You have to feel a little bad for former Duke star RJ Barrett. He spent the summer as the subject of trade rumors involving Donovan Mitchell. Perhaps as part of this, his extension was not signed until just recently (and almost immediately Mitchell was traded - to the Cleveland Cavaliers).
Now stories are surfacing suggesting that New York - the team that Barrett dreamed of playing for as a kid and to whom he has been very loyal - didn’t really want to sign him.
Obviously basketball is a business and if you can get better assets than you have, that’s the smart thing to do.