TORONTO — As Masai Ujiri explains, RJ Barrett's “coming full circle” back home began about 10 years ago.
Barrett was probably in middle school and beginning his teenage years at that point.
His father, Rowan, a prominent figure in Canadian basketball, took the young RJ into the tunnels of the Raptors Arena to seek advice from top NBA up-and-comers.
repetition.
“Every time he took me to a game, he brought me to him. Every time,” Raptors team president Ujiri said. “He said, 'This is my son. He loves basketball. Please say something to him.' Every time.”
Ujiri offered that anecdote as a continuation of his motivation for acquiring Barrett. It was the hope that a transfer to his homeland would release the 23-year-old player to a higher level.
Ujiri suggested the Knicks, the team that used their highest draft pick to select a small forward since Patrick Ewing, may not have been the “right” player.
“What do I think about him and is there any growth? Absolutely. He's 23 years old and I think players like this sometimes find themselves in situations like that,” Ujiri said. “And to be honest, sometimes early in his career he's not in the right situation. We hope that for him, that was the case. That he can get better here. ”
Ujiri was probably thinking of something.
A very quick return is strong for both Barrett and Immanuel Quickley ahead of Saturday's MSG reunion.
That was to be expected in Quickley's case, as he has seen more playing time since stepping out of Jalen Brunson's shadow and his role has been elevated from reserve to starter.
Erik Spoelstra said this before the Heat lost to the Raptors on Wednesday. We are dealing with a dangerous player who is easily ignited. ”
(Quickley then had 17 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds.)
But Barrett's efficiency gains were less predictable. In New York, he shot just 42 percent over four seasons and 34 percent from beyond the arc. This was perhaps the biggest pock of his tenure.
Toronto is shooting up to 55 percent from the field and 40 percent from treys.
It's only been 10 games, but Barrett continues to run hot and cold, as he proved with the Knicks.
But he believes his “cash” shooting was more than just a fluke.
“It’s a different system, so it’s a different look because it’s a different team,” Barrett told the Post. “So I think I’ve done a great job of capitalizing on that.”
Barrett didn't mention the differences in the systems, but Toronto has more ball movement (29.6 assists per game this season to the Knicks' 24).
The key context is that the Knicks have dominated since acquiring OG Anunoby, while the Raptors are losing (5 of 6 games leading up to the game against MSG).
That was part of the deal.
The Raptors have started a rebuild quickly and seem content to play through mistakes and leaky defense as they transition from the Pascal Siakam era to the Scottie Barnes era.
The result of the draft lottery is an acceptable outcome, whether they want to admit it or not.
That will never happen under Tom Thibodeau.
“Obviously, I think the biggest opportunity is with Quick because RJ is already established. It's a chance for him to grow and we can see where that goes,” Raptors guard Gary said. Trent Jr. told the Post. “The good, the bad, the ugly, it's going to happen eventually. They have their act together with him. He has every opportunity to go out and play hard and whatever it is. , it will be.”
Regardless of expectations, the new Raptors head to New York believing in victory.
Barrett said he will likely guard Anunoby, who has had a huge impact on the Knicks' defense.
Both are well known.
“I know them. They know me,” Barrett said. “It's going to be fun.”
Quickley, who is now the starting point guard, will likely play against Brunson.
It's a rematch of many gym sessions, most notably during the Knicks' workout in Charleston, South Carolina, a few months ago.
“I'm not going to lie, we didn't practice much.” [during the season]” Quickley said. “But that's what training camp was like. That's what it was like in practice because I was guarding him.”
Despite being sent across the border by the team that drafted them, Quickley and Barrett expressed no animosity toward the Knicks or expressed any motivation for Saturday's game.
As for the latter, they have always been good at avoiding headlines in interviews.
As for the former, it's hard to be angry after being sent to a better situation.
“They've been playing well,” Barrett said. “I think this trade worked out well for both parties.”
