Knicks’ RJ Barrett trade belief shouldn’t come as a shock
It’s no secret that Leon Rose and the New York Knicks are sitting back and waiting for the right moment to trade for a star. That didn’t happen with Donovan Mitchell last summer, but after the Knicks made it to the semifinals for the first time in 10 years, the time to act is now.
It’ll all depend on which players become available, though. Karl-Anthony Towns is a name that’s been thrown around, but he still has four full seasons on the extension he signed last offseason followed by a player option. Once the offseason officially begins, more will be known about players that New York could potentially go after this summer.
When it came to the Donovan Mitchell trade talks, it was reported that the Knicks weren’t willing to include RJ Barrett in deals. It turns out that was false as Barrett was reportedly included in deals to the Jazz that Danny Ainge turned down. After two months of what felt like a series of never-ending rumors and reports, New York and Barrett agreed to a four-year extension, and shortly thereafter, Mitchell was dealt to Cleveland.
Barrett had a discouraging regular season, averaging 19.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 73 games while shooting 43.4% from the field and 31% from three. For reference, he averaged 20 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 70 games in 2021-22. He wasn’t able to reach the pedestal that fans placed him on after he signed the extension.
However, the playoffs told a completely different story. Barrett was key to New York advancing past Cleveland in the first round and even outperformed Julius Randle in the postseason as a whole. Even with a bounce-back performance in the playoffs, though, it wouldn’t be surprising if Barrett were included in a deal for a star this summer.
Will Knicks be willing to part ways with RJ Barrett this summer if right star becomes available?
According to an Eastern Conference GM that spoke with Heavy’s Sean Deveney, RJ Barrett “will be a piece if they make a major deal.” The GM added that if a big-name player doesn’t become available, Barrett could be on the move next summer if he doesn’t show progress in 2023-24.
Knicks fans that wanted to see Barrett traded in the regular season likely changed their opinion during the playoffs. Still, his inconsistencies leave a lot to be desired. He showed up when it mattered most in the postseason, but given that it’s a long 82-game regular season, New York possibly including him in a trade for a star would almost be expected. He’s still only 22 and the potential is there.
None of this is to say that the Knicks should be actively shopping Barrett. That isn’t what’s happening. It’s simple, actually. Bringing a star to New York won’t come at a cheap cost and RJ Barrett could be part of the price.
