New York Knicks: 3 bold predictions for 2019-20 NBA season
By Nick Crain
2. RJ Barrett will have a slow rookie season
Similar to Kevin Knox, our second bold prediction is that RJ Barrett will fail to meet expectations in his rookie season. Keep in mind, this is completely different than saying he will not be a solid rookie or a great NBA player one day. Realistically, based on the way the roster is composed, there is a chance it will take him some time to get comfortable and thrive as the future of the franchise.
Similar to Trae Young last season, Barrett could get hot towards the end of the year. On top of the fact that he will be playing in a crowded group of guards, he also has some of the highest expectations of any rookie. This pressure may result in him trying to do too much. After some time getting adjusted to the NBA, he should certainly turn out to be a good pick at No. 3 overall.
Unlike Kevin Knox’s rookie year, Fizdale won't hand RJ Barrett anything https://t.co/qrhqlnb9uh
— Marc Berman (@NYPost_Berman) October 1, 2019
After playing a lot of point guard in college and essentially getting as many shots as he wanted at Duke, that probably won’t be the case in New York. With 703 field goal attempts during his lone collegiate season, he was by far the leading shot taker on the star-studded roster.
He even took 267 more shots than Zion Williamson, who was second on the team. Again, the prediction here isn’t that RJ Barrett will be a bust, it’s that he will take a good portion of his rookie season to get comfortable and start producing to his expected rookie level.