Atlantic Notes: Trier, Mudiay, Butler

With the Knicks focused on player development and youth in this rebuilding season without Kristaps Porzingis, one bright spot in the first quarter of the team’s season has been the play of Allonzo Trier. As Tommy Beer writes for Forbes, Trier has showcased his elite scoring abilities and has proven that he belongs in the league, despite going undrafted last summer.

Trier has played nearly 500 minutes so far this season and has provided a consistent scoring threat off the bench, averaging 11.5 points per game while knocking down 47.2% of his 3-pointers.

While a lot of attention has been on Kevin Knox and the surprising play of second-round pick Mitchell Robinson, Beer points out that fans shouldn’t overlook Trier and his place in the team’s young core, especially given the consistency he has provided this season.

As Porzingis works on recovering from his torn ACL and the Knicks have plans to spend in free agency, it will be interesting to see what the team’s young core looks like moving froward.

There’s more from the Atlantic division:

• At his introduction press conference in May, Knicks head coach David Fizdale told Emmanuel Mudiay that “we’ll get you right.” As Marc Berman points out for The New York Post, Fizdale has kept that promise with an increased role for Mudiay, who has rewarded his coach with the best play of his career.
• While Sixers head coach Brett Brown has enjoyed Jimmy Butler‘s approach to integrating himself with the team, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reveals that there are times in which Brown wants Butler to be more aggressive offensively.
• Another recent Atlantic division notes post highlighted David Fizdale‘s return to Memphis and the Celtics‘ offensive struggles.