Getty RJ Barrett reveals Allan Houston is working with him.
The New York Knicks are going into the season without the services of Donovan Mitchell after the Utah Jazz traded the star guard to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
During those trade talks, RJ Barrett was a player who popped up often, but the Knicks ultimately decided to hang onto him and sign him to a contract extension.
Barrett will be a big part of the Knicks’ success in the future, and the team will be hoping he can make an All-Star leap this season, following in the footsteps of Zion Williamson and Ja Morant, the two players drafted ahead of him.
The Knicks forward will have the help of Jalen Brunson this year, so there will be a true point guard running the show instead of a committee led by Kemba Walker and Alec Burks.
In an interview with KnicksFanTV, Barrett revealed that former All-Star Allan Houston has been working with him.
Knicks Helping Knicks
At the 26:26 mark, Barrett goes into detail about how Houston has been around him and helping out.
“Well, you know, Allan Houston, he works for the Knicks so I kind of see him every day, talking to him all the time,” Barrett said. “He was a person that really, that dealt with this stuff and was a great player for the Knicks, so he’s been helping me a lot.”
Houston was a staple of the Knicks in the mid-90s through early 2000s, so he has a taste of what it’s like for the team to be good and bad. Despite the team falling off in the new millennium, Houston was a staple for them and he put up some of his best numbers despite the team struggling.
At 6-foot-6, Houston and Barrett have a similar build to each other, so it makes since the former Knicks All-Star is offering some advice to the youngster. Barrett has improved each season he’s been in the league, so it’s clear something has been working for him.
Knicks Are Counting on Barrett
If the Knicks want to find themselves back in the playoffs, they’ll need Barrett to make another leap. He averaged 20 points per game last season, and even that wasn’t enough to get the team into the playoffs.
On top of Barrett, the Knicks will need a return to form from Julius Randle, who was an All-Star and a member of the All-NBA team two seasons ago. If Barrett and Randle can make improvements and Brunson continues to show the potential he showed with the Mavericks last season, this team should be a solid one.
The bench will also be something to keep an eye on because they’ll be seeing the return of a healthy Derrick Rose to go along with the developing youngster. Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley and Isaiah Hartenstein are all solid pieces that could get the Knicks a few wins.
While there’s not a superstar on the roster, the Knicks do have a deep roster led by Barrett, so a play-in spot at the least shouldn’t be out of the question.