Report: RJ Barrett to sign four year, $120 million extension with New York Knicks
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the New York Knicks and RJ Barrett have agreed on an extension. The former Duke product is “finalizing” a four-year deal that could be worth up to $120 million. After being the third overall pick for the Knicks, Barrett has his future locked down.
“New York Knicks guard RJ Barrett is finalizing a four-year rookie extension that could be worth up to $120 million, his agent Bill Duffy of @BDA_Sports +@WME_Sports told ESPN, complicating the franchise’s offseason trade pursuit of Utah Jazz All-Star Donovan Mitchell,” Wojnarowski said via Twitter.
Barrett has been in the NBA for three seasons, averaging 17.5 points per game. He has added 5.8 rebounds, and 3.0 rebounds on a nightly basis as well, making himself an important part of the Knicks’ rotation.
With the extension come a couple pieces of history. First, Barrett becomes the youngest player in the history of the New York Knicks to make at least $100 million. Secondly, he becomes the first first-round pick the franchise has signed to an extension in over 30 years.
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The Knicks are betting big time on Barrett — at least over the next few years.
RJ Barrett no longer part of trade discussions
Even with the solid production, Barrett was part of trade discussion New York was having with the Utah Jazz over Donovan Mitchell. Now, thanks to the Poison Pill provision, Barrett cannot be included in those trade talks and the Knicks will have to take a different approach.
“Barrett’s extension – which makes him the youngest $100M player in Knicks history at 22 — ends weeks of New York/Utah trade talks on Mitchell, and forces teams to start discussions over with significantly different deal parameters because of the Poison Pill provision,” Wojnarowski said.
Wojnarowski is also reporting that Leon Rose, who is the Knicks’ president, set a Monday night deadline for the Jazz to agree to a trade. Otherwise, there would be an extension in place for Barrett. As Mitchell is not heading to New York, Barrett will be staying.