Is RJ Barrett a beast?

[cgf]

The same fans that crap on Barrett are the same type of fans that wanted Patrick Ewing traded in the mid 90’s.I am not saying that Barrett is already on the same level as Ewing, but we need to be very supportive of him.

Kinda depends on who those folks wanted to trade Ewing for. I mean, if they were on that Don Nelson s*** & wanted to swap Pat for Shaq, they were right

It was Patrick for capspace eith the idea to draw Shaq. Not straight up.

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Thus why I used "swap" rather than "trade"

[nedleeds]

When you see his drive and work ethic and you see incremental improvements each year in his young career that is usually a very good sign. Right now he does practically everything but have a consistent jump shot.

Defends, rebounds, passes, sees the floor well, improved FT. Drives the lane and finishes very well. Floater.

His development of his mid range and 3 ball will determine the spectrum. His floor From pretty good player to ceiling of Superstar. I think his ceiling is close to Paul Pierce or Grant Hill.

Grant Hill and Paul Pierce are too natural. I think Butler is the best case for him.

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Grant Hill pre-injury was an all time athletic monster, RJ isn't close to his athletic ceiling. Paul Pierce became a hall of fame shooter and mid-post monster, Paul Pierce was a very average NBA athlete. RJ is young enough where his athleticism looks better than Pierce. He could develop a mid-post game like Pierce but that's a high bar. I think Butler is a good comp, Butlers best athletic attributes are his hand quickness, his strength and his small box quickness (quick lateral movement) so I think it's a good comp athletically. Butler's chip and work ethic are legendary. He built a respectable 3 point shot and a above average pick and roll game. Not sure RJ can be prime Butler defensively but it's possible. A good comp though, maybe RJ grows another inch or so as well.

[prophet_of_rage]

When you see his drive and work ethic and you see incremental improvements each year in his young career that is usually a very good sign. Right now he does practically everything but have a consistent jump shot.

Defends, rebounds, passes, sees the floor well, improved FT. Drives the lane and finishes very well. Floater.

His development of his mid range and 3 ball will determine the spectrum. His floor From pretty good player to ceiling of Superstar. I think his ceiling is close to Paul Pierce or Grant Hill.

Grant Hill and Paul Pierce are too natural. I think Butler is the best case for him.

Sent from my SM-N970W using Tapatalk

Grant Hill pre-injury was an all time athletic monster, RJ isn't close to his athletic ceiling. Paul Pierce became a hall of fame shooter and mid-post monster, Paul Pierce was a very average NBA athlete. RJ is young enough where his athleticism looks better than Pierce. He could develop a mid-post game like Pierce but that's a high bar. I think Butler is a good comp, Butlers best athletic attributes are his hand quickness, his strength and his small box quickness (quick lateral movement) so I think it's a good comp athletically. Butler's chip and work ethic are legendary. He built a respectable 3 point shot and a above average pick and roll game. Not sure RJ can be prime Butler defensively but it's possible. A good comp though, maybe RJ grows another inch or so as well.

Agreed. Pierce is was actually a good athlete pre-NBA. And he always a smooth shot. RJ can build himself into a Butler type. Butler only became a scorer in what 2015?

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[Mecca]

For the record I don’t think he’s a bust or will be one. He’s just an ok, to solid player, but isn’t a 1 or 2 option. Maybe not a 3rd.

Kind of a double statement. Don’t think he’ll be a bust but don’t think he’ll be a top 3 option? He’s a bust if he’s not at least a 3rd option based on his youth and where we selected him.
If he’s at best a 6th man in his prime, that’s not a bust?

I personally see the makings of a 2nd or 3rd option

He won’t be a scrub & he’ll have a 10-13 year career. I hope this isn’t true, but he’d still be a disappointment as a complementary player with a ton of flaws. He is who he always was in Duke, so I can’t really say bust.

[KnixinSix]

When you see his drive and work ethic and you see incremental improvements each year in his young career that is usually a very good sign. Right now he does practically everything but have a consistent jump shot.

