Knicks: Should RJ Barrett Be Untouchable?

Kenny Rogers was cool, man. He’s got some great advice for the Knicks when it comes to RJ Barrett:

"“You’ve got to know when to hold ’em/Know when to fold ’em/Know when to walk away/And know when to run”"

Before getting too deep into this I want to make super clear up front: this article is not advocating for cutting ties with last year’s number three overall pick, a man who still isn’t old enough to rent a car. Not yet.

However…

I do not think trading him should be totally off the table.

Cherry-picking the stats that matter to you shades your opinion of RJ Barrett.

On the one hand, he seems to have turned a corner. Every shooting stat but three-point shooting is up from last year. His rebounds per game are also nothing to ignore. He contributes on defense. His list of positive attributes is much longer than it was last year.

On the other hand, even with all those positive statistics, his TPA (Total Points Added) per NBA Math is -32.79, which is only better than one person on the Knicks roster:  everyone’s favorite punching bag, Elfrid Payton. It puts him on the lower tier of second-year players as well. That is not the stuff franchise building blocks are made of.

And again I’m thinking about Kenny Rogers.

Considering all the data, should the Knicks hold ’em or fold ’em?

Should the Knicks and RJ Barrett start and end as one, in love forever?

Well, bubba, I’d say that depends on what condition your condition is in.

I cannot honestly claim that RJ Barrett should be considered untouchable.

Knicks: RJ Barrett for Zach LaVine?

For example, if the Bulls would take something like RJ Barrett, Frank Ntilikina, and a Mavs’ draft pick for Zach Lavine, I’d probably do that deal if I were Leon Rose.

I understand wanting to let the young guys develop, but LaVine is not some fossil. He’s only 25, and currently has a significantly better offensive rating than Barrett and an only slightly worse defensive rating.

LaVine’s TPA from NBA Math, which factors in both sides of the ball, is significantly higher than Barrett’s at 42.74. A lineup of Quickley/LaVine/Burks/Randle/Robinson would feature five players who all have a positive TPA.

I’m all for building, developing, and patience, but the Knicks cannot pass up opportunities to improve. What is the purpose of collecting assets if you are not going to cash them in at some point?

A core of Immanuel Quickley/LaVine/Knox/Julius Randle/Mitchell Robinson is hands-down better to me both currently and over the next five years (it’s silly to think longer term than that in the current NBA landscape) than that same lineup with Barrett.

The best argument right now for keeping RJ Barrett and those picks over trading for Zach LaVine is the potential in the upcoming draft class. From an on-the-court basketball perspective, I don’t see how LaVine isn’t an upgrade, though.

Should RJ Barrett be untouchable?

No. The only thing that should be untouchable is the radio dial when Kenny Rogers comes on.