Jan 31, 2023; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard RJ Barrett (9) brings the ball up court against Los Angeles Lakers guard Dennis Schroder (17) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
RJ Barrett’s comment to Cam Reddish after being benched in Knicks loss is worrisome
Five days after RJ Barrett knocked down a clutch corner three to give the New York Knicks the lead over the Celtics in overtime, he was benched by Tom Thibodeau in another Knicks game that went to overtime. Instead, Immanuel Quickley was on the floor in place of Barrett.
In a game where three of New York’s five starters played 40+ minutes, Barrett had 13 points (5-of-13), three rebounds, and two assists in 27 minutes. Quickley finished with 19 points (6-of-12), eight assists, and three rebounds in 39 minutes.
After the Knicks’ 129-123 loss to the Lakers, Barrett walked out of the locker room and told reporters, “I have nothing to say.”
RJ Barrett’s frustration evident after being benched in Knicks’ loss to Lakers
Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News wrote that before Barrett told the media that he had nothing to say, he told Cam Reddish to “reaffirm out loud that it wasn’t a good idea for him to speak.” In case it isn’t obvious, that isn’t a good sign, especially considering that it’s coming from the player that signed a four-year extension over the offseason.
It’s ironic that Barrett said that to Reddish, considering that Reddish has been sitting on the bench since Dec. 3. With the trade deadline only eight days away, Barrett’s Duke teammate is likely on his way out. If Reddish were to speak up and say something about him racking up DNPs, it’s something that the fan base would likely agree with. The way that the Knicks have handled his situation has been puzzling, to say the least.
Clearly, Barrett was frustrated, and he had the right to feel that way. Any other player in his position would likely feel the same way. He was benched for the final 11:51 minutes of Tuesday night’s game, but his inconsistencies (starting with his inefficiency) have been an issue. He’s a crunch-time player, though. As Bondy noted, Barrett’s benching was the first time that Thibs benched one of New York’s top three players for an extended period in overtime.
Following the loss, Thibodeau said, “We were just looking for a group to get going, so the group that was out there was the one that we went with.” He didn’t directly say why he chose to keep Barrett on the bench in favor of Quickley and Grimes. Thibs has certainly had a conversation with Barrett by now, though. Or at least, we hope.
The Knicks will be back at the Garden on Thursday to take on the Heat. If that game comes down to the wire, will RJ Barrett be on the floor? Or will his woes cause him to wind up on the bench to close out the game for the second time in two days?
