The New York Knicks have inked a contract extension with guard/forward RJ Barrett.
As reported by the New York Post, Barrett’s new extension, although not a maximum deal like some top players, guarantees him $108 million over four years ($120 million if he meets certain incentives like All-Star/All-NBA/All-Defense selections). In the 2023-24 season, he is set to earn $28 million following the conclusion of his rookie contract at the end of the upcoming season.
According to the New York Daily News, Barrett’s extension includes a “poison pill” clause that complicates salary matching until next summer. ESPN reports that Knicks president Leon Rose established a deadline of Monday to finalize a deal for Donovan Mitchell before extending Barrett.
Knicks president Leon Rose expressed excitement about the extension, stating, “We are delighted to announce an earned extension for the talented RJ Barrett, a fundamental piece of our team’s core. At just 22 years old, he has consistently improved each season, establishing himself as a dynamic presence on both ends of the floor. We expect his continuous growth due to his love for the game and commitment to his craft. It is our aim to construct our team and ethos around individuals like RJ who embody these virtues and characteristics.”
Standing at 6-6 and weighing 226 pounds, Barrett is coming off a stellar season where he averaged 20 points, 5.8 rebounds, and three assists in 70 games (all as a starter). Throughout his three seasons with New York, he has maintained averages of 17.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.9 assists over 33.5 minutes in 198 games (197 starts). Notably, he belongs to an exclusive group of NBA players who have amassed over 3,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 200 three-pointers before turning 22, alongside legends like Kobe Bryant, Luka Doncic, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James.
Last season, Barrett became the youngest player in Knicks history to secure a 20-point average for a campaign. His scoring placed him second on the team (behind Julius Randle), third among players under 21, and 27th in the NBA. In a game against Miami on Feb. 25, 2022, he achieved a career-best 46 points, becoming only the second player in franchise history to score 45 points or more while aged 21 or younger (the first being Carl Braun, who scored 47 in 1947).
A native of Toronto, Ontario, Barrett has significantly elevated his scoring from 14.3 to 17.6 to 20.0 points per game over his tenure in the NBA. His contributions were vital in guiding the Knicks to a record of 41-31 (.569) in the 2020-21 season, where they earned the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, the most wins by a Knicks team since 2012-13, and their first playoff berth since that season.
The third overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by New York, Barrett spent a single season at Duke University before turning pro. His standout performance at Duke, where he averaged 22.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game, led to him receiving Consensus All-America First Team honors and being named the 2018-19 National Player of the Year by USA Today. He broke the ACC freshman scoring record with 26 20-point games and set the ACC freshman scoring record previously held by Kenny Anderson in 1989-90.
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