Former New York Knicks GM praises traded pick

For former New York Knicks guard RJ Barrett, there really may have been no place like home.

However, his former Manhattan colleague Scott Perry believes Barrett’s early rise with the Toronto Raptors has more to do with Barrett’s personal adjustments than anything a return to his native Ontario could hope to accomplish spiritually.

“I’m proud of RJ and how well he played,” Perry, the former Knicks general manager, said in his web series “Hoops Genius.” “What he’s really doing now is he understands the game a lot better than he did as a young player. When he first came to the NBA and was drafted high by the Knicks, he wanted to show that he could come in and score. “Be worthy of that pick.

Barrett entered the NBA as the third overall pick in the 2019 draft, behind Duke, who was selected as a consolation prize after lottery bad luck denied them the chance to get either Zion Williamson or Ja Morant. He showed his potential in more than four tours of New York, but the Knicks ultimately sent him and Immanuel Quickley to Toronto as part of the deal that acquired OG Anunoby in December.

In Toronto, Barrett more or less acts as the franchise face for the rebuilding Raptors and he has taken advantage of the new opportunity: in five appearances this season, Barrett is the team’s best scorer with 26.2 points per game and has already made three appearances of 0.00 scores at least 30 points, including 31 in an overtime win against Sacramento on Saturday.

It’s an indirect vindication for Perry, who made Barrett one of his 11 draft picks during his six-year tenure in the Knicks’ front office. Perry also noted Barrett’s improved play: In addition to his scoring, Barrett is averaging 7.8 assists, more than doubling his career average. Toronto lost to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, but Barrett recorded a double-double with 33 points and 12 assists in the loss.

“You see a more relaxed player,” praised Perry. “His passing game really took off there. That’s why I think it’s a lot easier for him to score 30 points.”

Barrett and the Raptors will visit Madison Square Garden on December 23rd.

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