Is RJ Barrett a beast?

[K_ick_God]

It's interesting, small sample size but RJ now at 43 and 35 this season so far. That almost matches his career which is 43 and 37.

Sort of like a Nate Silver thing. Don't pay attention to the highs and lows, just put them into the average and go with that. Those would be close to acceptable but perhaps underwhelming numbers if they carried through.

He still does bring some other things though, that have to be factored in, and he finished last year with much better than 35 so we'll see.

[DowNY]

we gotta stop it with this game by game evalution bs, it just makes this forum unreadable.

This.

Dudes be quiet then bump it after a bad game, as if nobody has bad games. Lol it’s weird.

Both camps do this...and it's annoying when either of you do it. RJ going off for 35 didn't mean he was done developing and him only chipping 7 in doesn't mean he's done.

What makes it particularly silly is that RJ's offensive growth wasn't even his priority this season.

“Either of you”
Don’t group me into a certain camp cause of the avi. Sure I came in here with YouTube vids or Twitter posts after some good games but it wasn’t to bump the thread or overhype. Usually responses.
One camp bumped this old thread & keeps bumping it after bad games. I truly can care less and let the thread die as it should’ve last year.
Don’t worry though, cause I give it 1 more week before Obi’s is bumped again.
You gotta deal with the good and bad when it comes to forums, especially this one. Ain’t nothing new.

[Clyde_Style]

Trouble with RJ being good is that it's drawing in Canadian Raptor fans like flies, much like we had to contend with the annoying Latvians during KP's time here. Oh well. Cost of RJ being good. May they continue to shower us with hipster do*chebag style gifs for the next 12 years.

Flies are the protein of the future

God willing. The price of cricket is too damn high!

You always end up paying more for the crunchy ones

[drekwins]

I definitely get some Otto Porter Jr. vibes but it's really too early to tell. His biggest knock was shooting... which has improved drastically. Now, it's just about general playmaking. If he can learn how to create more consistently for himself and others, he has a chance.. but he just isn't explosive at all.

[Luv those Knicks]

It's interesting, small sample size but RJ now at 43 and 35 this season so far. That almost matches his career which is 43 and 37.

Sort of like a Nate Silver thing. Don't pay attention to the highs and lows, just put them into the average and go with that. Those would be close to acceptable but perhaps underwhelming numbers if they carried through.

He still does bring some other things though, that have to be factored in, and he finished last year with much better than 35 so we'll see.

Shooting percentages are down this year. That RJ's percentages are the same (or nearly the same) is actually a sign that he's made improvements, not that he's holding steady.

Some players are blaming the ball, though I think the new defense rules may be a factor too.

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2021/11/nba-wilson-spalding-basketball-paul-george-cj-mccollum

[K_ick_God]

It's interesting, small sample size but RJ now at 43 and 35 this season so far. That almost matches his career which is 43 and 37.

Sort of like a Nate Silver thing. Don't pay attention to the highs and lows, just put them into the average and go with that. Those would be close to acceptable but perhaps underwhelming numbers if they carried through.

He still does bring some other things though, that have to be factored in, and he finished last year with much better than 35 so we'll see.

Shooting percentages are down this year. That RJ's percentages are the same (or nearly the same) is actually a sign that he's made improvements, not that he's holding steady.

Some players are blaming the ball, though I think the new defense rules may be a factor too.

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2021/11/nba-wilson-spalding-basketball-paul-george-cj-mccollum

Interesting and helpful. It could be that percentages are just down, and then I'd feel better. LaMelo is at 44 and 41 by comparison.

[Clyde_Style]

It's interesting, small sample size but RJ now at 43 and 35 this season so far. That almost matches his career which is 43 and 37.

Sort of like a Nate Silver thing. Don't pay attention to the highs and lows, just put them into the average and go with that. Those would be close to acceptable but perhaps underwhelming numbers if they carried through.

He still does bring some other things though, that have to be factored in, and he finished last year with much better than 35 so we'll see.

Shooting percentages are down this year. That RJ's percentages are the same (or nearly the same) is actually a sign that he's made improvements, not that he's holding steady.

Some players are blaming the ball, though I think the new defense rules may be a factor too.

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2021/11/nba-wilson-spalding-basketball-paul-george-cj-mccollum

RJ’s percentages the beginning of last season were bad and then he shot at a blistering pace from three. I wouldn’t draw any conclusions from 10 games yet

[K_ick_God]

It's interesting, small sample size but RJ now at 43 and 35 this season so far. That almost matches his career which is 43 and 37.

Sort of like a Nate Silver thing. Don't pay attention to the highs and lows, just put them into the average and go with that. Those would be close to acceptable but perhaps underwhelming numbers if they carried through.

He still does bring some other things though, that have to be factored in, and he finished last year with much better than 35 so we'll see.

Shooting percentages are down this year. That RJ's percentages are the same (or nearly the same) is actually a sign that he's made improvements, not that he's holding steady.

Some players are blaming the ball, though I think the new defense rules may be a factor too.

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2021/11/nba-wilson-spalding-basketball-paul-george-cj-mccollum

RJ’s percentages the beginning of last season were bad and then he shot at a blistering pace from three. I wouldn’t draw any conclusions from 10 games yet

That was somewhat my point, although you're right. But it is at least smthg to keep an eye on that his numbers now, after the recent highs and recent lows, are not far off all the games of his career in the NBA to date.

