New York Knicks: What we learned from Allonzo Trier’s deal

The New York Knicks and Allonzo Trier have agreed on a two-year deal, meaning that the young guard has a chance to part of the team’s long-term plans.

What a story has it been for Allonzo Trier so far. After going undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft, he managed to earn a two-way contract with the New York Knicks.

Now, just two months after the start of the 2018-19 season, Trier has already secured his spot on the team for the next few years. He signed a two-year, $7 million contract and has now made his home in NY.

It is extremely rare to see an undrafted rookie spend so much time on the court at such an early stage of the season. Defying the odds, Trier earned his minutes the hard way, ultimately playing 23.3 minutes per game.

But what is New York getting by locking up Trier? A guy that is currently averaging 11.3 points per game while shooting 47 percent from the field along with 39.1 percent from behind the arc.

To take things into consideration, fellow rookies and top candidates for the Rookie of the Year award, Luka Doncic and Trae Young, could only dream of having Trier’s shooting percentages. His efficiency might be what led head coach David Fizdale to get him those minutes he so deserves.

Trier is an undeniable selection for either All-Rookie Team so far. His will and determination have been crucial to the Knicks at this starting point of the season. Even though the team has a losing record of 8-21, Trier has certainly been a bright spot for the fans in the Big Apple.

When taking a look at the team’s roster, it is fair to say that a few names seem to be in jeopardy, aside from the obvious Ron Baker, who will be released. Pretty much nobody expected the emergence of Damyean Dotson and Allonzo Trier, which is why the Knicks had looked to find other sources of scoring in free agency.

In the wake of this extension, Mario Hezonja now seems to be a little bit superfluous to the team. Signed by the Knicks in the hopes he’d enjoy a breakout season, he is still very young. Still, Super Mario has not quite shocked the world with his 7.4 points per game.

Additionally, previously injured shooting guard Courtney Lee could also struggle to find a place in the rotation with Trier being permanent. The New York Knicks are in rebuild mode and players like Lee would be wasted, as their talent could be used elsewhere more efficiently.

As a result, and with another year on his contract after this season, there has been tons of speculation around Lee lately, with his name being linked to contending teams.

it seems like the Knicks front office is making the right moves for a change. They currently possess an exciting young core, good odds at a top pick in the upcoming 2019 NBA Draft and the affordability to sign a big-name free agent come July.

Trier is flourishing, Kristaps Porzingis will be back soon and the team is showing great signs of improvement game in and game out. Maybe the fans at Madison Square Garden will finally have something to cheer about sooner rather than later.

Hard work pays off, and Allonzo Trier has certainly proved the world that he belongs in the NBA, making this a truly exciting story to be a part of.