TORONTO – As he prepared to take the court for the Toronto Raptors against his former team on Monday night, RJ Barrett sat at his locker and paused for a moment as he considered a question. He thought back to his years in New York and realized that when he arrived in the 2019 NBA Draft, not a single Knicks player was on the team.

Back then, he was supposed to be the next big thing in New York, the No. 3 overall pick and a turning point for a franchise that had been struggling for years. The Knicks built themselves around him, and then nearly a year ago — on Dec. 30, 2023 — he got the news that he was gone. And despite the history there and the key role he had played, he wasn’t at all surprised.

“A lot of stuff,” Barrett said, shaking his head. “A lot of stuff. I think I just got a vibe, kinda thought. I wasn’t really surprised when it happened.”

He was the first of the group to lead the team to prominence and was traded to his hometown team along with Immanuel Quickley in exchange for OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn.

Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo eventually followed him in a preseason deal for Karl-Anthony Towns.

And that didn’t surprise him either.

“No, I think there are certain things that are unusual,” Barrett said. “But I think whenever you get traded, it’s a surprise. I didn’t know when it would happen, so quickly, so soon, but it happened. “I’m here and I’m grateful to be here.”

The Knicks built their team around Jalen Brunson, a strategy Barrett enthusiastically called the right one. And they’ve thrived since then, winning 50 games last season and securing a berth in the Eastern Conference semifinals for the second year in a row.

The Knicks entered Monday’s game with a 14-9 record, and the Raptors, with Quickley sidelined for most of the season and no imminent return date, were 7-17, second-worst in the Eastern Conference.

But Barrett was exactly what the Raptors expected him to be. When he returned home, his season was cut short not only by the trade, but also by a tragic illness involving his younger brother Nathan, who died of an autoimmune disease. The job allowed him to be with his family before his brother died.

And now, after a summer with the franchise, he’s averaging career-highs in scoring (23.3 points per game), rebounds (6.6) and assists (5.9).

“I’ve enjoyed the season so far,” he said. “I think I’m just ready to play, I think I’ve got a bit of experience in the league. The system we have here suits my style very well, a lot of running, cutting, moving. I think it was also easier to figure some things out when you were talking to the coaches all the time. I’m really trying to get it across that me, all the rest of the guys are babbling together, a lot of things.

“Just being able to have a training camp here, making plans for the summer, figuring out what we want to do, how we want to play, things I need to do to be successful in the system. There was definitely a lot in there.”

“I think the best thing about young players is the ability to improve,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “I think there has been steady progress throughout his career. I think as he gained experience he added things. We always felt he was a good player. He’s been a good player for us and he continues to improve and that’s a credit to him and the way he works.

Barrett has found a home – at home, in the city where he grew up and where his father, Rowan Barrett, still coaches the Canadian national team. But the Knicks certainly don’t regret the deal either, as Anunoby is an important part of the team the Knicks have put together around Brunson.

“Just different skill sets,” Thibodeau said. “I think RJ and Quick contributed a lot to our team.” OG was different. Its versatility and size were exactly what we were looking for. It was also important to get Precious. But you have to give up good players. So I think it was a good deal for both teams.”

Notes and quotes: After pregame warmups, Towns was back in the lineup. He sat out Saturday’s loss to the Pistons with patellar tendinopathy in his right knee. Cam Payne was back in the lineup after sitting out the last two games with a left elbow effusion.

Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, as well as nearly every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.