Gilbert McGregor makes the case for the Knicks’ newest great hope…
At Duke, Barrett averaged 4.3 assists per game, a mark that was second on the team and sixth among all players in the ACC. With even more talented players around him in the NBA, Barrett will continue to be able to create for others.
In Summer League, Barrett’s playmaking ability was on full display in one game as he flirted with a triple-double by recording 21 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds.
Thanks to his rebounding and ball-handling ability, Barrett will have plenty of opportunities to lead the break in transition with a team full of young athletes capable of running the floor.
In these instances, there will be no shortage of highlights as Barrett’s assist numbers are sure to benefit.
In half-court situations, Barrett has shown the ability to be patient in pick-and-roll situations. During the Blue Devils NCAA Tournament win over Virginia Tech, he was aggressively hedged and trapped after high ball screens on multiple possessions.
His response? Calmly escape, finding the open men for easy buckets
Is it mostly wishcasting? Yeah, probably, but the big thing is that Barrett is the first Knick since Porzingis that you reasonably could wishcast a superstar career on, and this is the first wing that we could do this about since…uhmmm…Bernard King? It’s been quite a while!
So I’m all in on Barrett being a great playmaker and a transformative player! You sort of have to to have any hope for this particular Knicks team.