The New York Knicks nearly traded one of their young mainstays, RJ Barrett, as part of Donovan Mitchell’s proposed package last summer. They won’t hesitate to do it again if a star becomes available, according to a rival general manager.
“Barrett will be in a piece if they make a big deal,” an Eastern Conference general manager told Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney. “They won’t just trade RJ as the main component of a trade, but if they want to get Damian Lillard or KAT (Karl-Anthony Town s) or even OG Anunoby or (Pascal) Siakam, that’s probably going to mean including him. But if he’s not a player So, then they’ll keep RJ and maybe look to move him next summer if he doesn’t make that step forward”.
Barrett’s poison pill will be lifted on July 1 when he starts free agency, clearing the salary match complication in a potential trade when using his $23.8 million incoming salary for next season in the first year of the extension four-year, $107 million rookie he signed last summer.