Who should be R.J. Barrett’s backcourt buddy with the New York Knicks?

The New York Knicks have a very talented player in R.J. Barrett, but he was not in the right environment to thrive in his rookie season.

A tree only grows with proper care. This limitation played out for rookie R.J. Barrett this past season, the No. 3 pick of the 2019 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. His talent was evident in production, but efficiency lacked for reasons beyond his control.

The improper care is how the Knicks built their team last summer. After striking out on the top free agents such as Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, they signed a bunch of B and C-tier free agents to appear as if they still got something out of the offseason.

None of the contracts were particularly bad, but they didn’t fit well together. Not with each other, not with the young guys, and certainly not with the team’s prized rookie. Barrett was cited by many scouts as one who needed shooters and cutters around him. And like any high-upside prospect, he needed a lot of touches too. Instead, the Knicks surrounded him with the opposite.

Julius Randle, New York’s biggest signing of last summer, shot a meager 27.7 percent on 3s while having the 27th-highest usage rate in the league. Marcus Morris shot a healthy 43.9 percent on triples but often did so as the first or second option (he averaged 14.8 shots and nearly two isolation possessions per game). Taj Gibson and Elfrid Payton attempted a combined 83 3s the whole season. The non-shooting veterans stole the show, while Barrett, Kevin Knox and the rest of the youngsters faded into the background.

Until the trade deadline, that is. After Morris was dealt to the Los Angeles Clippers, Barrett’s usage jumped and we got to see more of what he can do. Most impressive was his ability to get to the rim, where he showed no fear challenging defenders vertically. A healthy 39.2 percent of his shots came within three feet, which ranked 11th among non-bigs. Within those attacks at the basket was a bevy of creative moves and finishes, which didn’t always go in but were impressive when they did.

That aggressiveness led to him drawing fouls at a very good rate. His 4.5 attempts at the line per game ranked fourth of all players 21 or younger this season, and only four rookies since 2015-16 have eclipsed that figure. The roots are in place: Barrett has the foundation for a good scorer and solid playmaker on the wing. But the Knicks need to cater to his strengths better, especially in the backcourt.

What kind of player do the Knicks need next to R.J. Barrett?

The first step to doing that is to get shooters around him. If Barrett gets breathing room to operate and attack off the dribble, he’ll be a lot more efficient and create more opportunities for others. The only Knicks guard who could somewhat space the floor last season was Frank Ntilikina, and he shot 32.1 percent on only 2.4 3-point attempts a night.

New York can acquire such a player through the draft or free agency. A trade would be difficult since most of their veterans are under team control for next season and their young guys aren’t likely to be valued highly around the league.

In the draft, there are likely to be two guards available near their current position of No. 6 in Killian Hayes and Tyrese Haliburton. Both have concerns over their jumpers though; Hayes’ shooting numbers are not so great off the catch, and though Haliburton’s are, his shot mechanics are a bit funky, which clouds his projections. Other than Devin Vassell, a 3-and-D wing, most of the best shooters in this class aren’t projected as top-of-the-lottery talents.

Free agency provides more certainty, although at a higher cost. Fred VanVleet is an effective shooter, defender and playmaker with a championship ring — and he’s 26 years old, just about to enter his prime. He’ll be a valued commodity around the league and with his incumbent Toronto Raptors, though overpaying may still be worth it for the Knicks.

If money isn’t the issue but length of the contract is, then either D.J. Augustin or Jeff Teague may be a better play. Neither would be likely to move from their incumbent teams without extra cash in the contract, but they might be amenable to one-year deals at a higher price. New York can keep flexibility for the summer of 2021 while providing solid point guard play where it desperately needs it.

The long term play depends on that 2021 offseason. The Knicks only have Randle’s contract guaranteed for 2021-22, and a lot of stars at various positions expect to be available. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis are ticketed for unrestricted free agency, and Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have player options.

The Knicks have a lot of work to do over the next several months to become an attractive destination. But regardless of outside rumors, putting Barrett in the right environment to grow is of utmost importance. If he can get anywhere close to his ceiling as an NBA player, he’ll be a recruitment chip for talent all on his own.