RJ Barrett Leads A Surprising Knicks Squad
Time to check in on the Maple Mamba
RJ is an effective jack of all trades role player at this nascent stage of his career. He has a lot to improve, but his ceiling is limitless. He has the potential to become a switchable defender who can score at all three levels while conducting high-level NBA offense. This season surely has been manna from heaven for Knicks fans, but they should be more excited about the future. Let’s take a look at how RJ can become the greatest Knick since Patrick Ewing.
A sharpened Swiss Army Knife
RJ has been an average 3 point shooter this season — a major improvement from his rookie year. His shot selection shows discipline, as nearly all of his attempts come off of catch-and-shoot opportunities. When teams closeout, he gets into the lane for what he does best: muscling his way to the rim. When his initial drive gets walled off, he has just enough handle to change direction and punish defenses.
He can skate around help defenders with a Euro-step and finish with either hand too.
If defenses run him off the 3 point line and choke off paths to the rim, he’s comfortable pulling up against sagging defenses in the midrange. Here, he creates a mile of space with a between the leg drag dribble and stepback jumper.
Guards a beast then picks up a Dame
He has the speed, size, and motor to switch across four positions. Here he rotates early to Enes Kanter. His high hands and wide base deter the pass for a layup. Kanter sheds RJ pretty easily — Enes the Menace bullies fellow big men — but he doesn’t get bulldozed either. He holds up long enough for help to arrive and contest the shot.
In transition, he picks up Dame Lilliard. RJ has to step up to take away the pull-up 3. Dame dusts bigger wings who step up this high, but RJ has the quickness and length to stay with him. Great defense until he gets hit with friendly fire — screened by his own man. Also, Dame is having an MVP-worthy season, no shame in getting beaten like this.
Point RJ
As a tertiary playmaker, RJ doesn’t have ample opportunities to flash his passing chops. He mostly gets the ball from dribble hand-offs or off-ball screens. From a small three-game sample size he has shown good instincts in the few chances he gets. The Knicks should have him lead bench-units to get more reps as the main ball-handler.
Here he’s patient in the pick and roll. He puts his man on his back and waits for the play to develop. He has a ways to go to improve his handle, but it’s good enough on this play to keep the dribble alive while the Julius Randle cut wreaks havoc on the weak side.
Here is a glimpse into the future. RJ is the lead dog, initiating the pick and roll from the top of the key. Watch how he floats the lob into a tight window on the move with the right amount of touch.
Looking for more ways to contribute
Even the most ball-dominant stars have to work away from the main action. With smart spacing and clever cutting, RJ is already effective in this way. Here, RJ cuts into the lane when his defender’s eyes are turned and puts himself in prime position for the putback. This unexpected contribution is why I love basketball. Every action, and nonaction, matters.
