New Guards’ coach Johnnie Bryant, who turned Donovan Mitchell into a superstar, had an impact on Barrett, according to people familiar with the situation.
“I just thought his board reads were great,” Thibodeau said. “His all-round game. His pressure on the ball in defense has improved a lot over time. In attack he scored in different ways: transition, cut without the ball, off the dribble, grab and throw. ”
Barrett played the third most preseason minutes in the league and scored an average of 17.8 points. His shot rate was 50.8.