The New York Knicks can make a big splash in the NBA playoffs this year. They boast a team with an All-Star in Julius Randle. Additionally, Jalen Brunson has also shown that he can take over games. That means being snubbed from last year’s All-Star team could leave him playing with a chip on his shoulder in the upcoming NBA regular season. But this isn’t a story for any of these kids. Rather, it’s about a young talent finally evolving into a star-level talent to give the team a solid third or even, at times, second option.
RJ Barrett should be ready to break out in his fifth season with the Knicks. Recognizing his strengths as a cutter and mid-range assassin could better unlock his three-point shooting efficiency. Coaches and players work out their plans to challenge RJ Barrett from center starting right now. But if he starts shooting inside the arc more and tightens the defense given his volume in that area, his three points become less expected per game. He opens it up to a world of possibilities.