MONTREAL — The early days of the RJ Barrett homecoming story have been virtually with out blemish.
The child from Mississauga, who’s the scion of Canadian basketball royalty, has solely ever proven love for the chance he’s needed to play for his hometown Toronto Raptors, and the sensation has been mutual.
Even standing earlier than a line of cameras with a bushel of microphones in entrance of him hasn’t fairly gotten outdated but. Give it time, I’d say, however thus far Barrett has embraced being probably the most seen members of the Raptors since becoming a member of the workforce by way of commerce halfway by means of final season.
“I adore it. It’s enjoyable. This proper right here, it’s loopy to me to even be on this interview,” he stated because the Raptors put the ending touches on the second day of coaching on the College of Quebec at Montreal. Barrett felt so engaged he did half of his interviews in French, which he picked up whereas his father and fellow Canadian Olympian Rowan Barrett Sr. was taking part in professionally in France. “I used to observe this (Raptors media scrums) on TV. It’s simply enjoyable man, I adore it. I feel I’ve a bit bit extra pleasure for it. So I feel I’m going on the market, simply give my entire coronary heart to this, give every thing.”
He actually did his half after arriving from the Knicks final season. Though he acknowledged that the transition was so fast that he barely had time to be taught head coach Darko Rajakovic’s playbook or fully mesh with a revolving door of teammates, Barrett performed among the finest basketball of his profession with the Raptors.
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He averaged 21.8 factors, 6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 32 begins in Toronto, whereas capturing 55.3 per cent from the ground total and 39.2 per cent from three.
It was a outstanding efficiency, not solely as a result of it was so significantly better than Barrett had managed earlier than in his profession — he averaged simply 18.2 factors, 4.3 rebounds and a couple of.4 assists on 42.3/33.1 capturing splits in his 26 video games with the Knicks previous to the commerce, for instance — however as a result of extrapolated over a whole season, it might put Barrett among the many most efficient and environment friendly gamers within the league.
Solely 10 gamers averaged a minimum of 21/6/4 final season with 50 or extra video games performed, and so they included the likes of Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Jayson Tatum. Consider Barrett’s effectivity — his efficient area purpose proportion as a Raptor was 60.1, in contrast together with his profession common of 48.8 — and the record grows much more unique, as solely Jokic and Antetokounmpo, with 5 MVP awards between them, had increased eFG numbers.
It was a outstanding homecoming, even when Toronto was simply 12-20 with Barrett within the lineup.
However with a full low season as a Raptor below his belt and a full coaching camp and exhibition season to return, the expectations are for Barrett to proceed to enhance as he heads into his sixth NBA season.
Even coming near matching his offensive manufacturing can be good, however the message internally and externally is that Barrett must be a considerably improved defender.
That he’s not thought-about a plus defender — and the truth that Barrett has averaged barely one steal and block mixed over the course of his profession is a crude metric for his lack of exercise — says extra about his stage of off-ball engagement than his means.
As a solidly constructed six-foot-seven wing with good size, he profiles as somebody who must be formidable on and off the ball, however he’s too typically not, notably when he’s not defending on the level of assault.
As one instance, per BBall Index, Barrett ranked within the tenth (lowest) percentile in ball-screen navigation, twentieth percentile in passing lane defence and fortieth percentile as a chaser round and over screens when off the ball.
Bettering that consciousness and energy has been a spotlight of the Raptors’ messaging this previous low season.
“I feel RJ’s defensive effort and significance on defence this 12 months has to rise simply due to the wants of our workforce and our want to enhance our defence,” stated Rajakovic. “… I feel he understands what it takes to win. And for me, that’s crucial. For any workforce on this league, any coach on this league, everyone desires two-way gamers. And he understands the significance of that. He understands the stakes for us in our workforce. We discuss lots. I’m calling him out in quite a lot of conditions that he must be higher. He’s responded rather well. It’s nice to see him when he will get a cease or does good things defensively that he’s celebrating, and he feels power. That’s successful. That’s about successful. So we’d like him to fall in love with defence, be nearly as good of a participant as he’s offensively.”
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For Barrett, it’s a mindset somewhat than an absence of means or curiosity and a part of the maturation course of for a lifelong bucket-getter who remains to be simply 24 years outdated, even when he does have 5 seasons and 329 video games below his belt.
“If you wish to win, it begins with defence. And I’ve been practising it, engaged on it, particularly throughout the summertime,” he stated. “That was big for me to simply get reps defensively, and now simply preserve engaged on it. Every single day, you realize, teaching, drills, taking part in, preserve that mindset of defending and preserve going that manner. I may additionally get, if I’m taking part in defence, I can get on different guys to play defence too.”
For Barrett, there are many incentives. He’s just one season away from being eligible for an extension on the four-year, $107-million deal he signed when he was with the Knicks. In any other case, he’ll be a free agent when he’s 27, following the 2026-27 season. With the upward trajectory of the NBA wage cap, Barrett’s subsequent deal may safe a rare payday if he can come near replicating his offensive efficiency since becoming a member of the Raptors and much more if can do it whereas taking part in successfully on each ends.
Maybe extra importantly, Barrett’s continued improvement would have a big impression on the Raptors’ total fortunes, and his total expertise taking part in for the workforce he grew up watching.
“That is my dwelling. I’ve an additional want, additional ardour for it each single day,” Barrett stated. “Simply me being me, I’m going to get up and compete each day. So this (taking part in for the Raptors) is ideal for me.”
Taking part in at house is nice, however successful at dwelling can be even higher and as Barrett stated, successful begins with defence.
