When the New York Knicks traded RJ Barrett to the Toronto Raptors, the decision marked the end of an era. The third overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Duke, he was expected to help lead the Knicks out of the dungeon. Instead, after 345 total games, he found himself on a plane back home.
It wasn’t for a New Year’s vacation.
Raptors’ RJ Barrett Opens Up About Knicks Trade
Discussing the move in a recent interview with Sharp Magazine’s David Stol, Barrett says that “people forget that we really built something there.”
When I arrived, we weren’t contending. We weren’t close, really,” Barrett argues. “My sophomore year, we made the playoffs. Then, we just kept building. We gave the fans something to cheer for. And they deserve it, man. It’s a tough city but you earn their love. I’m glad we got there for them.”
“That pressure was really special,” he adds.
A Different Type Of Pressure
If all’s well that ends well, Barrett may not be too bothered that that Knicks stopped believing in him after just four-plus seasons. Those years were certainly strenuous in part due to the infamously passionate fans. However, teams rarely make front office decisions based on fan opinions. The most that can be said is that pressure from the fan base added to the mood that was already in the atmosphere.
A franchise still looking to reclaim its 90s glory, the Knicks want to be championship contenders.
Like the Knicks, the Raptors are looking to win another championship. However, without as many glory days to compare their current state to, Toronto’s fans are a bit more ambivalent about whether their team comes away with an NBA title at the end of the season. However, Barrett says that “there’s a different kind of pressure coming back to Toronto — coming back home…”
“It’s just a literal dream come true. I grew up with my dad taking me to games. […] When I found out I was coming home, I didn’t know how to act. I was pinching myself and telling my people, ‘We’re really here. We’re playing for the Toronto Raptors.’”
It’s one that the 24-year-old feels “blessed to have.”
One Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s Treasure
In a vacuum, Barrett is a very good player. He’s a notch or two below elite, with a career average of 18.4 points per game. In any given game, he can play the part of a takeover scorer. At his best, he’s an efficient slasher with the ability to knock down shots from all three levels.
Yer, he’s not an exceptional athlete with regard to his burst or vertical explosion. As driving is his best skill, this is particularly unfortunate. With that being said, Barrett is a career 34.6 percent 3-point shooter. When considering that the Knicks traded him for a marquee 3-and-D player, this may be his most glaring weakness.
His growth as a playmaker and defender wasn’t even enough for New York to keep him anymore. Not with additions like Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo. However, as teams often find out, a player undervalued by one franchise can excel when given the opportunity. In fact, that’s how the Knicks ended up with Jalen Brunson, a player whose scoring talents helped make Barrett expendable.
For the Raptors, this has led to the Toronto native putting up career numbers.
After being dealt to his hometown team, Barrett averaged 21.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. He also shot 39.2 percent from 3, hearing up as the snow melted.
Scottie Barnes, the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, is still the face of the franchise. A dynamic point-forward with undeniable two-way impact, he’s earned that right. The 2022 Rookie of the Year and a 2024 All-Star, he’s a big part of what the Raptors are and will be.
If all goes according to plan, Barrett is too.
