WASHINGTON – RJ Barrett’s season is likely over.
The Knicks guard suffered a sprained right knee vs. the Wizards Friday after making a pretty feed to center Jericho Sims for a layup. Barrett drove down the left of the lane and got double-teamed by two Wizards players.
There appeared to be contact as Barrett took a spill and stayed down for ten seconds. The whistle blew to stop action but he stayed in the game.
Within a minute, Barrett asked out and headed to the locker room with 1:43 left. During halftime, the Knicks announced Barrett had sprained his knee and didn’t return.
The Knicks finish their season Sunday against Toronto. It’s unclear if Barrett will need an MRI exam. Barrett was having a strong game, with 14 points – 6 of 10 from the field – and 2 assists. He will finish his promising season averaging 20.0 points.
Based on his season, Barrett, if healthy, could receive a massive contract extension by October’s deadline – even the rookie max of $181 million.
The 2018 No. 3 pick has become the face of the franchise after Julius Randle had a falling out with much of the fan base. He’s also now considered one of the team leaders despite being 21 years old.
“We always talk about being a team of leaders,’’ Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said before the Knicks faced the Wizards Friday. “How does he set the tone for that? The challenge is not only to bring the best out of yourself but the best out of the team.’’
Across the past couple of weeks, Thibodeau has made allusions that Barrett’s next step is becoming more of a distributor when he draws double teams. He’s shooting 40.4 percent, partly because he sometimes forces inside when heavily contested.
“What you see a lot of times a player that’s going to command two on the ball, don’t fight that pressure with pressure, trying to split it and score over it,’’ Thibodeau said Friday when discussing Barrett. “Get off it so we can get high-quality shots from that. Most young guys go through a period they have to learn. RJ has grown in all areas this year. He’s had a very good year. That’s what I love about him.’’