HofstraBBall wrote:

Clean wrote:Will he even level up to Ja? Sadly the answer is no. He is way too flawed and inconsistent for that. He is not a bust but he won't be anywhere near Ja.

One thing about Ja is that a lot of his play is predicated on athletic ability. Which he has a lot of. However, high flying athletes are also prone to more injuries. I also feel RJs strength is taken for granted. He is only 21 and already has NBA strength. He will be solid on both sides because if it. Think he will only get stronger and tougher to deal with. If he continues to improve his outside shot feel he definitely has a chance to be better.

NBA strength is not nearly as important as NBA skills and shooting....most streaky shooters stay streaky their entire careers, and we seen that first hand with JR smith, john Starks, Iman Shumpert..ect

Allan Houston was a good shooter from day 1, he may have 1 bad shooting game out of 6

RJ seems like he will be a solid Productive pro for yrs to come, I just feel like we play too slow for him to really capitalize on his skill set...With the make up of our team (2 lamp post centers that camp out in the paint) leaves little opportunity for an open lane

Rj is a slasher first who can hit a perimeter shot every now and then.

Example.....Danny Green is a shooter who can occasionally slash to the basket.

knicks1248 wrote:I wanted Mills to move heaven and earth on draft night to grab this guy..like RJ + 3 future 1st rounders (obi, grimes)

Not only would we have a franchise player, it would have solved our PG issues for the next 10 yrs.

My question is do you think RJ has the potential to be a 21/7/4 player in this system under this coach.

With Randle being our primarily ball handler in this slow system, i just don't see it happening. They will have some good games together against certain teams, but not on a consistent bases.

If Fox and Haliburton are available, I'm willing to sacrifice Rj for one of them, I think FOX will be an All star before RJ, and he's probably the only PG that can take the ball out of Randle's hand for the most part.

Let me ask you, do you think Ja will ever be on RJ level?

Do we have an RJ problem or a thibs offensive system problem?

Ja will never be 6’6 with nba strength and agility to guard 3 positions.

Thibs offensive issues is as old as thibs career. We know the problem, what’s your solution? Ja was picked 2nd, was there a trade scenario you would like to share that mills should’ve did? Again, we know the problems, what we don’t have are solutions.

And comparing a PG in an offensive friendly system with better supporting cast members is a waste of time to me. RJ doesn’t have to have Ja stat line to help us win games.

Nalod wrote:Maybe the time machine was rigged. Zion is a bust, and in 5 years is it plausible RJ has a better career than Ja?
Yes.
OP see some sick highlight dunks and like a child sitting on saturday morning watching cartoon. He want that new Hot Wheels set. He see dunk, he want Ja.
Same a few weeks when OBI was doing the highlight film thing. We see in extended minutes OBI is not Amare.
Ja reminds me of a young Derrick Rose. Great athlete. Young Westbrook, great athlete. Russ came back great from ACL, Derrick not so great.
The regret thing? Hmmmm, lets see it play out.

“Trust me” asks 1248. Not a chance. I get finding a savior PG is not easy to find but the time machine thing don’t play with this crowd.

I doubt it has anything to do with highlights. Ja is averaging 24.7pts 5.8 rebs and 6.7asts at 25.64 PER. He has already made the leap to a star. You can watch his games and see him constantly impose his will on the other teams. RJ is nothing like that. If RJ could ever average anything close to that we are sitting golden. I just don't see it happening. Maybe I am now jaded but I am no longer overrating our young talent. We have done that for decades and how many of our young talent have actually made the jump to being at least an all star? KP is the only 1 since I been a fan.

I believe we have good young talent but they are all role players. None have the potential to be a star. RJ's max is just below an all star but there is a chance he does not make it to even that.

RJ Barrett became one of just 7 players All-Time in NBA history to tally at least 800+ points, 250+ rebounds, 100+ assists, and 50+ made 3PT's before turning 20 years old.

The other 6 are:
Kobe Bryant.
LeBron James.
Carmelo Anthony.
Jayson Tatum.
Luka Doncic.
Kevin Durant.
(R.J. Barrett).

RJ Barrett also became one of only eight players in NBA history to tally more than 2,000 points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists before turning 21 years old.

The other 7 are:
Kobe Bryant,
Kevin Garnett,
Tracy McGrady,
Carmelo Anthony,
LeBron James,
Luka Doncic,
Kevin Durant.
(R.J. Barrett).

Clean wrote:

NYKMentality wrote:I'm truly convinced. New York Knicks fans will never be satisfied with any NYK player and will never appreciate a single Knicks player; without having to harp, compare and complain.

RJ Barrett became one of just 7 players All-Time in NBA history to tally at least 800+ points, 250+ rebounds, 100+ assists, and 50+ made 3PT's before turning 20 years old.

The other 6 are:
Kobe Bryant.
LeBron James.
Carmelo Anthony.
Jayson Tatum.
Luka Doncic.
Kevin Durant.
(R.J. Barrett).

RJ Barrett also became one of only eight players in NBA history to tally more than 2,000 points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists before turning 21 years old.

The other 7 are:
Kobe Bryant,
Kevin Garnett,
Tracy McGrady,
Carmelo Anthony,
LeBron James,
Luka Doncic,
Kevin Durant.
(R.J. Barrett).

And oh yeah....

https://preview.redd.it/zs65c59z5t981.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=fd41d44293afe69d03dbbec63888a6af6a88924d

And for all of you R.J. Barrett sharks in the N.Y. waters? This message is for, you...

Interesting that when you try to defend Randle you use different stats than you are using now to try and defend RJ. Looks to me like you are cherry picking things to make your view point look good while ignoring the things that disagree with it. For Randle you use raw stats ignoring that he plays a ton of minutes with the offense running through him so of course he is going to lead the team in raw stats. You ignore all the poor effort and efficiency stats with Randle. Now for RJ you pulling out these pointless Tommy Beer stats.

