A change of scenery and style of play has turned RJ Barrett into an efficient player that has plagued him when he was with the New York Knicks.
Swapped for OG Anunoby, Barrett heaved a sigh of relief that his days of standing in the corner waiting for the kickout pass were over.
“That’s not me,” Barrett told New York Post’s Stefan Bondy. “I enjoy playing free moving. So I’m enjoying the playing style here (in Toronto).”
His comment backed up former Knicks general manager Scott Perry’s claim that New York coach Tom Thibodeau misused his former lottery pick.
On the flip side, Anunoby, a much better corner 3-point shooter and defender, seamlessly fit next to Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. The Knicks are 7-2 since Anunoby joined the team.
“I thought we were a three-headed monster (with Randle and Brunson) for a little bit,” Barrett told The Post. “And then obviously as time goes along, they made the trade and it worked out for them. So I’m happy for them.”
It’s also working out well for Barrett, who has been putting up career numbers across the board with the Raptors. Through his first nine games with his home team, Barrett averaged 20.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting 56.9% from the field and 43.2% from 3.
He’s been enjoying more the 15th-ranked Raptors’ pace than the Knicks’ bottom-four pace.
Barrett will return to New York on Saturday, January 20, to face his former team for the first time since the trade.
Knicks Interested in Bruce Brown Trade
The Knicks have Bruce Brown on their radar in the wake of his trade to Toronto as part of the Pascal Siakam return package, according to SNY’s Ian Begley.
“One interesting thing I heard today in the wake of Bruce Brown getting sent to Toronto for Pascal Siakam. I was told that there is some internal interest in going after Bruce Brown from the Knicks as far as a trade candidate here. Obviously, the Knicks had a strong interest in Brown as a free agent. The Knicks were actually his first meeting. And so now, with Brown going to Toronto, he might be available. And I know there are some people with the Knicks who would love to bring him on ahead of the trade deadline,” Begley reported after the Knicks win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, January 17.
Brown met with the Knicks but ultimately signed with the Pacers for a bigger deal — $22 million this season with a $23 million team option for next season.
Quentin Grimes Headlines Package for Roster Upgrade
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Knicks have been shopping Evan Fournier and Quentin Grimes around ahead of the February 8 trade deadline.
“The New York Knicks are primarily dangling the expiring contract of Evan Fournier, young asset Quentin Grimes, and draft pick compensation for a potential upgrade, league sources told HoopsHype.”
Fournier is basically on an expiring deal with an $18.8 million team option for next season. Grimes, on the other hand, has fallen out of favor since his airing his discontent publicly about his role.
The Knicks have a surplus of first-round picks, four from other teams with varying protections, to attach to Grimes and Fournier to upgrade their roster.
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RJ Barrett Takes a Swipe at How Knicks ‘Wanted’ Him to Play: ‘That’s Not Me’