When RJ Barrett was traded to the Raptors as part of the deal moving O.G. Anunoby to the Knicks, the reaction was mixed.
Barrett was a promising young player who averaged 18.1 points over five seasons with the Knicks, but naysayers would point out his inconsistent play and issues with shooting efficiency.
Barrett has made those criticisms look dead wrong, turning into one of Toronto's best players. His statistics are up across the board — he's averaging 20.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists on a stellar 42.0 percent from 3 and 55.5 percent from the field.
Those shooting numbers will probably come down a little bit, but a lot of Barrett's overall improvement looks like it's here to stay. Here's why the Canadian wing has been so much better in a return to home.
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RJ Barrett is taking better shots
Shot selection was the biggest critique of Barrett's game while with the Knicks. He would put up points, but his effective field goal percentage, which accounts for 3-pointers being worth more than 2-pointers, was always near the bottom quarter of the league during his time in New York.
Barrett has completely flipped that around in Toronto. His 61.1 effective field goal percentage since being traded ranks in the 91st percentile of all forwards.
The most obvious reason for that leap is that Barrett has raised his 3-point percentage from 34.2 percent with the Knicks to 42.0 percent with the Raptors. But even more than hot shooting, Barrett is taking much better shots.
Barrett's midrange jumper has been one of his big downfalls. He's been abysmal from that range, hitting only 33.3 percent of long 2s for his career. That shot has been almost completely eliminated in Toronto — he's only taken three of them since getting traded.
In place of those looks, Barrett has been a freight train getting to the rim. And when he's gotten close in, he's been the best finisher in the league at his position, per The BBall Index's database. That is another stark difference from his New York days, where he was in the bottom quarter of the league in shots within four feet.
The touch on some of Barrett's layups has been incredible to watch.
RJ BARRETT WITH SOME ENGLISH 🤯 pic.twitter.com/PewuZhSady
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) February 29, 2024
There are numerous reasons why Barrett is finding better shots and getting better windows to finish at the basket. Most of them have to do with a much better fit in Toronto.
RJ Barrett's new role is more suited to his strengths
New York's offense is much different from the one Toronto runs. The Knicks are more heavily isolation-focused, and most of their possessions run through Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. The Raptors have a more egalitarian system based on ball screens and movement.
What that means for Barrett is that instead of having to try and create his own offense, he's been set up for easier looks much more frequently in Toronto. His percentage of assisted baskets has risen from 54.3 percent with the Knicks last season to 72.0 percent with the Raptors.
Barrett has already developed good chemistry with Scottie Barnes, which has made his life much easier. Immanuel Quickley and Barnes have been giving Barrett the ball with an advantage already created for him more often, leading to gimme layups.
Head coach Darko Rajakovic has told reporters that he sees a little bit of fellow lefty Manu Ginobili in Barrett. (Ginobili also happens to be Barrett's favorite player.) That has been a good model to follow.
Barret has tried to fit in alongside his teammates, working well without the ball and putting a ton of pressure on the defense with his downhill ability and blistering 3-point shooting.
RJ Barrett is still doing the things that he excels at, but better
Barrett's No. 1 attribute is still his killer ability to get to the hoop off bully drives. The Knicks used him a lot going downhill, and the Raptors have followed suit.
As Samson Folk at Raptors Republic has noted, Barrett "drives more than Scottie Barnes, scores more and more efficiently out of drives, passes out of drives more often, creates almost as many assists out of drives, and turns the ball over less."
That driving ability has been even more enhanced because of how good of a playmaker Barrett has become. His decision-making was suspect in New York. He's making better reads in Toronto off the dribble, and his assists have jumped up from 2.4 with the Knicks to 3.8 with the Raptors.
The next steps for Barrett are to ramp up his defensive intensity and fix a bizarre drop down to 57.6 percent from the free throw line. Those flaws aside, he's been a home run addition for this Raptors team. The growth looks real, and the 23-year-old is going to be a huge part of Toronto's future.
