Knicks: Predicting how RJ Barrett’s 2021 season will look

What will RJ Barrett look like in his second year?

The New York Knicks have been surprisingly quiet this past month, using their abundance of cap space on acquiring low-cost veterans like Nerlens Noel and Austin Rivers. It’s clear that the front office is operating with an eye towards the 2021 offseason, where both the free agency options and upcoming draft class are absolutely stacked with talent.

With the limited number of free-agent acquisitions and new head coach Tom Thibodeau taking over the team, it’s hard to pinpoint the exact starting lineup for opening night.

He may go with another year of Julius Randle at power forward, or he might feel that first-round pick Obi Toppin is ready to go immediately. Mitchell Robinson might finally grab the starting center spot or Noel could relegate him to the bench for another season. Point guard and small forward are still completely up in the air.

At this moment, the only unquestioned starter for the 2020-2021 season is RJ Barrett.

Barrett had a rookie season filled with the ups and downs that one would expect of a 19-year old playing in one of the largest sports markets in the world. He finished the year averaging 14.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game on 40-32-61 shooting splits.

It’s a shame that the season had to end right when the rookie was hitting his stride after the All-Star break, averaging 17.2 points and 4.5 rebounds on 45% shooting over those final 11 games.

With a new coach and new teammates, it’s also interesting to see how the former 3rd overall pick looks after an extended offseason. When the Knicks take the court for their first preseason matchup, it will have been 289 days since Barrett last played in a game.

Here’s how his numbers might look and how he will get there.