Getty RJ Barrett didn't get a supermax, and that's okay.
Shortly after the Donovan Mitchell trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers came out, the New York Knicks made their contract extension with RJ Barrett official.
Barrett became the first Knick drafted in the first round to sign an extension since Charlie Ward in 1999, so he broke a long-running streak in the process. Throughout the summer, it was no guarantee he’d be returning, but it all ended up working in his favor.
The two players drafted ahead of Barrett in the draft, Zion Williamson and Ja Morant, both signed supermax extensions while Barrett had to “settle” for a deal that can pay him up to $120 million over four seasons.
An Eastern Conference general manager speaking to Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney says that was never in the cards for Barrett, but he’s “lucky” because he has good people at his side.
“It Was Common Sense”
While Barrett is a solid player, it’s clear he’s not on the same level as Williamson or Morant, both players who have already made the All-Star team in their short career, so the supermax was never going to be an option.
With that said, the GM believes it worked out for Barrett because $100 million is still a lot of cash, and he called it a “fair deal” for him and the Knicks.
“He was not getting a supermax or anything like that,” the GM told Deveney. “He knew it. He is lucky, he has good people around him. He got a fair deal for both sides. It was common sense. That is a situation where it helps that his dad was a pro, that he understands how the market works and what really matters is getting a significant number on a contract that is going to set him up for life.”
Barrett’s father, Rowan Barrett, was a standout at St John’s before going undrafted in the NBA draft. He went on to have a prominent career overseas before finally settling in as the current general manager of the Canadian men’s national team.
“He is not going to be any more set up for life if he had held out for $115 or $116 million guaranteed rather than $107 million guaranteed,” the GM continued. “He could have scratched and clawed and created animosity between the sides but what does that get you? Instead, he took a good deal when the money was on the table. His dad had to claw for every thousand he got paid, but RJ did not have to do that in this case and I am sure that was a factor.”
Where to Go Now
After a summer of uncertainty, it looks like Barrett will remain a Knick and a key building block for the future.
He hasn’t taken that All-Star leap just yet, but coming off a year where he averaged 20 points per game, he’s not that far out from making it happen.
The Knicks should take another step forward this season with the addition of Jalen Brunson, and we’ll be able to see firsthand the impact that has on Barrett.