RJ Barrett

New York Knicks: RJ Barrett “this is the place I want to be”

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The New York Knicks are considering drafting RJ Barrett with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.

The New York Knicks are expected to be locked in on Duke star RJ Barrett with the 3rd overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft. After missing out on Zion Williamson, one of the most polarizing players entering the league, the next best bet was Barret, who will be an instant play-maker.

Barrett scheduled only one workout – the New York Knicks, stating after:

“This is the pace I want to be.”

The bright lights, The Garden, what’s not to like about the vicious media-driven hell-hole of New York City? Nothing has ever gone wrong here before, has it? I can’t imagine Barrett following in JR Smith’s footsteps and going clubbing after every game, but the Big Apple does strange things to people and players alike.

However, adding a talent like RJ to the roster would be impactful. His abilities on the court, offensively and defensively, present immense value for a team that lacks true star talent.

In fact, most think, on any other team, Barrett would have been so good he could’ve been the No. 1 pick. He likely would have been given Zion didn’t take over college basketball on a national stage.

He averaged 22.6 points-per-game on a team that centered their offense around Williamson.

At this point, it’s almost a guarantee that Barrett will take his talents to New York, given the Knicks don’t trade away their pick in favor of Anthony Davis or another superstar. With $73 million in cap space opening up, the team could have a completely different look come next season, and that would be a very good thing.

New York Knicks: Anthony Davis/RJ Barrett Scenario

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Could the New York Knicks pursue Anthony Davis next offseason?

The New York Knicks have many different routes to choice this summer to improve their franchise.  The Knicks can lean more into free agency or go all-in on Anthony Davis.  It all depends on their vision.

A few routes the Knicks can take are drafting RJ Barrett with the 3rd pick in this year’s draft.  Or, they can elect to trade that 3rd pick in a package for Davis.

It really all depends on how the draft goes and what the Pelicans want.

Everyone knows that the Pelicans will be selecting Zion Williamson with he first pick.  The Grizzlies could shake things up if they select Barrett over Ja Morant.

The Grizzlies have been linked to Morant since the beginning.  However, reports have surfaced of them, allegedly, having second thoughts over Morant’s minor knee surgery.

As long as the Grizzlies select Morant, then the Knicks will take Barrett.

The Davis trade will still be on the table at that point.  Barrett/3rd pick is the key for the Knicks trading for Davis.

When I was a guest on a Pelicans podcast, Pelican sources told the host that New Orleans would like to get the Davis trade done before the draft.  The Pelicans may want to reunite Williamson and Barrett and have the luxury to make that happen, if the trade happens before June 20th.

If the Pelicans decide to wait and see how the draft plays out, then Barrett becomes the key piece for the trade.  If the Knicks, do not select Barrett then their chances on trading for Davis could go out the window.

Scott Perry will have to decide what player or players will be the right ones going forward for this franchise that has a optimistic upside.

New York Knicks: Kevin Durant would be perfect mentor for RJ Barrett

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New York Knicks, Kevin Durant

If the New York Knicks can lure superstar forward Kevin Durant to the Big Apple, they could find themselves in a position to realistically contend for the playoffs after having the worst record in the NBA in 2018.

Drafting RJ Barrett with the 3rd overall pick seems like the most obvious move, especially if they are able to grab a point guard in free agency as well. With options like Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker available, there’s no question the Knicks will do their due diligence on the elite players.

The New York Knicks could complete a rebuild in one offseason:

Adding Barrett, Durant, and either Irving or Walker would turn over the roster completely. The most exciting aspect of this trio would be the effect Durant has on Barrett and his development.

The Duke star is coming off a stellar season where he averaged 22.6 points per game, 7.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 0.9 steals. Impressive production for a player featuring behind Zion Williamson, who will undoubtedly be the No. 1 pick to the New Orleans Pelicans.

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Both Durant and Barrett play similar positions and are keen on driving to the basket. The Warriors star is a far better shooter, but that’s part of his game that can translate over to RJ with a bit of exposure. Comparing their field goal percentage (Durant 52.1%) to (Barrett 45.4%), there’s plenty of room for improvement.

My ultimate question is – will Durant be open to helping Barrett and embrace the leadership role required of him if signed? Kevin has shown in the past that he can be egotistic in ways, and taking on a mentor role could be one of them, especially after featuring on such a dominant team like Golden State.

However, Barrett’s godfather is Steve Nash, one of Durant’s close friends. This could indicate a blossoming relationship between the two, but nothing is set in stone. There’s little evidence that shows the Knicks taking another player other than RJ, and unless Ja Morant falls, it should be an easy choice.

