R.J. Barrett Declines Workout with Memphis Grizzlies

The Plot Twist

During the beginning of the season, Barrett showed an ability to score at will and many took notice. As a result, many draft experts had Barrett going number one, yes, even ahead of Williamson.

However, as the season waned, Barrett’s draft stock started to diminish a little. A couple of different factors had to do with this decline. Down the stretch in multiple games, Barrett’s inability to drive right was highlighted. His shot from the outside was also inconsistent and allowed the defense to clog up the paint against him.

Ja Morant‘s explosion during the season, and in the NCAA tournament, contributed to having Barrett all but locked into the third pick in the draft. Morant’s ability to be a playmaker and a dangerous scorer got many people’s attention. Oh, and the viral dunks that surfaced every other day didn’t hurt either.

R.J. Barrett Declines Workout with Memphis Grizzlies

After the draft lottery came to an end, it appeared Barrett would be going third to the New York Knicks. Even though the Memphis Grizzlies showed a ton of interest in Morant, they still wanted to do their due diligence and bring Barrett in for a workout.

Barrett, on the other hand, had other plans. He seems to not want to change the Grizzlies’ minds. For any young player, New York certainly seems a lot more attractive than Memphis.

Things could get tricky with the Knicks in the next couple of weeks, especially with all of the rumors going around regarding free agency. It will be interesting to see how these next couple of weeks shake out and where Barrett will end up June 20th in the 2019 NBA Draft.