The Arizona product comes to New York with hopes of latching onto a Knicks roster begging for talent.
Right after the draft concluded, Yahoo reported that the Knicks had signed 6-foot-4 Arizona guard Allonzo Trier to a two-way contract.
For Trier, landing on an NBA roster is the positive next step in what has been a decidedly long journey. He played three seasons under Sean Miller at Arizona, averaging 16.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists for his career. Once thought of as a sure-fire draft pick, questions about Trier’s work ethic and accountability sprouted up after he was suspended for testing positive for banned substances. He was ruled ineligible again this past season, but the school concluded that the test picked up remnants of the prior substance, so he was allowed to play. The 20-year-old missed 18 games during his sophomore campaign due to the suspension, but managed to increase his scoring average from his sophomore to junior years.
I particularly enjoyed watching Arizona this year. Trier specifically was always a guy I kept an eye on. Between Trier, first overall pick Deandre Ayton, and Rawle Alkins, the Wildcats had a ton of firepower this season. Trier is the type of player that can heat up quickly, and he was wildly efficient for Arizona this season, a positive sign for his future development. A 50 percent shooter at the college level, Trier knocks down his shots from inside the arc at an incredible clip, canning 62 percent of his two-point attempts during the 2017-18 college season.
I like the addition of Trier to a roster that’s in need of help on the wing. A career 38 percent three-point shooter, that skill certainly seems projectable to the NBA. Any type of shooting that the Knicks can add to the roster should be counted as a win. Trier does have a love affair with the basket, often shutting out his teammates in lieu of attacking the rim and creating for himself. He’ll need to play within an offense to attain any sort of NBA role.
The Knicks only have a certain number of two-way contracts to give out, so this may mean the end of Luke Kornet or Isaiah Hicks. Trier is undoubtedly a better addition to the roster than the latter.
Westchester will add a nice player to their roster, and the Knicks will get a chance to look at a player they got for cheap with some question marks that are a thing of the past. Not a bad deal in the slightest.
