The New York Knicks have already started out their off-season with an unfortunate injury – RJ Barrett was forced to opt-out of playing with team Canada due to an injured calf.
The Canadian born player was expected to play in the 2019 FIBA World Cup but will sit out and recover from the ailment prior to the start of his rookie season in the NBA.
The summer league for RJ Barrett saw struggles and challenges. While the first few games showed several concerns and exposed weaknesses in his game, he did improve as the summer league went on. His numbers actually progressed, tallying 21 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists by the finale.
His shooting and turnover struggles were present but there is optimism that he will correct those mistakes and experience will help him solve those problems.
However, if he was playing hurt, that may explain his ineffectiveness at the beginning of the session. I do not believe the injury was present at the time, considering the speed he was playing at and the effort he was giving.
Aside from Barrett dropping out of team Canada, Andrew Wiggins and Tristan Thompson both opted out as well. For a player going into his rookie season, it is better to be safe than sorry at this point in his young career. There is a lot of excitement around Barrett and what he has to offer to New York, as his offensive abilities and tenacity towards attacking the rim make him an exciting young player.
He will have to overcome the increased physicality and speed of the NBA, and that will take time and minutes on the court. Additionally, he must work on his perimeter shot and skills in the post, as both are required to a degree at the professional level.