RJ Barrett reveals what he misses most about playing for the New York Knicks

It seems like it was only a couple of months ago that the New York Knicks traded RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to the Raptors, but it also feels like a year ago. So much has happened in the past eight months.

Nobody saw the trade coming. Even if there were Barrett and Quickley trade rumors, the deal would've been tough for fans to accept. In the blink of an eye, two homegrown stars were gone.

Fans questioned whether the Knicks were right to make the trade, but OG Anunoby quickly silenced those doubts. New York was nearly unstoppable until injuries at the end of January sidelined Anunoby for an extended amount of time and Julius Randle for the rest of the season.

Since the offseason began, Anunoby signed a five-year deal to stay with the Knicks. Quickley signed a five-year deal to stay with the Raptors. Barrett represented Canada at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but unfortunately, the country was an early exit.

RJ Barrett reveals what he misses most about playing for the Knicks

In an interview with Barrett (conducted during the Knicks' second-round series against the Pacers), the forward discussed his NBA career. He talked about how New York was the right fit for him and how he helped the team climb out of a hole. Per usual, he had nothing but good things to say about the Knicks.

Barrett said there are things he misses about playing in New York, but what he misses most is old teammates.

“There are a few things I miss, sure,” he says, reminiscing on his time with New York. “Mostly, I miss my boys over there, the relationships you build over time. And the fans. That pressure was really special. But there’s a different kind of pressure coming back to Toronto — coming back home — that I feel blessed to have.”

After reading that quote, the first thing that comes to mind is an old Instagram story from Julius Randle. He tuned into Barrett and Quickley's Raptors debut and captioned the video, "Let's go lil bros."

Even though the trade was the right move, it broke up something special. At least fans can look forward to seeing the Knicks go up to the former homegrown stars.

Remember how special it was when Barrett and Quickley returned to Madison Square Garden a few weeks after the trade? It was emotional. You could feel the love. And you know what? It will probably always feel that way, at least a little bit.