New York Knicks fans enter another consecutive week awaiting the highly anticipated trade news involving Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell, but things remain to no avail.
With no certainty that an agreement will be made anytime soon, or at all, it is hard to have an accurate idea of what the 2022-2023 Knicks team will look like.
One thing fans can optimistically expect, though, is the progressive development of budding star RJ Barrett. He has taken strides in each of his first three NBA seasons and is on track to take his game and this franchise to greater heights in year four.
RJ Barrett is due for a big season with the Knicks with or without Donovan Mitchell
Barrett’s role for the team, and what parts of his game that progress the most, will be greatly affected by a Mitchell trade, when and if it will occur.
The good thing about Barrett’s game is that he has proven to be adaptive at different positions and can impact the game on both ends of the floor. The bad thing (or less desirable aspect) about Barrett’s game is that its overall lack of identity.
As the weeks continue to dwindle ahead of training camp, we will hopefully be able to formulate an idea of what exactly Barrett should address. Until then, we can piece together an idea through some hypothetical scenarios that may occur before the season begins.