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Written By Kyle Crabbe
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Who is Allonzo Trier
With unheralded success in the early stages of his NBA career, Allonzo Trier has forced his name into the conversation of making the Knicks roster. As an undrafted rookie, Trier has shown in a handful of Summer League games, and preseason NBA games, that he can be effective against any competition. Without a doubt, Trier has proven he belongs on an NBA court.
Have the Knicks found a diamond in the rough or is Trier’s success more a product of misfortune and poor scouting? Let’s go more in-depth into the player and striving young man that is Allonzo Trier.
Trier is a 1st round talent that due to unfortunate events, during his college tenure, went undrafted. His game in college can be compared to Donovan Mitchell, who had a spectacular rookie season with the Utah Jazz. Like Mitchell, Trier was known in college for being a sneaky explosive athlete, an effective scorer with a streaky jump shot, and an ultra-competitive defender and rebounder.
Like many 1st round prospects, Trier had many accolades. He won 2 FIBA Gold Medals, a 2015 Jordan Brand Classic Game MVP, and he was a 2015 McDonalds All-American. With that resume, it’s no surprise that Trier was a 5-star recruit. Despite winning many awards, Trier had his setbacks during his time at Arizona.
The setback which damaged Trier the most was testing positive for banned substances. As a result, Trier had to serve a suspension, and that caused his stock to drop in the 2018 NBA Draft. This was unfortunate for Trier because further research proved the positive test was due to medication he took after suffering a car accident as a Freshman. The Knicks brass did their due diligence on why Trier was suspended, and now, the organization will reap the benefits that other teams passed on.
In Trier, the Knicks are getting an elite offensive basketball prospect.
In his last year of high school, Trier was considered the best scorer in the nation, and after his freshman year at Arizona, he was projected as a lottery pick. Trier’s offensive game translates well to the NBA, and the two players his game can be compared to is Los Angeles Clippers Guard Lou Williams and Houston Rockets Guard Eric Gordon. Both Williams and Gordon are 6th Man of the Year winners and both have averaged over 20 points per game coming off the bench. Like Williams and Gordon, Trier’s limitations are mainly his defense and his natural tendency to over-dribble and force his offense.
What will Allonzo Trier’s Impact Be
The early success that Trier has shown so far has led many to believe that he shouldn’t play in the G-League. Fans and pundits alike believe that he has shown enough promise to garner an NBA roster spot. The Knicks currently have Trier signed on a two-way contract which would allow him to split time between the G-League and the NBA.
To get the best out of Trier, the Knicks should allow him to gain experience in the G-League early in the season. If he shows his worth in the G-League, the Knicks could promote Trier and play him in certain game situations. The Knicks should manage Trier like how the Atlanta Hawks manage Taurean Prince or how the Golden State Warriors manage Quinn Cook. Both players spent time in the G-League and proved their worth before getting a shot in the NBA. Even current Knicks starter Tim Hardaway Jr spent some time in the G-League despite showing he could contribute offensively in the NBA.
Currently, the Knicks should keep Trier on a two-way contract until a trade partner for Courtney Lee is found. Once Lee’s spot is open, the Knicks should sign Trier to an NBA contract.
