Debate has raged on in NBA circles about who won the trade between the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors. It was a deal that sort of came out of nowhere, as the Knicks acquired OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn in exchange for Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and a second-round pick via the Detroit Pistons last weekend.
Opinions vary about who won the trade, as it is hard to grade right away. Many believe this is the first of a few deals that Leon Rose will make to reshape the Knicks roster for the rest of the 2023-24 season. Anunoby is an upgrade over Barrett, but the loss of Quickley will hurt.
Quickley was the leader of the Knicks’ second unit, providing the team with unparalleled scoring punch. He was the backup point guard to Jalen Brunson, providing the team with another ball-handler to rely on when Brunson was resting.
While that certainly hurts New York in the short-term, their long-term outlook is improved. This version of Barrett we were seeing was not going to be enough to get the Knicks over the hump. He could find his way in Toronto, but Anunoby presents a clear upgrade in more ways than one.
In fact, getting off of Barrett’s deal is seen as a major win amongst NBA personnel. According to Zach Lowe on a recent edition of his podcast, The Lowe Post, Barrett is not viewed as a positive asset around the league.
“I’ve always said if there’s a continuum of RJ Barrett optimism and pessimism—and over here on the pessimistic side is like, ‘He just stinks, he’s a toxic asset.’ And that is a word that got thrown around yesterday in my conversations with front office people and coaches—toxic asset. Like you’re swallowing his contract,” Lowe shared. (H/T Bleacher Report)
Barrett signed a four-year, $107 million rookie scale extension that kicked in starting this season. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft is averaging a healthy 18.2 points per game this season, but he has failed to take a leap when it comes to efficiency and consistency.
Earlier in the season, Barrett looked to have taken the necessary steps to reach that next level. But a migraine that cost him a few games set him back and it was the same maddening inconsistencies we have seen since he entered the NBA. He was the least efficient player in the Knicks rotation, which certainly played a part in prompting this move.
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