2019 NBA Mock Draft: Could the Hawks jumpstart their rebuild in 2019?

Duke has an R.J. Barrett problem. It all came together in the worst way Monday night at home against Syracuse, as Cam Reddish was sick and did not dress and Tre Jones left the game midway through the first period with what has since been diagnosed as an AC joint separation in his shoulder. That lack of depth brought all of Barrett’s worst habits out.

The freshman finished 8-of-30 from the field, including an atrocious 4-of-17 from deep. Syracuse’s dreaded zone defense has flummoxed many great teams in the past, but the problem wasn’t that Barrett and the Blue Devils were challenged by Syracuse’s scheme — it’s how they responded. Barrett has the quickness and length to cut through tight windows and get to the basket and he picked up nine assists in this game as well. But too often, rather than play with the necessary energy to challenge the Orange, Barrett launched over the top of the defense for 3s that had no chance of going in.

When Barrett did get to the basket, good things happened.

Jones is now out indefinitely and backup point guard was already a problem for Duke. Barrett will need to step up and show us what he looks like as a primary ball-handler, but if he continues to play this way Duke’s offense and Barrett’s draft stock will both take a big hit.