RJ Barrett signed a four-year, $107 million contract extension with the New York Knicks in August 2022 amid Donovan Mitchell trade rumors and was dealt instead to the Toronto Raptors shortly before the start of 2024 in a package for OG Anunoby.
“I’m going to tentatively… I’m not going to plant a flag, but I’ve always said if there’s a continuum of RJ Barrett optimism and pessimism and over here on the pessimistic side is like ‘He just stinks. He’s a toxic asset.’ That is a word that got thrown out yesterday in my conversations with front office people and coaches. Toxic asset. Like you’re swallowing his contract,” said Zach Lowe on his podcast.
“To, on the other end, future All-Star RJ Barrett. I’m like in the 68th percentile toward positive. Maybe the 73rd percentile toward positive. I think RJ Barrett has a chance to be a good NBA player. And, in fact, has been for large stretches of his career.”
Lowe went on to praise Barrett for his versatility.