Surging RJ Barrett looks likely to break Knicks’ sad first-round pick trend

The Knicks have not retained one of their first-round picks on a multiyear extension since point guard Charlie Ward, the Heisman Trophy winning quarterback who was drafted weeks after their loss to the Rockets in the 1994 NBA Finals. 

If that seems like a long time ago, consider the Knicks selected 20 players in the first round over the 25 years between Ward’s selection and when they grabbed RJ Barrett third overall in 2019, including the recently failed and quickly jettisoned lottery selections Frank Ntilikina and Kevin Knox. 

Of course, of those 20 players, several had their rights dealt away on draft night, and one (French big man Frederic Weis, 1999) famously never appeared in an NBA game. Also among that group, only David Lee (drafted in 2005) and Kristaps Porzingis (picked in 2015) were named to an All-Star team while with the Knicks. 

Barrett’s recent star-level surge should greatly improve his odds of breaking that trend and landing a multiyear extension, with his offensive streak continuing with 24 points in 33 minutes in Sunday’s slump-busting win in Los Angeles over the Clippers. 

The former Duke star already had his fourth-year option ($10.9 million) for next season picked up last September, but the 21-year-old Barrett will be eligible to ink a five-year extension worth as much as $181 million in July. If he’s not signed by October, he would become a restricted free agent in 2024. 

Entering Monday’s game with the Kings in Sacramento, Calif., the lefty wing was averaging 28.8 points over five appearances since the All-Star break and 23.9 points over 25 contests since Dec. 31. 

If that surge continues over the team’s final 18 games, Barrett — who is netting 19.0 points per game overall this season — conceivably could overtake Julius Randle (19.6) for the team scoring lead. 

“Obviously I’m better at using my strength now. I’m watching a lot of film to be more effective with certain drives and certain situations,” Barrett said Sunday night in Los Angeles. “I got stronger and [I’m] learning the game more.” 

Ward received a seven-year extension with the Knicks in 1999 after his initial five-year entry-level deal expired, but a long list of subsequent first-round picks — including Channing Frye, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Jordan Hill, Iman Shumpert, Tim Hardaway Jr., Porzingis, Ntilikina and Knox never made it to a second contract with the Knicks. 

The Knicks did re-sign Lee to a one-year deal after his rookie contract expired, but they sent him to the Warriors in a 2010 sign-and-trade — landing him a six-year $79.5 million deal — for the forgettable return of Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf, Kelenna Azubuike and two second-round picks.