RJ Barrett Reflects on Knicks Trade

The New York Knicks will former franchise face RJ Barrett in their matchup against the Toronto Raptors.

Jan 20, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett (9) brings the ball up court against New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Since being traded by the New York Knicks, RJ Barrett has left his Jurassic mark on the Toronto Raptors.

Engaged in his first full NBA season in his native Ontario, Barrett is starting to fully fulfill his potential promised as the third overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Entering this week, Barrett is averaging 23.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.9 assists, all-career highs in his sixth NBA tour.

Barrett, of course, began his career as a Knick, playing five hot and cold seasons after he was the de facto consolation prize for falling out of the Zion Williamson/Ja Morant sweepstakes at the draft lottery. He has faced the Knicks before but Monday's divisional get-together at Scotiabank Arena (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG) lands three weeks to the one-year anniversary of the deal that sent him north.

“God is the only explanation I have for that,” Barrett said in a feature from Michael Grange of Sportsnet. “I’m like, why did they trade me right now? It’s Christmastime, and by New Year’s Eve I was asleep in my hotel [in Toronto] and I was playing for the Raptors the next day. I was like, what’s going on, you know?”

Dec 7, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett (9) controls the ball against Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) during the second quarter at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

On Dec. 30, Barrett and Immanuel Quickley were shipped to Toronto in exchange for a package headlined by OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa. The Knicks have enjoyed the services of their international imports, using them to shoot up the Eastern Conference leaderboard.

Barrett's quest on the rebuilding Raptors is a bit more personal: he has been afforded a relatively consequence-free opportunity to reclaim the narrative on his NBA career and the early returns could place him in the thick of the Most Improved Player discussion.

But on a more emotional note, the trade allowed Barrett to be with his family in a time of tragedy: his younger brother Nathan passed away in March from an auto-immune disorder amidst his dreams of becoming a pilot. That led RJ to believe in some sort of divine intervention for the deal and his return home means just a little more as he tries to place Canada's team back among the contenders.

“It feels like he’s over me, you know, protecting me. I always feel like he’s watching me,” Barrett told Grange. “Or I get little signs of him, like a bird will fly to the window and it’ll just be sitting there looking at me, and I’m like, ‘What are you doing here?  Of all times for that to happen, it’s right here when I’m at the window?’ It’s things like that.”

Barrett's time with Toronto has allowed him to stay near his home of Mississauga, which still hosts friends and family like his father Rowan, a former Canadian basketball star who currently serves as the general manager of the country's men's national basketball team. The Barretts collaborated on a bronze medal run at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, which afforded them entry into last summer's Olympic Games in Paris, their first appearance since 2000.

With all parties at peace, both Barrett's current and former employers have someting to play for: the Knicks (14-9) will be looking to atone for a listless showing against Detroit as they go into their NBA Cup quarterfinal match on Wednesday while Barrett and the Raptors will look to end an even homestand on a high note.

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