Former Knicks Star Suffers Dramatic Fall in 2019 Redraft

The 2019 NBA Draft, once regarded for boasting one of the more impressive 1-2 punches at its peak, quickly dissolved into one of the more tragic "What If? assortments of talent that the league's experienced in the last decade.

Unlike the 2010 class, which was chock-full of oft-injured stars in Paul George, John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins, the pillars of the 2019 prospect haul haven't been able to get out of their own ways. Despite both Zion Williamson and Ja Morant delivering on their one-of-one skillsets for periods at a time, neither's managed to beat their respective demons in facing repeated off-the-court challenges. Williamson's weight issues and perceived lack of focus have continued holding the New Orleans back from a revival, while Morant's own health-related obstacles have been aggravated by suspensions and a growing disinterest in sticking it out with the Memphis Grizzlies.

But what of the New York Knicks? They picked up RJ Barrett, Williamson's star Duke teammate, with the third overall pick, and he had few availability issues of note during his time with the team. He saw action in at least 70 games in four complete campaigns as a Knick, averaging over 18 points and enjoying multiple playoff appearances.

That's the thing, though; his New York numbers suddenly stop midway through the 2023-24 season, because that's when the team opted to trade him to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for OG Anunoby. So while some of his draft-mates have suffered from more colorful experiences thus far in the NBA, he went passed over in Bleacher Report's 2019 redraft.

Explaining Barrett's Drastic Slippage

Grant Hughes dropped him all the way to 11th at the Phoenix Suns' spot on the board, with Morant staying put at No. 2 while Darius Garland's surge bumped Williamson all the way down to the Knicks' spot at No. 3.

This may still be a tough pill to swallow for some Knicks fans, who expected to nab Williamson with their league-leading 65 losses, but their consolation prize didn't quite work out.

"RJ Barrett has had a strong enough career on paper to make his slippage a surprise," he wrote. "He's the leader among 2019 selections in total points scored and has been a full-time starter since he debuted with the New York Knicks."

Nov 7, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett (9) reacts after a play against the Atlanta Hawks in the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

"That said," he countered, "volume isn't everything. If you sort the leading scorers in the class, Barrett sits at No. 21 in true shooting percentage. That inefficiency is part of the reason he's only 18th in win shares, which is a cumulative stat that should favor his high minute totals. His minus-1.7 career Box Plus/Minus, 23rd in the class, is further evidence that those on-the-surface numbers have not led to much positive impact."

Barrett's unquestioned athleticism has been held back by wanting finishing numbers, as he's struggled at the rim and as a shooter for the entirety of time as a pro. His career true shooting average of 53.3% has always been felt in his misses, and despite a strong start to his 2025-26 season, those sub-par stats remain.

He did leave New Yorkers with some nice memories during his shortened stint in New York, demonstrating fearlessness in his brief playoff appearances and banking in one nationally-televised buzzer-beater to sink the Boston Celtics in one of his final Knicks seasons. But even in an underwhelming draft class, his pre-draft hype and production compared to fellow prospects failed to hold up.

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