Allonzo Trier showed promise as a scorer for the Knicks, and early in the season, the franchise converted his deal from a two-way contract to a two-year pact with a team option for the 2019/20 campaign. It’s unclear how the Knicks will approach his option, with rumblings that his stay in New York was problematic.
“His play on the court was cancerous,” a source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post. “A lot of guys didn’t like the way he didn’t play team ball. He cared about himself too much. He looked guys off who were open.’’
The 23-year-old shooting guard, who was in the running for our 2018/19 two-way contract MVP, played 64 games for New York and recorded just 1.9 assists per contest. Trier’s 17.1 shots per 100 possessions ranked fourth on the team behind Emmanuel Mudiay, Kevin Knox and Mario Hezonja, per Basketball-Reference. The results weren’t bad, as Trier (44.8%) only trailed Kadeem Allen (46.1%) in field goal percentage among all non-bigs on the team. Still, his iso-centric game apparently may have rubbed veteran teammates the wrong way, with Berman relaying that Trier was often picked last in team pickup games.
Where he ranks with current teammates may not ultimately matter, as New York could see a slew of new additions this offseason. Coach David Fizdale hinted that Mudiay won’t be back. The team will attempt to shop Frank Ntilikina, and while Hezonja would like to return to New York, there’s no word that mutual interest exists — especially if the former lottery pick sees his stock rise after his promising late-season point guard stint. New faces on the team could make Trier adapt his game.
Kevin Durant adamantly denies that he’s made a decision on his future, though those declarations won’t silence the Knicks rumors. Durant mentored Trier during Trier’s time in high school and the shooting guard previously said he’s “absolutely” hoping that Durant signs with the franchise.
The Knicks have a clear path to two-max level contract openings and Trier alluded that he won’t find out about any potential July news in the same way that most of the basketball world will.
“I don’t have to watch social media,’’ Trier previously said. “I’ll speak to [Durant] directly. Whatever he decides to do, it’s on him.”
Berman writes that when Trier was recently speaking with reporters, a member of the Knicks’ PR reminded him to be careful of crossing the tampering line. Trier said that he doesn’t bother Durant during the season but that KD sometimes sends words of encouragement via text.
“When we talk he says if I ever need advice, I should talk to him. He’s grown. I’m not a young man [any more,] I don’t want to be a burden. He’s a good family friend to have. He’s like a brother to me,” Trier said.
The University of Arizona product admits that he has to work on his game. He may get that chance to improve with the Knicks next season, or the team could look to decline his option with an eye on maximizing cap space.
“We’ll see how, I guess,’’ Trier said about improving his game. “Everything pointed toward me being here.”
durant + kyrie + brow = celtics dynasty
Celtics cant sign Durant…. smh learn the game
Yeah and if there traveled through time and picked up 60’s Russell + 80s Bird + 90’s Jordan that would also equal a Celtics dynasty. And there is almost an equal chance of that happening.
Sign and trade with Hayward is the only way that works, and that’s never happening
Sorry pal but no shot of Kyrie returning to the C’s
We’ll see if you’ll keep thinking that if/when Celtics get eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
Wouldn’t that help his case lol
Yep…
Just another hit piece by Marc Berman, who’s equivalent of NYPost’s Joel Sherman, writing about the Yankees.
It’s unfair to blame a rookie for playing to the culture he walked into. In Fiz World, you shoot first, you shoot often and you show no conscience. Non box score things like ball movement, offensive efficiency and defense don’t get you noticed or praised by this HC, and certainly don’t get you minutes.
Fiz did nothing but praise Trier in every PC while he was operating in his isolation, volume shooting, no defense mode. All that gives him the leverage to hold the Knicks up to get paid like a top 10 pick after 6 weeks. Why would he feel he needed to anything different?
Sounds like a bunch of excuses. Either he isn’t good at basketball, or the coach isn’t good at coaching.
The Trier issue is that you have a kid who didn’t get drafted, but managed to get a shot with the worst team in the league that has players on the roster that are not much better than him. He’s going to take the opportunity and make the best of it – showcasing his skills and proving that he belongs, no matter what the cost may be. The Knicks this year were a bad situation that enabled that type of play. As the Knicks move forward with better players, he’ll need to show he can fit in, play his role, and still perform.
“I’m not a young man anymore”, said the 23 year old