New York Knicks: RJ Barrett should be untouchable in trade talks

New York Knicks: RJ Barrett’s Defensive production + potential

While Barrett can’t be classified as an elite defender just yet, he made important strides this past season on the less glamorous end of the court. A fair amount of credit is due to head coach Tom Thibodeau, who helped instill a strong defensive mindset in the entire roster.

Barrett can sometimes get caught ball-watching and he needs to use his length to disrupt passing lanes more (0.7 steals per game), but he’s evolved into an imposing one-on-one defender who is tough to beat in isolation.

The most prominent example of this comes from the Knicks’ two games against the Los Angeles Clippers, a season series in which they split 1-1. L.A. superstars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George make up the top wing duo in the league with each averaging at least 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists per game.

When guarded by Barrett however, Leonard and George combined to shoot just 7-23 from the field while recording 2 assists compared to 3 turnovers. That caught the eye of Leonard, who heaped praise on Barrett after their second matchup.

While it’s partially due to his extensive amount of time on the court, it’s still worth noting that Barrett ranked 13th in the NBA in Defensive Win Shares.

It’s quite possible that Barrett just completed the greatest season by a 20-year old in the history of the New York Knicks franchise. All-time greats such as Walt Frazier and Patrick Ewing didn’t join the team until they were 22-23 years old, and recent examples such as Kristaps Porzingis came on teams that finished 20 games below .500.

While he may not be a bonafide generational superstar like Luka Doncic or Zion Williamson, Barrett has already carved out a role as a secondary scorer who can space the floor while also locking down on defense. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him earn multiple All-Star appearances in his future and more.

The New York Knicks would be wise to keep him, it’ll pay immense dividends when he realizes his full potential.