With no certainty that an agreement will be made anytime soon, or at all, it is hard to have an accurate idea of what the 2022-2023 Knicks team will look like.
One thing fans can optimistically expect, though, is the progressive development of budding star RJ Barrett. He has taken strides in each of his first three NBA seasons and is on track to take his game and this franchise to greater heights in year four.
Barrett’s role for the team, and what parts of his game that progress the most, will be greatly affected by a Mitchell trade, when and if it will occur.
The good thing about Barrett’s game is that he has proven to be adaptive at different positions and can impact the game on both ends of the floor. The bad thing (or less desirable aspect) about Barrett’s game is that its overall lack of identity.
As the weeks continue to dwindle ahead of training camp, we will hopefully be able to formulate an idea of what exactly Barrett should address. Until then, we can piece together an idea through some hypothetical scenarios that may occur before the season begins.
New York Knicks</a> fans enter another consecutive week awaiting the highly anticipated trade news <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/07/31/knicks-rj-barrett-next-step-donovan-mitchell/"https://dailyknicks.com/2022/07/27/3-reasons-donovan-mitchell-hope-trade-knicks/">involving Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell</a>, but things remain to no avail.</p>
<p>With no certainty that an agreement will be made anytime soon, or at all, it is hard to have an accurate idea of what the 2022-2023 Knicks team will look like.</p>
<p>One thing fans can optimistically expect, though, is the progressive development of budding star RJ Barrett. He has taken strides in each of his first three NBA seasons and is on track to take his game and this franchise to greater heights in year four.</p>
<h2>RJ Barrett is due for a big season with the Knicks with or without Donovan Mitchell</h2>
<p>Barrett’s role for the team, and what parts of his game that progress the most, will be <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/07/31/knicks-rj-barrett-next-step-donovan-mitchell/"https://dailyknicks.com/2022/07/20/knicks-lose-rj-barrett-donovan-possible-donovan-mitchell-trade/">greatly affected by a Mitchell trade</a>, when and if it will occur.</p>
<p>The good thing about Barrett’s game is that he has proven to be adaptive at different positions and can impact the game on both ends of the floor. The bad thing (or less desirable aspect) about Barrett’s game is that its overall lack of identity.</p>
<p>As the weeks continue to dwindle ahead of training camp, we will hopefully be able to formulate an idea of what exactly Barrett should address. Until then, we can piece together an idea through some hypothetical scenarios that may occur before the season begins.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/07/31/knicks-rj-barrett-next-step-donovan-mitchell/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> If a Donovan Mitchell trade doesn't happen </a>
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rumors of other teams entering the fold have begun to arise</a>.</p>
<p>Although a major argument for the Knicks’ asset package is that it’s the greatest yield that exists, teams like the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors can rival in young assets and draft stock.</p>
<p>There is no certainty that New York is the premiere destination in this deal, and the current roster may be the one the franchise rolls out this fall.</p>
<p>The Knicks have had a <em>really </em>good offseason so far, regardless, and have established the framework to compete for a low-level playoff spot. Without Mitchell, Barrett will be the centerpiece of this framework and he should demand the spotlight this season.</p>
<h2>Julius Randle’s struggles have propelled RJ Barrett into a larger role</h2>
<p>Julius Randle’s tenure in New York has been an absolute roller coaster, ascending from the most hated player to the city’s greatest hero, and back down to the depths of being a villain. A problem with Randle’s game, similarly, has been a true lack of identity.</p>
<p>Randle essentially occupies a positionless role for the Knicks, being the team’s primary ball handler at times, their best wing shooter at other times, and everything in between the lines.</p>
<p>It’s caused him to be overwhelmed in the offense, often being cited for doing “too much” and having a “head down” mentality when he gets lost in his tunnel vision.</p>
<p>Until this year, he hasn’t had significant, consistent help with his duties, as the team had yet to truly develop at any other position.</p>
<p>The losses of Kemba Walker and Derrick Rose last year all but ensured Randle would struggle, as he became too much of a focal point for the offense, and he collapsed.</p>
