One of the rookies that has the most pressure on his shoulders this season is the former Duke standout shooting guard/wing RJ Barrett. He’s averaging 16.0 points per game, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. Shooting a surprising three-point percentage better than 35 is a nice way for Barrett to start out his rookie campaign too.
Landing with the Knicks is both a good and a bat thing for Barrett and his case to win Rookie of the Year honors. His usage will be through the roof, and he can facilitate to a number of veteran forwards that are reliable from the mid-range. But the problem around him is overall lack of talent and floor spacing.
The Knicks are also a mess in terms of the front office and the pressure on head coach David Fizdale at the moment.
Another piece of good news for Barrett with the Knicks this season is how much of a head start he gets on Zion in terms of total production. Zion not making his debut until possibly mid-December could give Barrett, and the other top candidate on this list, a nice edge in the final voting.
True efficiency and overall shooting from the field could play to the downfall of Barrett down the stretch this season. White is also a better shooter from three-point range and has a better supporting cast at his disposal. But the overall usage rate for Barrett this season is where he holds an edge over White. He has an insane usage rate of 24 percent for a rookie.