Defends, rebounds, passes, sees the floor well, improved FT. Drives the lane and finishes very well. Floater.

His development of his mid range and 3 ball will determine the spectrum. His floor From pretty good player to ceiling of Superstar. I think his ceiling is close to Paul Pierce or Grant Hill.

Grant Hill and Paul Pierce are too natural. I think Butler is the best case for him.

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Hill and Pierce came in the league a couple years older than Barrett did . Pierce steadily ramped up his game from 16 to 19 to 25 pts a game in year 3.

We have seen players with a bit of an unnatural shot refine it in the NBA as they grow.

You are right in the notion that those 2 are excellent, excellent players which is why I mentioned them as ceilings.

[KnixinSix]

When you see his drive and work ethic and you see incremental improvements each year in his young career that is usually a very good sign. Right now he does practically everything but have a consistent jump shot.

Defends, rebounds, passes, sees the floor well, improved FT. Drives the lane and finishes very well. Floater.

His development of his mid range and 3 ball will determine the spectrum. His floor From pretty good player to ceiling of Superstar. I think his ceiling is close to Paul Pierce or Grant Hill.

Grant Hill and Paul Pierce are too natural. I think Butler is the best case for him.

Sent from my SM-N970W using Tapatalk

Grant Hill pre-injury was an all time athletic monster, RJ isn't close to his athletic ceiling. Paul Pierce became a hall of fame shooter and mid-post monster, Paul Pierce was a very average NBA athlete. RJ is young enough where his athleticism looks better than Pierce. He could develop a mid-post game like Pierce but that's a high bar. I think Butler is a good comp, Butlers best athletic attributes are his hand quickness, his strength and his small box quickness (quick lateral movement) so I think it's a good comp athletically. Butler's chip and work ethic are legendary. He built a respectable 3 point shot and a above average pick and roll game. Not sure RJ can be prime Butler defensively but it's possible. A good comp though, maybe RJ grows another inch or so as well.

Good stuff Ned and spot on analysis. Pierce was not an uber athlete by any means. That's why I like the comp. He knew how to get the best out of what he had. Butler is another good comp too perhaps offensively but I agree anf don't see RJ ever being on the same level defensively.

[nedleeds]

Grant Hill and Paul Pierce are too natural. I think Butler is the best case for him.

Sent from my SM-N970W using Tapatalk

Grant Hill pre-injury was an all time athletic monster, RJ isn't close to his athletic ceiling. Paul Pierce became a hall of fame shooter and mid-post monster, Paul Pierce was a very average NBA athlete. RJ is young enough where his athleticism looks better than Pierce. He could develop a mid-post game like Pierce but that's a high bar. I think Butler is a good comp, Butlers best athletic attributes are his hand quickness, his strength and his small box quickness (quick lateral movement) so I think it's a good comp athletically. Butler's chip and work ethic are legendary. He built a respectable 3 point shot and a above average pick and roll game. Not sure RJ can be prime Butler defensively but it's possible. A good comp though, maybe RJ grows another inch or so as well.

Agreed. Pierce is was actually a good athlete pre-NBA. And he always a smooth shot. RJ can build himself into a Butler type. Butler only became a scorer in what 2015?

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Yeah 2014-15 on any real volume, 38% on 3 attempts (which was reasonable for 2014 ... 3 is like 5 in the "modern" chuck and duck NBA).

Butler's rookie year was also his age 22 season (LOL seems insane these days) which will be RJs 3rd year. RJ will need to hit that weight room hard if he want's to reach Butler's peak, Jimmy is a strong mother ****. His strength is in some ways more important to his game than his touch. His peak in CHI he was shooting ~9 FTs a game, mostly on his ability to bully guards into fouling him on the turn of his shot, or off getting his shoulder into forwards and finishing after they bounced off him. I can see RJ getting there, he absolutely needs some go-to moves off a right handed dribble / first step. For many lefties it's 1, 2 dribbles right and a spin back. Or 1, 2 dribbles right spin back into the up under and step through finish right.

[Zenzibar]

Insert tour bus meme

This is the "RJ is a bust" tour bus.

