Getty RJ Barrett.
The New York Knicks have had a productive offseason that started with signing Jalen Brunson to be their starting point guard for the next four seasons at least.
While Brunson is a big signing for the team, another key to New York’s success will be the continued development of their young core, notably RJ Barrett. Every season he’s been in the league, the Knicks forward has improved, and his third season was the best one so far.
Barrett averaged 20 points per game for the Knicks last year, and while it wasn’t enough to get the team into the playoffs, New York has to feel good about his development. While he hasn’t skyrocketed to stardom like Zion Williamson or Ja Morant, both picked before him in the draft, Barrett has developed into a solid starter.
A recent video of him working out with trainer Drew Hanlen has gone viral, and it has fans saying this upcoming year will be the biggest leap for him yet.
Breakout Season?
In the nine-second clip, it’s tough to come away with many takeaways, but some fans have noticed Barrett has put on a bit of muscle. For players like Barrett who like to finish around the rim, having a little more bulk is never a bad thing, and it would help him become a more reliable finisher.
What’s not shown in the clip is him working on his jumper or three point shots. He barely shot over 40 percent from the field last year which is far from ideal, and it’s a regression from the year before where he also shot 40 percent from deep.
Barrett is still young enough to get all that turned around, and fans are thinking it could be as early as next season.
“I mean, the kid average 20.0 ppg last year,” one fan said. “Only 27 players in the whole league did that last year and he has room and desire to improve. Could be a very big year for him.”
If Barrett wants to secure a massive contract extension, he’ll want to turn in his best season yet.
Extension Talks
It seems like Barrett won’t come close to securing an extension the likes of Morant and Williamson have secured, but he’s due for a big pay day.
“He is overvaluing himself if he is set on the max,” an executive told Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney. “He is not going to get the max, and the question is, will he fight for it? It’s $180 million over five years. Probably not going to get that. But that will be a starting point for his side and it is a matter of how low the Knicks can get them to go. $150 million is probably too much. DeMar DeRozan got $26 million per year and that is probably the ballpark, five years and $120-130 million. He has shown great flashes and great stretches but he has to be more consistent, he needs to be a better shooter to be a No. 1 option.”
If Barrett takes the leap like some fans believe, he might be able to get a hefty pay bump.
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