One of the most polarizing scorers in college basketball, Duke star RJ Barrett will, in all likeliness, be bringing his talents to the New York Knicks next season.
Despite the rumors indicating the Knicks will pursue several high-profile free agents with plenty of cap space, their youth agenda should be prioritized, especially when it comes to Barrett. Building around him and his lethal style of play will, probability wise, end up being the route they take.
Adding a superstar like Kevin Durant is very possible, and more than welcomed, but the reality is, there are other teams more suited to win now than continue on towards a full-rebuild.
The focus needs to be on Barrett and what he brings to New York. At the forefront is his elite confidence – Kobe Bryant-style mentality that believes he’s better than the player in front of him. He is looking to embarrass them at every turn.
The New York Knicks are headed in the right direction if they pick RJ Barrett:
“This kid is like a real 1988 New Yorker. He’s not some 2016 Instagram model. He’s trying to kill you,” Barrett’s youth coach Dwayne Washington stated (The Knicks Blog). “He is what people say New Yorkers are supposed to be — aggressive, determined, confident and always pushing the envelope. That’s how you get to greatness.”
Quietly building a case for himself behind Zion Williamson, Barrett earned impressive statistics – 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. Without Zion taking the spotlight, RJ would’ve likely been the 1st overall pick in the draft.
A superstar will only benefit Barrett in New York:
The fact of the matter is, Barrett will need a star player to help him develop at his own pace. He won’t be able to come to the vicious media-driven spektical of New York and shine with ease, there will be a learning curve he needs to overcome. However, he has tangible and intangibles skills to eventually develop into the top player for the Knicks, but a veteran mentor that can carry the load early on is necessary.
So, while the Knicks need to be focused on Barrett and building around him, it’s essential they lure a max-contract player to help him in his growth and ultimate succession of the throne.