[br7knicks]

this board could have its own reality channel - episode 1 would be this thread

[KNIXFAN_83]

RJ is currently averaging more points then any all rookie team member not named Ja or Zion. He’s also second in rebounds behind Zion. Like i said. He was preseason number one overall for reason. He will not be a bust.

[dakomish23]

this board could have its own reality channel - episode 1 would be this thread

A significant portion of the NBA fan base is like this now. It’s the ESPN-ification of the NBA. They tried to cover it like it’s football instead of more like baseball, which it’s closer to due to season length, to draw conclusions. Get your hot takes here.

So many prisoners of the moment focused on what have you done for me lately.

The few who cover the NBA from a long term view also happen to be the best at covering the NBA. Not a coincidence.

[dakomish23]

Insert tour bus meme

This is the "RJ is a bust" tour bus.

I remember this story as a kid, told to me by a visitor from India.

Two male elephants will fight over who would be the lead. The loser is banished. The loser sometimes can’t get over the banishment and goes insane. One such elephant attacked someone this visitor knew. The elephant grabs the woman by the legs using his trunk and then swing her head into a tree, bashing it in.

[NYKat]

Obviously this a trolling thread title but RJ as an aspiring shooter, would do well establish his paint and mid range game to start the game and then venture out to get a rhythm.

When he starts the game taking contested step backs you know it’s gonna be a long night for him shooting wise

It’s all about shot selection, and that’ll come with experience.

[Juco24]

Dropped in only to say: wish we could see who voted "yes". All 37 of you.

[Zenzibar]

Insert tour bus meme

This is the "RJ is a bust" tour bus.

I remember this story as a kid, told to me by a visitor from India.

Two male elephants will fight over who would be the lead. The loser is banished. The loser sometimes can’t get over the banishment and goes insane. One such elephant attacked someone this visitor knew. The elephant grabs the woman by the legs using his trunk and then swing her head into a tree, bashing it in.

Amazing that animals have egos as well.

[Heej]

I think he's gonna have the Brandon Ingram trajectory. Hard worker that improves incrementally until it all comes together. According to this one skills trainer I've listened to that trains BI and other guys (Micah Lancaster), he said most guys will focus on one thing for an entire summer and when they get in the league there's an immediate difference in the level of play; but BI is different because he trains everything equally. And his point like 3 years ago was that within a year or two BI will reach the point where everything he improved all around will pass a certain threshold where it all comes together. And that season was whatever, then the next off-season he trained all around again and that's when Bron joined and post all star break BI was averaging 22/5/3 or something like that before the blood clots.

Now we've seen his first year in the Pels he made the all Star leap, and now he's made another leap to All-NBA. I can tell RJ decided to train as an all-around player as opposed to straight focusing on his jumper. If all he did was work on his jumper he'd look a lot better, but how long term growth/potential might be capped. It looks like it'll take RJ another 2 full off-seasons to develop his all around game, but I think this year he's gonna flash signs of being a fringe all-star, next year he'll improve in the later part of the season and play at all star level, and next next year is when the all around training finally crystalizes and he emerges as an all-star candidate. Just my 2 cents on what I see.

[cooch2584]

For the record I don’t think he’s a bust or will be one. He’s just an ok, to solid player, but isn’t a 1 or 2 option. Maybe not a 3rd.

are we looking at the same players??

[br7knicks]

If RJ is a bust, then Knicks fans should be happy. That's a hell of a bust player, and dude can't even legally drink yet

[NoLayupRule]

dear lord people love to label players and try to brand them for life right out the gate

give the kid some time
hes been both underwhelming and exceptionally good
kinda how young players can be

[NYG]

He's not a bust yet - too young and talented to make that declaration.

He's definitely given some strong indications that he might be though.

What’s so talented about him? Seriously. What does he do well? I don’t see it.

Yeah if he becomes a better version of what he is now without adding something new to his game, what is that ceiling? He was the right pick at the time, but I see the wing version of Marvin Bagley, just waiting for something that’s almost there, but never complete, regular and consistent.