Hey Knicks fans, it's time to celebrate. Your team finally reached an agreement on a deal to keep a young, exciting guard in New York for years to come.
No, not Donovan Mitchell. We're talking about RJ Barrett.
On Monday night, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft is finalizing a four-year rookie contract extension with the Knicks that could be worth up to $120 million. Barrett, who turned 22 years old in June, will become the youngest $100 million player in franchise history when he officially signs the extension.
In addition to that piece of Knicks history, Barrett will also end one of the most bizarre streaks in the NBA.
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How RJ Barrett's contract extension ends Charlie Ward curse
Barrett's new deal will end a rough 23-year stretch for New York's first-round draft picks. Before Barrett, Charlie Ward was the last first-rounder selected by the Knicks to sign a multi-year rookie contract extension.
Yes, that's the same Charlie Ward who won the 1993 Heisman Trophy as Florida State's quarterback before jumping to the NBA in 1994. He signed his extension in 1999.
Here's the full list of New York's first-round picks since 1994:
| Year | Pick No. | Player |
| 1994 | 24 | Monty Williams |
| 1994 | 26 | Charlie Ward |
| 1996 | 18 | John Wallace |
| 1996 | 19 | Walter McCarty |
| 1996 | 21 | Dontae' Jones |
| 1997 | 25 | John Thomas* |
| 1999 | 15 | Frederic Weis |
| 2000 | 22 | Donnell Harvey* |
| 2002 | 7 | Nene Hilario* |
| 2003 | 9 | Mike Sweetney |
| 2005 | 8 | Channing Frye |
| 2005 | 30 | David Lee |
| 2006 | 20 | Renaldo Balkman |
| 2006 | 29 | Mardy Collins |
| 2007 | 23 | Wilson Chandler |
| 2008 | 6 | Danilo Gallinari |
| 2009 | 8 | Jordan Hill |
| 2011 | 17 | Iman Shumpert |
| 2013 | 24 | Tim Hardway Jr. |
| 2015 | 4 | Kristaps Porzingis |
| 2017 | 8 | Frank Ntilikina |
| 2018 | 9 | Kevin Knox |
| 2019 | 3 | RJ Barrett |
| 2020 | 8 | Obi Toppin |
| 2020 | 23 | Leandro Bolmaro* |
| 2021 | 19 | Kai Jones* |
| 2021 | 21 | Keon Johnson* |
| 2022 | 11 | Ousmane Dieng* |
*Pick was traded
The Knicks certainly haven't nailed every pick, but their recent draft history hasn't been a complete disaster.
For example, David Lee and Kristaps Porzingis both earned All-Star selections while playing on their rookie contracts. They were traded to the Warriors and Mavericks, respectively, before they had the opportunity to sign extensions.
(Strangely enough, New York actually did sign Tim Hardaway Jr. to a four-year contract in 2017, but that deal came after the Knicks had previously traded him to the Hawks in 2015.)
The Madison Square Garden faithful is hoping that the Barrett extension will mark the start of a new era in New York — and not the start of a new curse.
