The New York Knicks have only played four games this season, but there is a concern about RJ Barrett’s slow start.
The New York Knicks are 3-1 to start the season, and some people are already critical of RJ Barrett’s play. However, it’s too early to overreact to Barrett’s performance when he’s demonstrated that he takes time to get into a rhythm. Even he acknowledges the issue.
The concern for Barrett’s sluggish start is understandable, though. For most of the past two decades, New York’s draft record and player development have been underwhelming, to say the least. So the sense of urgency, impatience, and desire to see the 2019 third overall draft pick become a household name makes sense.
But development isn’t linear, meaning there will be bumps in the road watching Barrett’s young career unfold — he is only 21 years old, after all. So the critics should be patient, considering the improvements he has already made in his young career thus far.
Let’s not forget that Barrett improved in most counting stats and percentages from his rookie season to his sophomore year. Just take a look below.
Now the new season is still young, so RJ’s numbers haven’t even out yet. But there are other aspects of RJ’s game that should inspire the masses, such as his playmaking and defense.
For his playmaking, Barrett is becoming a more natural facilitator whether that’s passing the ball in transition, dropping dimes in the paint, and making beautiful kickout passes after he drives.
As for RJ’s defense, he is up to the challenge to take on the most difficult assignment every night. And so far, he’s done an excellent job.
Recently, we saw RJ lock up Jayson Tatum. Granted, Tatum seemed to have an off night as well. But nonetheless, RJ still guarded Tatum well and contributed to Tatum’s poor performance.
Now some of you are probably saying, this is all nice and dandy, but RJ should always start the season strong offensively because that’s the true indication of a good player.
Now while I hear you, that isn’t necessarily true. It takes some athletes a little longer than others to get into their groove at the beginning of the season.
Remember when Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson got off to a slow shooting start three years ago? He couldn’t hit a three-pointer to save his life, and then BOOM, he scored 52 points, and he slowly but surely got back on track.
And even if we are looking at this season, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers is struggling to find his rhythm.
Now, this isn’t to say that RJ is Klay or Dame. Both Klay and Dame are proven vets in the league, and RJ is still in the early stages of his career. But what I am saying is that even some of the best start the season cold. Not everyone can be Steph Curry and drop 21, 45, 27, and 23 points right out of the gate.
And to calm the nerves of the skeptics out there, even more, Barrett’s start to this season is looking a little similar to last year.
Last year’s season opener against the Indiana Pacers, RJ came out of the gate red hot with a stat line of 26 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 73.3 field goal percentage (11/15), and 100 three-point percentage (3/3). But then throughout the following string of games, Barrett would then enter a slump. It wasn’t until the twelfth game of the 2020-21 season – the second matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers – that RJ would break his slow start, demonstrate he could be a good shooter and dependable player, and go on to have a great season.
Now enter the 2021-22 season, and once again, RJ had a strong season opener – this time against the Boston Celtics. His stat line was 19 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 54.5 field goal percentage (6/11), and 42.9 three-point percentage (3/7). And at the moment, unfortunately, Barrett is going through his slow start phase yet again. But hopefully this time around, it doesn’t take him as many games to break his sluggish start.
Now with all of that said, there are crucial differences from previous seasons that are impacting RJ’s slow start.
During RJ’s first two years, he played with essentially the same first unit. So his role didn’t change because he and Randle were the offense for those two seasons.
The starting unit is different this year. With the addition of Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier, the offense has become more balanced and dynamic. And as we’ve seen through preseason and the first few games, the Knicks don’t have to rely strictly on Randle and Barrett to win games. New York has enough talent and depth on the roster where someone outside of Julius and RJ can go off and be that X-Factor on any given night.
On top of that, RJ and the rest of the starting unit are still getting used to each other’s tendencies (even though the offense looks to be in midseason form). That is why it will take some time for him to adjust and understand the balance of the offense.
So Barrett will bounce back as the season goes on. Since he is known for his slow starts and is still adjusting to his new teammates and offensive system, there should be some patience for the third-year veteran as the season is still young. Also, based on his mental toughness, his determination will help him get back on track.
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the 2021-22 season! And in case you missed it, check out the KFTV opening week recap where the panel previews the upcoming Knicks vs. Bulls matchup below.