 

New York Knicks should not consider trading No. 3 pick to Atlanta Hawks

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Will the New York Knicks draft Duke star, RJ Barrett in the 2019 NBA Draft?

The New York Knicks have been rumored to be considering a trade with the Atlanta Hawks that would send the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft in return for the No. 8 and No. 10 overall picks.

Why the New York Knicks should stay put at No. 3:

Essentially, the Knicks would get two picks in the top 10 in exchange for the No. 3 pick. The Knicks shouldn’t consider this move for a second as RJ Barrett, the expected selection for New York, provides significantly more immediate value and offers a higher probability of success than a later selection.

The dropoff of talent after the third-pick in the draft is immense, which should be the indicator for the lack of value in this deal. Barrett is a fantastic defender with great offensive capabilities, averaging 22.6 per-game with an added 4.3 assists-per-game.

However, the Knicks could trade back and grab Barrett’s teammate at Duke, Cameron Reddish. They would also have another pick to address a different need on the team. Personally, I feel as though sticking with Barrett and pushing for Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving makes the most sense for the rebuild of the team.

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Irving filling the point guard position would solidify the starting team and present a quality unit throughout the course of the 2019 season.

According to Givony and Schmitz, the Knicks are playing with the idea of moving back “to acquire pieces that better complement potential high-volume All-Star free agents.”

After the departure of Kristaps Porzingis, the Knicks opened up enough cap space to afford two max-contracts. Durant has supposedly bought a home in New York in preparation of his move, although nothing is solidified just yet. The Knicks and Steve Mills have a lot of work to do this offseason, and it starts with recruiting the best players to come to the Mecca of basketball.

New York Knicks & NBA Lottery Recap

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So… RJ Barrett anyone? Getting the third overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft is certainly not what us Knicks fans wanted, and to see the Pelicans end up with Duke’s Zion Williamson is incredibly irritating. However, all is not lost, and here are some takeaways from Tuesday’s drama-filled night.

It’s Okay to be Upset

First and foremost, it is completely okay to be upset. The Knicks were the worst team in the league and are now picking third. Logically, that does not add up. I have said it before, and I will say it again: the one year the Knicks tanked properly, the NBA screwed the lottery odds. Tuesday night proved that statement to be true. As Stephen A. Smith said last night, “TYPICAL KNICKS!”

But it’s Not the End of the World

All that said, it is going to be okay. Keep in mind, the Knicks beat the odds tonight. They had a 49% chance at the fifth pick, and ended up picking third. That, by definition, is a win. Duke’s RJ Barrett, who is the presumptive third best player in the draft, is still a good prospect. There is still at least a greater-than-fifty percent chance that Kevin Durant is wearing the orange and blue next season. The Knicks are simply adding a highly-talented player, and that is something to be happy about.

It’s also important to keep things in perspective. While these odds seem unfair now, in last year’s draft, we would have been ecstatic. It is not the league’s fault that this draft is weak. In this draft, the top three is where you want to be. Barrett, Murray State’s Ja Morant, and Williamson are all a tier above everyone else in most people’s minds, and to be able to get one of those first two is a good thing.

Where Do We Go From Here?

The first thing I think Scott Perry should do is to get on the phone with David Griffin, general manager of the New Orleans Pelicans. While they seem confident that they can keep star Anthony Davis, he may want out no matter what, and a package centered around RJ Barrett and Kevin Knox may still be enticing. Would the ‘Pels be interested in a reunion of the two former Dukies?

If New York is unable to swing a deal for Davis, and it seems unlikely that Griffin would want to part ways with AD, then they should turn to the second-tier star market. Players such as Jrue Holiday or Bradley Beal may be available for the right price. And Barrett, who was considered to be the top prospect before this season, may rank higher on some teams’ boards than all of us realize. Could a team like Washington, that wants to shake things up, bite? It’s worth a shot.

If all else fails, the Knicks would just make the pick at number three. Barrett and Morant, to me, or both solid prospects that very clearly are benefitting from being in a weak draft. That doesn’t make them bad, and it should not preclude the Knicks from taking one of them at three. It doesn’t seem like many fans would be excited with Barrett, but given the chance to develop without shouldering a heavy load, he can be a really solid player.

This wasn’t the outcome most of us hoped for, but it is, in a word, fine. Let’s move on to bigger and better things (Hello, KD). Keep your heads up, Knicks fans, and please, no more tattoos.