Still too early but notable.

[TexasMassacre]

I don't think he's a bust at all.

He'll be a great 3rd option on a team. Maybe in New York maybe not.

He's lacking a number of things to make him great/a star.

Explosiveness (he's very slow and not athletic) and handles. He has terrible handles.

[cgf]

I don't think he's a bust at all.

He'll be a great 3rd option on a team. Maybe in New York maybe not.

He's lacking a number of things to make him great/a star.

Explosiveness (he's very slow and not athletic) and handles. He has terrible handles.

RJ obviously isn't a dynamic athlete the way Obi is...but he's not slow or unathletic.

His handle is definitely still a work in progress and...alongside his off-the-bounce shooting...arguably the biggest thing holding him back from being more of a self-creator & having the gravity to make use of his passing/vision. But he has shown clear progress in both areas, despite neither yet being the part of his game that he has focused on intensely over a summer.

So it's just too soon to try & guess what his ceiling will be.

[TheProfessor]

I don't know what to make of him, to be honest. I just don't think he is that talented. Athletically he is very fluid but has a poor handle. He can kinda get up, he isnt fast nor is he slow and he is big but lacks awareness sometimes. I like that he doesn't expend energy chucking but he really play defense or make plays. He can kinda shot but not really, he is perplexing.

End of the day, I think he gets to point were he becomes a great 3rd option with glaring holes in his game kind, kinda like a Derozan.

[Nazrmohamed]

It's interesting, small sample size but RJ now at 43 and 35 this season so far. That almost matches his career which is 43 and 37.

Sort of like a Nate Silver thing. Don't pay attention to the highs and lows, just put them into the average and go with that. Those would be close to acceptable but perhaps underwhelming numbers if they carried through.

He still does bring some other things though, that have to be factored in, and he finished last year with much better than 35 so we'll see.

Shooting percentages are down this year. That RJ's percentages are the same (or nearly the same) is actually a sign that he's made improvements, not that he's holding steady.

Some players are blaming the ball, though I think the new defense rules may be a factor too.

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2021/11/nba-wilson-spalding-basketball-paul-george-cj-mccollum

I feel like the new defensive rules are inconsequential to most of our guys because they aren't skilled enough to notice the difference lol. RJ isn't beating somebody by performing some finesse move that required the tightest of touches. He's coming straight at you and the reason he won the matchup is because he was stronger and taller than the defender. And that's the case to some extent with Julius too although Julius can mix in some soft touch things as well. It's bully ball.

Outside of Quickley we don't have the types of guys who sell fouls to add another 6pts to thier average.

[cgf]

It's interesting, small sample size but RJ now at 43 and 35 this season so far. That almost matches his career which is 43 and 37.

Sort of like a Nate Silver thing. Don't pay attention to the highs and lows, just put them into the average and go with that. Those would be close to acceptable but perhaps underwhelming numbers if they carried through.

He still does bring some other things though, that have to be factored in, and he finished last year with much better than 35 so we'll see.

Shooting percentages are down this year. That RJ's percentages are the same (or nearly the same) is actually a sign that he's made improvements, not that he's holding steady.

Some players are blaming the ball, though I think the new defense rules may be a factor too.

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2021/11/nba-wilson-spalding-basketball-paul-george-cj-mccollum

I feel like the new defensive rules are inconsequential to most of our guys because they aren't skilled enough to notice the difference lol. RJ isn't beating somebody by performing some finesse move that required the tightest of touches. He's coming straight at you and the reason he won the matchup is because he was stronger and taller than the defender. And that's the case to some extent with Julius too although Julius can mix in some soft touch things as well. It's bully ball.

Outside of Quickley we don't have the types of guys who sell fouls to add another 6pts to thier average.

Not trying to say this is a huge factor, but RJ actually got to the line really well last season.

His finishing at the rim & pull-up game obviously needed plenty of work, but he was very good at drawing contact & making use of his improved FT shooting when he attacked. So more of the shots he's taking are getting chalked up as misses, which last season wouldn't have appeared on his stat sheet because he got the calls he's not this year.

[K_ick_God]

He won't be a bust but since we laughed at this thread, RJ has been pretty bad lol.

[robillionaire]

He's a poor man's Wiggins with a ceiling of being regular Wiggins. If we max him out based on his draft position, like the Wolves did with Wiggins, it will be a bad contract. We should try to trade him before the deadline. Preferably after we play the 1-11 pelicans again on January 20th so he can physically dominate against g-leaguers.

[cgf]

He won't be a bust but since we laughed at this thread, RJ has been pretty bad lol.

The typical streakiness of a developing player in a high volatility sport like basketball, or further proof that this thread controls RJ's destiny???

[DaGawd]

Yahoo fantasy bball RJ owners lmao

[HarthorneWingo]

Yahoo fantasy bball RJ owners lmao

His inconsistency is still maddening but, that said, I’m glad that he grew the extra 2” which makes him a clear SF at 6’8”. And I think I’ve seen improvement in his offensive game. But there’s still something missing. He hasn’t developed a set of “go-to” offensive moves that are second nature to him. I just want to see some consistency, as opposed to “greatness”, from him.

My RJ musings for the night.

[thebuzzardman]

Neither a bust nor will he be a star

[Nazrmohamed]

RJ reminds me of Xavier McDaniel. He's sortve stiff but he plays with power. I'd like to see RJ cut to the basket a bit more. Just mix it in is all.