NY Knicks: Does RJ Barrett deserve a maximum rookie extension?

Why does RJ Barrett deserve the max rookie extension? 

For every long stretch in which he has struggled, Barrett’s had just as many where he thrives.

Of course, this conversation’s become relevant because of the current stretch that he’s having. I mentioned he planned on taking over in 2022, and so far, he’s done just that.

Barrett’s averaged 24 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 2022 and has put up 24.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in March. And it doesn’t end there. Barrett’s put up better numbers since the All-Star break than some of the premier players in the NBA.

Not to mention, Barrett has 11 30+ point games this season (nine in 2022 alone), the most of any player 21 or younger. He also went bonkers for a career-high 46 points back on Feb. 25 against Miami.

He did all of this over a 36-game sample size. That’s six games short of an entire half of a season.

We’ve seen Barrett go super cold on 3-pointers before getting super hot on those shots. We’ve seen him go multiple games with horrible percentages, just to turn around the next game (or 10) without missing a single shot.

His handle, his reading of the defense, his decision-making, and his individual defense have all improved with every season and every game he’s played in. Consistency has definitely been an issue, but we’ve never seen him play this great for this long.

The fact that Barrett is capable of impacting a game in so many ways every single night, and he’s done so for roughly three full months now with the pressure of being “the guy,” should be proof enough that he is built for this kind of production.

If he can do this often, and so far he has, then he should be paid accordingly. At least part of the argument involves the sake of him being the first player since Charlie Ward to sign a second contract with New York following their rookie deal.

We should be encouraged that Barrett has gotten this far and is playing this great despite past shortcomings. He’s also clearly a very confident and mentally strong athlete who hasn’t fallen victim to his own failures.

The evidence shows that the Knicks finally have a real star living up to his draft status on their hands. They should honor that by paying him like other stars his age, and that means giving him the max.

NY Knicks: 3 players that shouldn’t be on the 2022-23 roster

With the New York Knicks gearing up for what should be an exciting offseason, here are 3 players that shouldn't be on the roster next year.