NY Knicks: The “Win-at-all-costs” mindset of RJ Barrett

NY Knicks: The game is slowing down for RJ Barrett

RJ Barrett has taken a lot of the responsibilities on a NY Knicks offense where he is very much the “Robin” to Julius Randle’s “Batman”. The Knicks’ lack of playmaking from the point guard position has led the team to frequently rely on Julius Randle and RJ Barrett as facilitators. One of the common criticisms of Barrett coming out of college was his “Tunnel Vision“, but he’s made some big strides in being able to look for teammates. It’s not easy for slashers to come into the league and immediately be playmakers in the NBA.

Take NY Knicks’ wing Reggie Bullock as an example. Bullock is a fine shooter, but when he has to dribble the ball and create something on his own, he’ll look completely lost. It’s not easy to process multiple reads at once if you haven’t been playing a lot of point guard, and not many wings can consider playmaking to one of their stronger attributes. RJ Barrett is getting there.

It’s not just the improved playmaking – Barrett’s all-around shot selection has improved the team’s offensive output. I don’t want to dive too much into Barrett’s shooting, but one of the reasons for his statistical improvement is that he’s simply taking smarter shots.

On top of expanding his layup package and finishing at the rim, Barrett is taking smart jump shots. He’s taking what the defense is giving him. Most of his threes come off catch-and-shoots. His mid-range shots are coming from driving-turnarounds and free-throw line pull-ups. These are shots he knows he comfortable with, and he hasn’t been forcing himself into uncomfortable situations.

Much like his defense, Barrett is rapidly learning what works and what doesn’t for him on offense in the NBA. He’s maximizing his strengths and minimizing his weaknesses, and it bodes incredibly well for his potential down the line.