better. This is not another Ntilikina. This kid can play.

[Jeff Van Gully]

it's... vegas... summer... league.

westbrook: y'all posters trippin.

[Clyde_Style]

What I liked about games 3 & 4 was RJ showing he understands the game of basketball which is more than you can say about many guys. He could become a very well-rounded two-way player who makes winning plays on defense, the boards and as a facilitator. His shot will improve so that was never my primary concern anyway.

[NoDopeOnSundays]

Love the rebounding, love that it looks like he can become a good playmaker, the shot needs work but that will come. I like what I see from him, please get him away from Drew Hanlen though.

[King of Canada]

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[moocow007]

Barrett had the classic deer-in-the-headlights, world moving at 100 miles an hour look to him the 1st couple games. He still has some of that look. You can tell by the way he dribbles. 1st two games it was brutal. got a bit better 3rd game. better again the last game. That usually is the biggest sign for me of basketball jitters.

[eaglebaldini]

Barrett had the classic deer-in-the-headlights, world moving at 100 miles an hour look to him the 1st couple games. He still has some of that look. You can tell by the way he dribbles. 1st two games it was brutal. got a bit better 3rd game. better again the last game. That usually is the biggest sign for me of basketball jitters.

he was trying to do way too much, way too fast. the past couple of games he has slowed himself down and it's no surprise that he's played much better. the shot still isn't falling, but he's not taking bad shots or forcing the issue like he was early on. last night, especially, he was making a deliberate effort to get to the line and get in rhythm.

i'm very encouraged by what i've seen so far and he seems to really "get it" from a mental standpoint. he may not be the most gifted athlete, but he has the humility and the work ethic to build upon his strengths and address his weaknesses.

[HarthorneWingo]

Okay. We saw some nice improvement from RJ over the last two games. The game two night ago, his stats were mostly padded from the second half against the summer league scrubs. Last night's game was a good around game for him. He definitely looked calmer and at ease on the court. Really looking forward to preseason. October is around the corner.

Agreed. I'm not worried at all about Barrett. He needs to improve his jumper, which we all knew. The kid is a workhorse who will spend the rest of the offseason shooting jumper after jumper so I think he'll shoot much better. This is not another Ntilikina. This kid can play.

So can Frank.

[HarthorneWingo]

Barrett had the classic deer-in-the-headlights, world moving at 100 miles an hour look to him the 1st couple games. He still has some of that look. You can tell by the way he dribbles. 1st two games it was brutal. got a bit better 3rd game. better again the last game. That usually is the biggest sign for me of basketball jitters.

The Knicks allowed the media to blow a lot of smoke up Barrett's butt with all this savior talk. Gotta sell those tickets! Oh wait, we sell out even when we only win 17 games.

Seriously, the Knicks, RJ, his dad, and his agent, all should've shut that kind of talk down and lowered the expectations bar. Rather, they all seemed to bask in it. I think that might've helped somewhat. Of course, the media would still be playing that angle. So maybe this is a bump in the road and he'll just get more comfortable as we begin the season. I also think being out on the floor with some of the veterans will take a lot of pressure off of RJ and that will also help him get comfortable so he can let his skill take over.

There's still a little issue with his release though he doesn't appear to be kicking out his left leg as much. We see a lot of these kids don't have good fundamental shooting mechanics coming out of high school.

[Jeff Van Gully]

Barrett had the classic deer-in-the-headlights, world moving at 100 miles an hour look to him the 1st couple games. He still has some of that look. You can tell by the way he dribbles. 1st two games it was brutal. got a bit better 3rd game. better again the last game. That usually is the biggest sign for me of basketball jitters.

The Knicks allowed the media to blow a lot of smoke up Barrett's butt with all this savior talk. Gotta sell those tickets! Oh wait, we sell out even when we only win 17 games.

Seriously, the Knicks, RJ, his dad, and his agent, all should've shut that kind of talk down and lowered the expectations bar. Rather, they all seemed to bask in it. I think that might've helped somewhat. Of course, the media would still be playing that angle. So maybe this is a bump in the road and he'll just get more comfortable as we begin the season. I also think being out on the floor with some of the veterans will take a lot of pressure off of RJ and that will also help him get comfortable so he can let his skill take over.

There's still a little issue with his release though he doesn't appear to be kicking out his left leg as much. We see a lot of these kids don't have good fundamental shooting mechanics coming out of high school.

i can only recall RJ saying he's ready for the moment, but that he's a rookie and here to learn and go through it like all other rooks.

[HarthorneWingo]

Barrett had the classic deer-in-the-headlights, world moving at 100 miles an hour look to him the 1st couple games. He still has some of that look. You can tell by the way he dribbles. 1st two games it was brutal. got a bit better 3rd game. better again the last game. That usually is the biggest sign for me of basketball jitters.

The Knicks allowed the media to blow a lot of smoke up Barrett's butt with all this savior talk. Gotta sell those tickets! Oh wait, we sell out even when we only win 17 games.

Seriously, the Knicks, RJ, his dad, and his agent, all should've shut that kind of talk down and lowered the expectations bar. Rather, they all seemed to bask in it. I think that might've helped somewhat. Of course, the media would still be playing that angle. So maybe this is a bump in the road and he'll just get more comfortable as we begin the season. I also think being out on the floor with some of the veterans will take a lot of pressure off of RJ and that will also help him get comfortable so he can let his skill take over.

There's still a little issue with his release though he doesn't appear to be kicking out his left leg as much. We see a lot of these kids don't have good fundamental shooting mechanics coming out of high school.

i can only recall RJ saying he's ready for the moment, but that he's a rookie and here to learn and go through it like all other rooks.

"I was built for this"

Plus, he didn't dismiss the "savior" talk. Trust me, there was a fair amount of basking going on. I know baskers when I see them.

[ophdog]

Still have a lot of concerns in what I am seeing the biggest is still his burst which worries me but he has shown a lot more to his game the last 2 games. His upside is a triple double threat every game.