The New York Knicks have a young star in the making that is due for a massive pay raise soon, so the team has a decision to make.
RJ Barrett, the third overall pick in the 2019 draft, is eligible for a supermax extension that would pay him $181 million. With Ja Morant, the number two pick from that same draft, almost guaranteed to get one, there’s a good chance that Barrett thinks he will be due for one as well.
An anonymous Eastern Conference executive speaking to Heavy.com says that contract is not going to be there for him right now, and there’s no reason to hand it over if you’re the Knicks.
Money Isn’t There
GettyRJ Barrett of the New York Knicks.
While Barrett might’ve had the best season of his young career, he has a long way to go to be considered in the same tier as Ja Morant. To be fair to Barrett, that same thing can apply to much of the NBA, but if he’s looking to get paid the same way, it doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen.
“He wants Ja Morant money, but don’t we all?” asked an NBA exec. “Reality is, that is not going to be there for him. He is an average shooting guard right now. I am not sure you give him the max, let alone the supermax. He has potential and he is still young. But he scored 20 points a game and shot 40%. Give a lot of guys 17, 18 shots per game the way he gets, they’ll give you 20 points.”
If the Knicks want to, they can extend Barrett right now, but a more likely option will be to wait another season before they decide to do anything. The NBA exec agrees this is the best path forward for the Knicks.
“They need flexibility too, because if they give him the extension, they can’t trade him until next year,” said the exec. “It’s tough. It is a lot like (Deandre) Ayton in Phoenix. You want to show confidence in your young players, but the rules are set up so you can let him play out his fourth year and you still have his rights. That is what the rules are there for. Bottom line, if he is not willing to go less than the max, they have no reason to give him the extension now. That will p*** off his people. But you know what the answer is? Play better.”
There’s still a possibility Barrett could be included in a blockbuster deal for a superstar, and that would be nearly impossible to do if his salary number takes a huge leap.
Barrett is Still Improving
GettyRJ Barrett is due for a pay raise soon.
Even though Barrett hasn’t made a jump into superstardom, he’s certainly on his way to becoming an essential building block for the Knicks and making an All-Star team is not out of the realm of possibilities for him.
The Knicks still have a lot of work to do with filling out the roster around him, but if the youngsters continue to develop, and perhaps Julius Randle finds his All-Star form again, New York could have a dangerous team very soon.
For the time being, the team will likely let Barrett play out his rookie contract before they look at handing out big money to him. If he takes another leap next season, a supermax extension might be within the realm of possibilities.
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NBA Exec Sends Blunt Message on Knicks Star Pursuing ‘Ja Morant Money’