Throughout his tenure in the NBA, RJ Barrett has always played for the Big Apple…until December 30 that is. Barrett and his teammate Immanuel Quickley were suddenly shipped by the New York Knicks to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for OG Anunoby.
While being traded for the first time in one's career might be an anxiety-inducing experience for some players, Barrett's had an upside to it — he was headed back home. The 23-year-old guard spoke on how he felt when the news first broke.
“I had no clue. I just got the call when it happened,” Barrett said as per Andscape's Marc J. Spears. “I was like, ‘What is going on?' I was so confused. I didn’t see it coming. When he (Barrett's agent) told me the Raptors, I was like, ‘Okay, at least I’m coming home.'”
Barrett's hot start with the Raptors
So far, Barrett has only played four games with the Raptors, but his latest outing against the Golden State Warriors might have had something to do with donning the jersey of the city where he was born.
Against the Warriors last Sunday, Barrett scored 38 points, sinking five three-pointers while adding six rebounds and six assists.
In all his four outings with Toronto, Barrett is averaging 21 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. This season, the Canadian native is averaging 18.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 30 games played.
The Raptors currently have a losing record (15-21) and are 11th place in the Eastern Conference. However, the team has won three out of their last four games, and that could be attributed to a newly acquired RJ Barrett.