2019 NBA Mock Draft: Is R.J. Barrett right for the Knicks?
2. player. 27. . G. Duke. R.J. Barrett
Barrett has not been the standout playmaker we expected when he came to Duke. Instead, he’s filled more of a pure scoring role, chucking shots at will and bombing away from deep. The change has surely helped his numbers, as Barrett was averaging 22.7 points per game heading into Duke’s matchup against Wake Forest. But what does it say about his NBA future?
Big playmakers are taking over the league. From Ben Simmons to Luka Doncic to even Giannis Antetokounmpo, getting a young passer with size almost feels like a prerequisite to winning in the NBA these days. While Barrett is 6-foot-7 and knows how to find open teammates, he’s probably not going to become a team’s primary initiator. At least, he doesn’t look comfortable in that role right now.
Duke runs things through Zion Williamson and Tre Jones, meaning Barrett is moving through screens off the ball, attacking in transition and finishing secondary action. He plays like Paul George or Kawhi Leonard rather than James Harden.
This likely means he’s not as valuable, or at least that there’s far more development needed to turn him into a Harden that we thought. If he’s primarily a scorer, maybe he’s not the clear-cut No. 2 we originally believed.