Knicks’ RJ Barrett will take next step with or without Donovan Mitchell next season

RJ Barrett’s role if the Knicks do make a trade for Donovan Mitchell

It is hard to truly foresee what New York would look like if a trade were to happen, but it is assumed that a package of Fournier, Rose, and a culmination of young players and draft assets would be sent to Utah for Mitchell.

If the young piece is Quentin Grimes, which is assumed, the Knicks would have some holes to fill in their rotation. This would leave New York without a predominant three-point threat in the starting line-up, as well as thin out their amount of playmakers.

Mitchell is an electric offensive talent and is a player that would immediately shine in the Knicks’ backcourt.

Mitchell, unlike Randle, is the kind of player who can create his own shots anywhere on the floor without the direct need for the flow of the offense to do it for him. This would take a lot of the “star” responsibilities off Randle, who should still work to play in that off-ball role no matter what.

RJ Barrett needs to anchor the perimeter defense if Knicks do trade for Donovan Mitchell

Mitchell is an offensive star, but many have been very critical of his defensive efforts over the years. Lining up next to Brunson, who stands 6’1″, this pair would struggle to stop any top NBA player.

This is where Barrett would need to step up. Under Tom Thibodeau, New York’s prided itself on being a defensive steamroller. Where Mitchell would take much of the pressure off Barrett and Randle on one end of the floor, he would make their job significantly harder on the other.

Barrett is one of the best young two-way wings in the game, and whereas his offensive game would be stunted by the additions of Brunson and Mitchell, his opportunity to bring value would come in other ways.

RJ Barrett could develop into an elite three-and-D wing star

With Brunson and Mitchell taking over ball handler duties more often than not, Barrett would need to learn where best to position himself on the court.

Assuming the pick game is maintained mainly by Randle and Robinson, Barrett would need to adapt to space the floor out. The role he would need to fill is that of Alec Burks and Fournier.

Barrett has already made noted impacts on defense for New York, and with another season under his belt, look for him to continue to excel in this category. He should be the one stepping up every night to defend the opposition’s best player, with or without Mitchell on the roster.

Where he would need to get better is from beyond the arch. With Brunson and Mitchell attacking down low to Randle and Robinson on the blocks, Barrett would be likely positioned from beyond the arch.

This has been an area of concern for the young star, as he has struggled to be consistent from outside. Per Sports Illustrated, “…hardly any wings, combo guards or forwards finished with a lower effective field goal percentage than Barrett” in 2021-22.

The Knicks will look for Barrett to exploit defenses from this area next year, as he would likely get several open looks. Defenses would be more consumed stopping Mitchell, Brunson, and Randle, as they historically pose a bigger scoring threat.

This would leave Barrett with lots of opportunities to be mismatched defensively or left open entirely, something he will need to take big advantage of next year.