Quick question and kind of an extension of the recent Melo/Randle thread.
Who does the board think is better player, Prime Knicks JR Smith or Last Season RJ Barrett? Also would that JR Smith be a better player on this current Knicks squad or flipside do you think RJ would be a better player on that 54 win team than JR was?
I don’t think JR Smith had the leader/focus gene. All world athleticism, all the right physical tools and a sweet shot. His numbers that one year with the Knicks perhaps should have been what he achieved on a bad season with his gifts.
RJ isn’t all world athletic and is still learning how to shoot. But you see him adding to his game and in general we see his game expanding. You get the sense that if he fails it won’t be because he didn’t try.
I think 2022 RJ is better than JR’s best year with the Knicks.
In terms of fit:
My gut says JR was a better fit for that 54 win team. He had that free wheeling vibe that worked well with Carmelo’s Knicks. At the same time, RJ is evolving into a really solid 2-way player and showed some ability to be a lead scorer. The Knicks would have done better after Anthony suffered his shoulder subluxation.
It’s a good question with respect to the 2021-2022 Knicks - the Knicks just weren’t very good - they didn’t really put it together. Would focused JR have been a better pairing with Randle? When things are going badly, JR Smith isn’t a guy that can will you out of a funk. He becomes part of the problem. It’s like he amplifies whatever direction the team is going.
JR was dumb, but he had the athleticism to bail out his dumb decisions. RJ is still learning and is earlier in his career. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the explosive athleticism. Not fair to compare them now, but prime Knicks JR was clearly better. Will that always be the case? RJ is a hard worker and I'm not counting out him yet.
If we are just talking last season RJ it’s close, but he was a good enough defensive player to say he was better.
JR did not have the head for the game. Silly mistakes made him seem much worse than he was. We remember the stupidity not the flashes of brilliance. That said, in his best season (happened to be with the Knicks) he came off the bench for 18 points, 5 rebs and 1.3 steals per game. His .484 efg leaves him in the middle of the pack for players (just as it constrains RJ). I think the better comparison for JR Smith is IQ. And despite the head issues, you might choose JR. Its a little unfair comparing JR's best season to IQ's second season (or RJ's third season). I think we see IQ's FT% and it makes us believe he can be elite from 3. That makes us support IQ more. I wouldn't be surprised if IQ ended up at 42% plus from 3 for his career.
But for the question asked, JR in his best season about as effective as RJ in his 3rd season. RJ's decision-making makes me believe he is the better player.
JR was ultra athletic. I remember the years he had in Denver. Of course, as so many have pointed out, his basketball IQ and maybe IQ in general was not very high. Scary to think what he would have accomplished if he was a student of the game.
RJ to me is sometimes robotic. Not very athletic. Think he needs to learn the game more as well.
He is really good at working on his individual skills but also needs to work on reading defenses, setting up others and adding to the smaller stats. Think with a little more effort he could easily be a double double guy. However, it seems that RJ is a work horse and loves the game. Sometimes that is more important.
Right now though, I would go with JR only because of how much energy he brings to a lineup. Now if RJ adds the items mentioned above, he becomes closer to a number one option and surpasses anything JR ever was.
Can RJ golf? RJ's probably hands down the better driver.
RJ doesn't have the hops JR would show, but I think RJ is more versatile offensively and I'd have to check, but I don't ever remember people posting about JR being matched up defensively against the opponents best scorer.
Deranged antics aside, JR was a nice SMOTY, but I'd take RJ the starter 70 times a week over prime Knick JR.
What's JR going to provide to the yoots on this team? How to best maneuver the hands free security guard wheels?
jrodmc wrote:Can RJ golf? RJ's probably hands down the better driver.
And when Barrett hits the assistant coach with a bowl of soup from the three point line I will be impressed.
IF JR did play at UNC for a year or two and was not a involuntary manslaughter clown his first 5 years he might have put in the work to refine his game just enough to really propel to the next level instead of remembered for gettiing purple and stairing at Rhiannas ass and forgetting the score in a finals game. The 2 am bike rides through the city not withstanding.
The kid had incredible talent. He had Kobe like talent but did not work nearly as hard nor posess the ability to concentrate. He had a joyful spirit about him and made him hard to hate.
RJ does not have that natural ability but at age 21 is a strudy build and a serious young man who is not on an audition for the globtrotters but to take his place amung the stars. He is not far off the mark but I can’t tell you what happens next. He gets to right his own story, not fans who are emotionally tender and want him traded for another uncertain blue chip rookie.
It's the emotionally tender fans who want to trade RJ? Doesn't he still qualify as one of the yoots?
jrodmc wrote:It's the emotionally tender fans who want to trade RJ? Doesn't he still qualify as one of the yoots?
Yes, but se his future is infront of him some want either a star, or Ivey who will need time but its a “Fresh hope”.
since RJ has not shown to be Kobe or jordan, its time to reboot? Im just being a dick about it.
He is restricted after next season. What and how we pay him is unknown. Tender is freaking out about the unknown.
Will you walk down the unknown or have to have it all laid out?
JR was the 3rd best guy on a championship team and 6th man of the year. That being said he was never a leader. He provided some hilarious content- I think him untying shoes and head butting JET were great moments, but you couldn't build a team around him. RJ is a leader and brings a certain gravitas to the game. Not as fun for sure, but I want the Knicks to win. Vote: RJ
RJ
JR was only good as a sixth man playing with Kidd. Once Kidd left, JR got his payday and got exposed
And anyone can look good playing next to prime Lebron.
Philc1 wrote:And anyone can look good playing next to prime Lebron.
And JR managed to botch that up as well... 
jrodmc wrote:Philc1 wrote:And anyone can look good playing next to prime Lebron.
And JR managed to botch that up as well...
JR gonna JR
