RJ Barrett’s shooting and Immanuel Quickley trade

If it’s in the early portion of an NBA season, there’s a good chance you can find Knicks fans worried about RJ Barrett’s shooting.

In his first three seasons, Barrett has been inconsistent with his shot early on and has improved over the course of the year.

His pre and post All-Star Game splits are consistent: lower shooting percentages before the All-Star Game and higher percentages after.

His month-by-month splits tell a similar story: lower in November and December and higher from New Year’s Day on.

It’s not always linear, but Barrett established a pattern in his first three seasons. And he’s started season No. 4 in a similar fashion.

He entered Friday’s game against Detroit shooting 42.5 percent from the field and 30 percent from beyond the arc. But he broke out in a big way against the Pistons, scoring 30 points on 10-of-17 shooting. He also hit three of his eight three-point attempts.

Tom Thibodeau believes Barrett’s perimeter shooting can help him get to the paint.

“When he’s shooting the ball, that really sets up his first step. I think he’s going to get to the line a lot more,” Thibodeau said after New York’s win over Detroit. “There’s time where he’s going and he’s settling at the end and then he’s not settling, he’s going towards the rim. When he does that, I think that puts a lot of pressure on the officials. There looking at, ‘OK he’s going to the rim, he’s not fading away. Those are fouls.’”

Barrett got to the line eight times against the Pistons. That tied a season-high. He knocked down a season-high seven free throws. To Thibodeau, Barrett’s performance is a sign that he may be heating up earlier than usual.

“It’s a steady climb for him,” the coach said.

CALLS ON QUICKLEY

The Knicks have gotten calls from teams about trades involving guard Immanuel Quickley, per SNY sources. It’s a bit early in the season; teams don’t typically…