New York Knicks: 3 Ways RJ Barrett can break out of his slump

New York Knicks: RJ Barrett must trust his new teammates

The Knicks’ starting lineup has struggled to develop chemistry after adding two new players in free agency, and Barrett remains a part of it. Despite being 2nd on the team in minutes per game, he ranks just 6th in passes per game.

This isn’t to say that Barrett is a selfish player, because he most certainly isn’t. It’s just that he hasn’t had a ton of experience playing with Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier yet, so they might not be on the same page all of the time.

This is exemplified in the fact that Barrett is averaging 8.5 passes per game to Julius Randle while averaging merely 8.2 passes per game to Walker and Fournier COMBINED.

Fournier and Walker are both accomplished scorers who have shot over 36% from three for their careers. Barrett utilizing his drive and kick abilities to find his new teammates instead of hanging around the three-point line or throwing up contested shots at the rim helps open up the team’s offense.

The Knicks’ struggles as of late aren’t solely due to Barrett’s slump, but the 21-year old has the power to add some minor tweaks to his game and subsequently help lead New York back to their winning ways from earlier in the season.