<p>The crazier aspect of this “collapse” is Randle did <em>not </em>struggle statistically, averaging 20.1 points and 9.9 rebounds a game, essentially a double-double. It was his demeanor on the court that disturbed the core of the fanbase.</p>
<h2>Julius Randle has to find a new role first with the Knicks</h2>
<p>Before coming to New York, Randle spent a lone season in New Orleans playing third wheel to Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday. It was this comeback season that rebuilt his stock and landed him the keys to the Knicks’ rebuild, and he’s now entering his fourth season with the team.</p>
<p>This is the role New York needs to get Randle back to this upcoming season. With the addition of Jalen Brunson into the fold, he should slide into the Knicks’ No. 2 option position, such as Holiday did for the Pelicans.</p>
<p>Someone is going to have to adjust in the Randle/Barrett/Brunson offense, as all three players dominate with the ball in their hands, getting to the rim, and playing physical basketball in the painted area.</p>
<p>Randle was a monster <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/07/31/knicks-rj-barrett-next-step-donovan-mitchell/"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNqhiM3_V_s%22 target="_blank" rel="noopener">off-the-ball threat</a> in New Orleans, using his size, athleticism, and scoring ability to create open looks for himself by utilizing screens and taking advantage of help defense situations where his defender was pulled.</p>
<p>He has grown accustomed to being New York’s priority playmaker, which is what lead to so many mismanaged offensive drives and a poor shot selection. He is victim to too many bad threes and fadeaway attempts because he is <em>forcing </em>his own looks instead of flowing and exploiting holes.</p>
<p>His season with the Pelicans is statistically comparable to all his years in New York, but the play style he displayed was extremely different. That is the style that this Knicks team could dominate with.</p>
<h2>RJ Barrett needs to dominate the pick-and-roll with the Knicks</h2>
<p>With Randle now hanging out around the wing and block, New York has a lot more spacing options to play around with. Barrett is an explosive wing talent who is not scared of attacking the basket and earning hard takes and free throws.</p>
<p>Statistically, though, he <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/07/31/knicks-rj-barrett-next-step-donovan-mitchell/"https://www.si.com/nba/2022/07/13/new-york-knicks-rj-barrett-extension" target="_blank" rel="noopener">struggles to convert those attempts</a> into consistent points.</p>
<blockquote class="left ampstart-left">According to Synergy Sports, 64 players conducted at least 500 pick-and-rolls last season. Barrett’s 0.847 points per possession was second worst among them. (Only Thunder rookie Josh Giddey was less effective.) Barrett’s assist rate (14.9) was below Malik Monk and Wendell Carter Jr., just barely above Jordan Clarkson.</p>
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<p>Furthermore, Barrett only averages 2.9 career assists per game in general, and for a player with an underwhelming three-point ability, the Knicks would benefit a lot from him getting the ball to others more often.</p>
<p>As it stands, with Fournier and Brunson both out on the arch and Randle and Robinson acting as off-the-ball threats, the ball should go through the middle man, who will be Barrett. With Barrett as the primary ball handler, he will have the ability to facilitate pick and roll and pick and pop opportunities all day long.</p>
<p>The main thing Barrett needs to progress in next season with the current roster is his playmaking ability, as that will contribute the most to the team’s success and will make him an all-around better player.</p>
<p>The more of a threat he is to pass the ball to a leaching Randle or a wide-open Brunson for consistent wide-open threes, the less that teams will double him in the paint. This is where his big stature and strength will allow him to convert more at the rim, which is definitely his offensive strong suit.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/07/31/knicks-rj-barrett-next-step-donovan-mitchell/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> If a Donovan Mitchell trade does happen </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-131213" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/07/31/knicks-rj-barrett-next-step-donovan-mitchell/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2022%2F07%2F1299184521.jpeg" alt="New York Knicks, RJ Barrett" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2022/07/1299184521.jpeg 3200w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2022/07/1299184521-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">RJ Barrett, New York Knicks. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>RJ Barrett’s role if the Knicks do make a trade for Donovan Mitchell</h3>
