Is It Time For New York Knicks To Trade RJ Barrett?

New York Knicks wing RJ Barrett has come down to Earth after an impressive start to the season.

RJ Barrett had a world of expectations placed on him when the New York Knicks selected him with the third overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Duke. Now in his fifth season, Barrett has yet to show any significant signs of becoming the star player that many thought he could be. 

New York currently sits at 13-10 on the year, tied for sixth place in the Eastern Conference. The first quarter of this season has been a rollercoaster affair, serving as a battle at times as the Knicks continue to fight for their place among the top contenders. Perhaps no one has defined the up-and-down nature better than Barrett.

Barrett started the season off strong, averaging 22.6 points on over 48 percent from the field in his first seven appearances. But since returning from a three-game absence due to migraines, he's been unable to reobtain that level.

RJ Barrett was drafted No. 3 overall by the New York Knicks in the 2019 NBA Draft.  / USA Today Sports

In his 11 post-migraine games, Barrett is averaging 16.7 points on 37.7 percent from the field. That latter tally includes a brutal 25 percent rate from three-point range. He rediscovered a bit of a spark with three consecutive 20-point games but missed all seven of his attempts from three-point range on a 3-of-16 outing in Wednesday's embarrassing loss to Utah.

Still only 23 years old, there is plenty of time for Barrett to reach his full potential. However, there hasn't been much growth in his game since his breakout third year, when he became the youngest Knicks to average 20 points a game. But Barrett's youth and flashes of potential make him one of the Knicks' most valuable ... and tradeable ... assets. 

The Knicks see themselves as contenders in the Eastern Conference, especially after winning 47 games and a playoff series for the first time in a decade last year. If they want to leap into the conference's upper half, Barrett's name could be brought up in trades.

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New York has already been linked to multiple high-level players this season including Zach LaVine, Donovan Mitchell, and Karl-Anthony Towns. While it's certainly possible that Barrett will take a leap and become the player that the Knicks need, the question becomes how much longer are they willing to wait for that to happen. 

Barrett and the Knicks return to action on Friday night against the Phoenix Suns (10 p.m. ET, MSG/ESPN).