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Nets coach Steve Nash hopes to make RJ Barrett earn everything against his Nets.
That’s what good godfathers do.
“I think it’s really important to make him earn it,” Nash said before facing the Knicks on Wednesday. “I can’t give him any freebies as his godfather. He’s got to earn it. I gotta give him some tough love and toughen him up. He’s obviously improving and playing great basketball. He’s just got a great mentality and a great work ethic. And I think that’s what’s going to make him a special player in this league for a long time.”
Nash and Barrett’s father were teammates on Team Canada back in the day. Rowan Barrett is now GM of Team Canada.
Barrett’s second half to the season is putting him in line for a hefty contract extension — whether that is the rookie max of $181 million or not is a flashpoint.
In his first remarks about a potential extension, Barrett sounded like he was campaigning. He could finish the season averaging over 20 points (he’s at 20.1). However, he’s taken dips in field-goal, 3-point and free-throw percentages.
“I think this year I’ve shown who I am,” Barrett said. “I’ve shown toughness. I’ve shown that I’m resilient just being that everyday guy. I had COVID. I got hurt a couple games. But just try to be here through anything.
“More than that, I just wanna be a team guy. I just wanna win. So, it hasn’t gone perfect. It hasn’t gone the way we planned it, but we haven’t let go of the rope. Really proud of how we’ve been playing since the All-Star break. That just showed a lot about us, as well, so for me I just go out there and just try to show who RJ Barrett is and then the rest of it happens by itself.”
Coach Tom Thibodeau said Barrett’s leadership has taken a leap beyond his scoring numbers.
“You have to have a team of leaders and he’s experienced big stages before playing at Duke that prepared him for this,’’ Thibodeau said. “He’s wired a certain way, doesn’t get too high too low.’’
Thibodeau said Cam Reddish, who injured his right AC joint (shoulder) in early March, hasn’t progressed to where he’s shooting.
“Just rehab,’’ Thibodeau said.
The Knicks traded a conditional first-round pick belonging to Charlotte and Kevin Knox for Reddish in January. Reddish, a 2019 lottery pick, played in just 15 games.
Quentin Grimes rested his right knee after returning Sunday in Orlando after a four-game absence. Grimes initially dislocated the knee Feb. 25.
— Additional reporting by Brian Lewis
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