Knicks Guard RJ Barrett Looking to 'Gravitate Toward' Jalen Brunson

The recently-extended Barrett is excited to play with his new teammate.

Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

As the two players the New York Knicks handed pricy contracts to this offseason, it's safe to say the plan is for RJ Barrett and Jalen Brunson to play alongside each other for a long time in the Big Apple.

While the pairing doesn't scream as one of the best in the NBA yet, Barrett and Brunson look to surprise people.

Barrett, 22, signed a four-year, $120 million extension earlier this month, solidifying him as a key piece for the Knicks in their quest to return to NBA relevancy. The fourth-year pro is excited to get to work alongside his new teammate.

“Jalen’s great,’’ Barrett said Monday via The New York Post. “A really hard worker. He works on his game a lot. He has a natural leadership ability too. Being around him, I’ve gotten to gravitate toward him. When we’re together, we’ll play well, especially with us both lefties."

That's a heap of praise for someone that you haven't shared an NBA court with, but there's reason for their off-court camaraderie to translate to on-court success when the season begins.

Barrett hopes that his chemistry with Brunson will lead to the best season of his career to date, but he has a tough act to follow. Last season, Barrett averaged a career-high 20 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

Barrett will look to continue his upward trajectory and partnership with Brunson when training camp kicks off in two weeks and the Knicks regular season tips off on October 19 against the Memphis Grizzlies.