RJ Barrett may no longer wear the orange and blue, but his comments at Raptors media day certainly sounded like a subtle dig at his former team, the New York Knicks, and perhaps even at Julius Randle.
Speaking about Toronto’s team culture, Barrett emphasized that the Raptors operate with a selfless approach that prioritizes ball movement and collective effort.
“We don’t have egos over here. Everybody wants to win, you know, and that’s coming from me who’s probably one of the most confident guys you’ve ever met in your life. We just have players that are here with a good mindset of coming in to help the team win. And it’s not just about any single individual player.”
“I think that’s what you need. So that way we can have conversations with each other, we can talk to each other like, yo, you’re messing up right there, and it’s no hard feelings. You know you need that commitment to team excellence. Passing the ball is a huge thing.”
“When I’ve been on teams where the ball doesn’t move and then nothing happens after that, nobody cares, and now everybody’s just every man for himself. So it’s great to be on a team where we move the ball, we play defense, and we care about each other.”
“Honestly, we’re all friends, we all hang out, everything’s cool. Things are just the way the Raptors do things, the right way. And I think that’s why we’ll have some success.”
That line in particular is not about any “single individual player”, which will raise eyebrows in New York, where RJ Barrett spent the first five and a half years of his NBA career. The Knicks were often criticized during that stretch for stagnant ball movement and for leaning too heavily on isolation plays, especially through Randle.
Considering that Randle was the Knicks’ primary option for much of Barrett’s tenure and was known for his ball-dominant style, it’s not hard to read between the lines. While Barrett never mentioned Randle by name, his remarks about egos, ball movement, and teamwork seem to allude to the very issues that plagued New York during their time together.
Since being traded to Toronto in the 2023–24 season, RJ Barrett’s production has surged. He averaged 21.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists last year while shooting 49.2% from the field and over 36.2% from three.
Those numbers mark a significant leap from his Knicks years, where he averaged 18.1 points on less efficient splits. The Raptors have empowered Barrett to play with more freedom, and his growth has coincided with his insistence that the team’s culture is more cohesive.
Meanwhile, the Knicks turned the page quickly after dealing Barrett and Immanuel Quickley in the OG Anunoby trade. Anunoby proved to be an ideal fit alongside Jalen Brunson, and New York’s defense and spacing improved noticeably. Anunoby has since signed a five-year, $212 million extension, signaling his importance to the Knicks’ long-term plans.
Randle was later dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves last season in the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, and he later signed a three-year, $120 million extension and now plays alongside Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert.
For Knicks fans, his words may sting as a reminder of what didn’t quite work out in New York. For Barrett, they represent a fresh start in his hometown and an opportunity to prove that his career can flourish in a system less dominated by one player’s ego. Whether or not the comments were aimed directly at Randle, the message was clear: Barrett believes Toronto has given him a better environment to thrive.
