With the NBA Season underway for the New York Knicks, they have seen some positive development from RJ Barrett so far.
While the New York Knicks have had a bit of an up-and-down start to the season, they have some bright spots on the team early on. For New York, last season’s results might have been a bit of a surprise. New York was not only able to make the NBA Playoffs, but they were able to win in the first round against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and then they gave the Miami Heat a run for their money in the second round.
The play of the Knicks proved that they could hang with the best teams in the East, but realistically might have still been a touch behind truly being a contender. This offseason, there were rumors about the Knicks trying to get another star player in a trade. However, nothing came about for New York and they made some minor adjustments to the team.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: RJ Barrett, New York Knicks Updates
Even though the Knicks didn’t add another star player, there was room for improvement because of RJ Barrett. Barrett was the third overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, as he was taken after Zion Williamson and Ja Morant. While Williamson has been plagued with injuries, Morant has proven to be one of the best guards in the league. For the Knicks, Barrett’s development might not have been as quick as Morant’s at the next level, but he has been a good player.
This season however, it looks like Barrett is taking another step forward for the Knicks, which could result in them not looking to add another star player. So far this season, Barrett is averaging 22.0 points per game. Which as the third option for the Knicks behind Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle is very impressive.
What might be the thing that is standing out so far this season has been the improved efficiency from Barrett. Barrett is shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 44.0 percent from beyond the arc.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: RJ Barrett, New York Knicks Updates
The improved shooting percentage from beyond the arc has to be exciting for the Knicks, as Barrett shot just 31 percent from deep last season. If Barrett can consistently shoot over 40 percent for the Knicks from three-point range, he is going to be a handful for opposing teams to guard.
With Barrett only being 23 years old and in his fifth season in the league, he still hasn’t even entered his prime yet. If Barrett can continue to be efficient and improve, the Knicks might have another All-Star caliber player on the team.
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