I also noticed you did not keep the same energy you had in the BOS game thread that you had in the OKC game thread. When we scored 80 you made a big deal about how much we needed Randle. We score 75 with Randle and crickets. I am not surprised.

I'll tell you what Clean.

When kids like R.J. Barrett (21 years old) and Julius Randle (27 years old) lead our Knicks to the playoffs this year and for the 2nd consecutive season?

You make sure you keep your same January 10th energy; and don't even bother watching NY KNICKS PLAYOFF BASKETBALL.

Because you're nothing more than a love you when you're up before kicking you while you're down type of fan.

I'll believe and trust in coach Thibs before I do, you.

The reason why Julius Randle plays a ton of minutes is because coach Thibs knows he's by far our best player (no question about it).

And the reason why Julius Randle leads our team in points, rebounds and assists is because he's by far our best player (no question about it).

And in regards to R.J. Barrett?

RJ Barrett became one of just 7 players All-Time in NBA history to tally at least 800+ points, 250+ rebounds, 100+ assists, and 50+ made 3PT's before turning 20 years old.

The other 6 are:
Kobe Bryant.
LeBron James.
Carmelo Anthony.
Jayson Tatum.
Luka Doncic.
Kevin Durant.
(R.J. Barrett).

RJ Barrett also became one of only eight players in NBA history to tally more than 2,000 points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists before turning 21 years old.

The other 7 are:
Kobe Bryant,
Kevin Garnett,
Tracy McGrady,
Carmelo Anthony,
LeBron James,
Luka Doncic,
Kevin Durant.
(R.J. Barrett).

If this pisses you off? Oh well.

Because his team got destroyed last year in only 5 games and lost 1-4.

Do you think Ja Morant will ever be able to stay healthy?

Because...
He missed 6 games as a Rookie.
He missed 9 games last year.
And he's already missed 13 games this year.

The best ability is availability and unfortunately Ja Morant seems a little bit of injury proned.

Memphis also plays better team basketball without him. Because 11-2 without him doesn't lie. Yes. Memphis is 11-2 during games that Ja Morant has not played this year. 11-2!

knicks1248 wrote:last time I check we were under 500, and got bounced out the 1st rnd in 5 games like Memphis.

My post isn't about ragging on RJ, it's about using him to get a much needed PG

I don't see RJ as untouchable, you have to win games consistently or keep improving as a team in order to want to retain a player.

Memphis is 11-2 without Ja Morant this year.

A.) Does this mean Ja Morant is injury prone?

B.) Does this mean Memphis plays better as a team without Morant's hero ball?

C.) Only raw stats to favor Ja but yet no talks about how R.J. Barrett is 10x the Defensive player that Ja Morant could ever dream of becoming?

Yes. I'm going to defend R.J. Barrett over Ja Morant. R.J has two way potential; Ja doesn't.

NYKMentality wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:last time I check we were under 500, and got bounced out the 1st rnd in 5 games like Memphis.

My post isn't about ragging on RJ, it's about using him to get a much needed PG

I don't see RJ as untouchable, you have to win games consistently or keep improving as a team in order to want to retain a player.

Memphis is 11-2 without Ja Morant this year.

A.) Does this mean Ja Morant is injury prone?

B.) Does this mean Memphis plays better as a team without Morant's hero ball?

C.) Only raw stats to favor Ja but yet no talks about how R.J. Barrett is 10x the Defensive player that Ja Morant could ever dream of becoming?

Yes. I'm going to defend R.J. Barrett over Ja Morant. R.J has two way potential; Ja doesn't.

And the jets are 3-11 with the next Pat Mahomes Zach Wilson

knicks1248 wrote:

HofstraBBall wrote:

Clean wrote:Will he even level up to Ja? Sadly the answer is no. He is way too flawed and inconsistent for that. He is not a bust but he won't be anywhere near Ja.

One thing about Ja is that a lot of his play is predicated on athletic ability. Which he has a lot of. However, high flying athletes are also prone to more injuries. I also feel RJs strength is taken for granted. He is only 21 and already has NBA strength. He will be solid on both sides because if it. Think he will only get stronger and tougher to deal with. If he continues to improve his outside shot feel he definitely has a chance to be better.

NBA strength is not nearly as important as NBA skills and shooting....most streaky shooters stay streaky their entire careers, and we seen that first hand with JR smith, john Starks, Iman Shumpert..ect

Allan Houston was a good shooter from day 1, he may have 1 bad shooting game out of 6

RJ seems like he will be a solid Productive pro for yrs to come, I just feel like we play too slow for him to really capitalize on his skill set...With the make up of our team (2 lamp post centers that camp out in the paint) leaves little opportunity for an open lane

Rj is a slasher first who can hit a perimeter shot every now and then.

Example.....Danny Green is a shooter who can occasionally slash to the basket.

You took the time to bold the above. Yet you do not understand the point. What do you think is the biggest issue for 21 year olds in the NBA? Answer: They are competing against men twice their size. Many still have HS bodies. RJ is well above most in development for his age. Meaning he will probably continue to get stronger. He is a workhorse and has shown signs that he can be an exceptional shooter.

You also claim "Shooting" is more important than strength at that age. Assuming you do not mean just layups? RJ has a better shooting percentage from the 3pt stripe. So there is that.

But guess you do not understand the difference between Ja and RJ. Give you one guess as to who is a Knick and who is not. So why would anyone really care about Ja right now? Why not just root for the guys that have a Knick Jersey. Never understood fans that focus on what our players can't do and on what other team's players can do?