New York Knicks – B+
3rd Overall – RJ Barrett, Guard (Duke)
47th Overall – Ignas Brazdeikis, Forward (Michigan)
Despite the fact that the New York Knicks fell short in their lofty aspirations of winning the rights to the number one pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, they might have found themselves in a better situation selecting third on Thursday night. If there’s was any player in this draft who could come in and handle everything that comes with being on the Knicks it is RJ Barrett. Barrett’s dad, Rowan, knows what it means to play in New York City as he played at St. John’s in college. The confidence his son exudes on the court and his relentless work ethic to get better will make him a fan favorite in Madison Square Garden in no time at all.
For what seemed like the first time since Patrick Ewing was drafted, the Knicks fans in attendance did not rain down jeers and boos when the commissioner read the name of the player their team selected. New York has been looking for a superstar to lead their stories franchise and depending on what happens in free agency RJ is in line to be that guy down the road. With improvements to his outside shot—he’s already re-worked his shooting form since leaving Duke—and some improvements as a playmaker there is no reason to believe that Barrett won’t be the best player on this team and possibly in the entire league down the line.
The reason they missed out on an “A” was due to their second-round pick, Ignas Brazdeikis. During his one season at Michigan, Brazdeikis got off to a hot start as a freshman but over time his numbers would plateau and he would a solid player on a good team. When projecting him to the next level there isn’t much about his game that makes you believe he will be a significant contributor on the NBA level. He’s an average athlete, isn’t the most consistent outside shooter, and is the definition of a tweener right now. They get some bonus points for pairing Barrett with another Canadian player (and one he’s played with before for the junior national team) but much of the good spirits they built up by getting Barrett to three leaves the body upon realizing that they took Brazdeikis when they did.
What becomes of the Knicks next season and beyond will be answered within the next two weeks. Though their main target Kevin Durant won’t be playing at all next season, just adding a player of that stature would completely change the way the Knicks are viewed across the league.