The Knicks are really lacking competent point guard play right now. I think their intent this season was to play something resembling “positionless basketball”, at least, that’s what I assume they were thinking given their glut of power fowards. But even with positionless basketball you want to have something resembling a ball-handler on the court. Elfrid Payton was that guy, then he got injured. Dennis Smith Jr.? Maybe, if he ever gets to play again after starting off so badly. Frank Ntilikina? Eh.
Which leaves Julius Randle, who padded his stats in New Orleans last year and got a fair amount of assists because of it, but isn’t really what you’re looking for from an offensive initiator, and R.J. Barrett. I didn’t even know this guy had passing skills, or dribbling skills. I thought he was a scorer coming out of college, and I guess he was, but he’s got other parts to his game that are surprising me.
9 assists. That’s more assists than some centers get in an entire season, and it’s more assists than Bobby Portis has willingly gotten over his entire career. And Barrett got them in a single game. His chemistry with Taj Gibson is off the charts, that much I can tell you right now.