<p>It is hard to truly foresee what New York would look like if a trade were to happen, but it is assumed that a package of Fournier, Rose, and a culmination of young players and draft assets would be sent to Utah for Mitchell.</p>
<p>If the young piece is Quentin Grimes, which is assumed, the Knicks would have some holes to fill in their rotation. This would leave New York without a predominant three-point threat in the starting line-up, as well as thin out their amount of playmakers.</p>
<p>Mitchell is an electric offensive talent and is a player that would immediately shine in the Knicks’ backcourt.</p>
<p>Mitchell, unlike Randle, <em>is </em>the kind of player who can create his own shots anywhere on the floor without the direct need for the flow of the offense to do it for him. This would take a lot of the “star” responsibilities off Randle, who should still work to play in that off-ball role no matter what.</p>
<h2>RJ Barrett needs to anchor the perimeter defense if Knicks do trade for Donovan Mitchell</h2>
<p>Mitchell is an offensive star, but many have been very critical of his defensive efforts over the years. Lining up next to Brunson, who stands 6’1″, this pair would struggle to stop any top NBA player.</p>
<p>This is where Barrett would need to step up. Under Tom Thibodeau, New York’s prided itself on being a defensive steamroller. Where Mitchell would take much of the pressure off Barrett and Randle on one end of the floor, he would make their job significantly harder on the other.</p>
<p>Barrett is one of the best young two-way wings in the game, and whereas his offensive game would be stunted by the additions of Brunson and Mitchell, his opportunity to bring value would come in other ways.</p>
<h2>RJ Barrett could develop into an elite three-and-D wing star</h2>
<p>With Brunson and Mitchell taking over ball handler duties more often than not, Barrett would need to learn where best to position himself on the court.</p>
<p>Assuming the pick game is maintained mainly by Randle and Robinson, Barrett would need to adapt to space the floor out. The role he would need to fill is that of Alec Burks and Fournier.</p>
<p>Barrett has already made noted impacts on defense for New York, and with another season under his belt, look for him to continue to excel in this category. He should be the one stepping up every night to defend the opposition’s best player, with or without Mitchell on the roster.</p>
<p>Where he would need to get better is from beyond the arch. With Brunson and Mitchell attacking down low to Randle and Robinson on the blocks, Barrett would be likely positioned from beyond the arch.</p>
<p>This has been an area of concern for the young star, as he has struggled to be consistent from outside. Per Sports Illustrated, “…hardly any wings, combo guards or forwards finished with a lower effective field goal percentage than Barrett” in 2021-22.</p>
<p>The Knicks will look for Barrett to exploit defenses from this area next year, as he would likely get several open looks. Defenses would be more consumed stopping Mitchell, Brunson, and Randle, as they historically pose a bigger scoring threat.</p>
<p>This would leave Barrett with lots of opportunities to be mismatched defensively or left open entirely, something he will need to take big advantage of next year.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/07/31/knicks-rj-barrett-next-step-donovan-mitchell/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> RJ Barrett's turning into a star </a>
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<p>— KNICKS ON MSG (@KnicksMSGN) <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/07/31/knicks-rj-barrett-next-step-donovan-mitchell/"https://twitter.com/KnicksMSGN/status/1552021274859376641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>July 26, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>For him and the team to be <em>great, </em>though, he will need to take some individual aspects of his game to new heights. His game needs to have some form of identity so that he can properly work to his strengths.</p>
<p>With new additions coming in and finding <em>their </em>roles on the team, he needs to carve out his own, whether that is as the playmaker, the wing player, or in some other capacity.</p>
<p>Barrett has <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/07/31/knicks-rj-barrett-next-step-donovan-mitchell/"https://dailyknicks.com/2022/04/22/rj-barrett-reveals-personal-goal-knicks-2022-23-season-jj-redick-podcast/">the potential to become a perennial All-Star</a>, but to become one of the NBA’s best players, look for him to hone his skills and finally learn who he is going to be in this league going forward.</p>
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