The Knicks are expected to convert Allonzo Trier‘s two-way contract into a standard NBA contract at some point this week, a source tells Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com. Trier is set to hit the 45-day NBA limit on his two-way deal soon, so New York would have to give him a spot on the 15-man roster to ensure he can keep playing at the NBA level.
Trier, who signed with the Knicks in early July after going undrafted out of Arizona, has impressed the team so far, averaging 11.3 PPG on .470/.391/.816 shooting in 27 games (23.3 MPG). The fact that he won’t have to return to the G League once he hits his 45-day limit is good news for the franchise.
Still, while Zagoria’s report provides an idea of when Trier might receive a new deal, there’s still some uncertainty about how exactly it’ll happen.
As I recently detailed, the Knicks could unilaterally convert Trier’s contract into a standard deal, but would have to give him a one-year pact in that scenario. If the team wants to secure Trier beyond the 2018/19 season, negotiations will be required, with the team using either its mid-level, bi-annual, or minimum-salary exception to complete a multiyear deal.
Additionally, the Knicks are currently carrying a full 15-man roster, so they’ll need to trade or release a player in order to create room for their standout rookie. Ron Baker and Luke Kornet are probably the most likely candidates to be waived, though there are plenty of trade candidates on New York’s roster too.
Converting his contract, at least at this point, is not good for Knicks as a franchise, and would be a significant FO failure. Since Perry arrived, the FO has been pretty good with these things. I’ll give them a pass on Vonleh, but to have invested the time they have in Trier with all the leverage, and not have some kind of understanding, is a near unforgivable gaffe for a rebuilding team. Yeah, he’s a RFA, but their ability to match (vs the right to match) might not be there. In fact, if they use cap space this summer (the basis behind stretching Noah), then it almost certainly won’t. Why waste any more minutes on him?
Because Trier has been a huge bright spot for the team. The Knicks could have struck gold here with Trier so why not continue to let him develop and become a piece of their core for the future?
That’s the idea with any young player, which is why teams almost never sign young players to 1 year deals and invest any time in them. My point is the Knicks will lose Trier this summer, in all likelihood, unless they reserve 8.8 mm in cap space (or not use any cap space) this summer. Doing that keeps Trier, but takes them out the high end FA market (which they’ve worked hard to be able to participate in).
Uh sorry to burst your bubble but no one wants to play there lol. Knox looks like a bust and and injuried porzingis isnt a sure thing. Smart play would be to sign a gem like this guy and build a strong foundation when i a few years they can tap into free agents market. As currently construction this team does offer anything other than $$$.
It’s not my bubble, I would have preferred to wait for the summer of 2020. But then you don’t stretch Noah, put off KP’s extension or refrain from 2 year contracts in the summer of 2018. FO wants in on 2019 FA class because it’s better so they made those sacrifices. Fine, but then you can’t do anything inconsistent with it (you have to have a plan to sign an elite FA and keep the current players you want).
On nobody wanting to play there. It’s NYC and MSG. They have rarely had cap space for an elite FA, but (aside from 2010 with the Miami trio), they’ve gotten what they wanted when the $$ were equal.
To my knowledge, a first-year player does not have Bird rights attached yet so he has to be re-signed with capspace. This does not usually come up: 1st rounders get multiyears, and teams use exceptions to lock up 2nd rounders at least until Bird rights are in place. Free agents are not usually so good so quickly.
Gary Clark let Houston off the hook by signing a 3/$37 but the Knicks are jammed by their own 2019 FA ambitions.
I’ll guess, money will go under the table to Trier to sign. Maybe that’s what happened in Houston… Clark sounded so happy with his peanuts… and gifts?…
Because of the Arenas rule, even Early BRs (2 years) are sufficient to match any offer sheet. But not 1 year. I think there’s a reason it doesn’t come up often (or at all); and it wouldn’t speak well of the Knicks’ FO if they let it happen. They currently have the BAE to sign him for 2 years. So, I’m not 100% convinced they’ll screw it up. But it’s not Berman reporting it, so it might be right.
To be clear, as I noted in the post, I’m not sure Zagoria’s use of the word “convert” here is meant to indicate the unilateral conversion option. I’ve noticed that reporters tend to use that word as a catch-all when two-way players get standard contracts, even if many of them technically end up negotiating new deals.
Understood. You were clear.
Trier achieved 2nd round pick value a week into the season. I don’t think its too much to ask that the FO to have stopped pounding their chests over how much of a steal they got signing Trier to a 2Wc just long enough to make sure it matters beyond this year.
’18/19 ’19/20
$3.8mil $4.2mil BAE
$0.8mil $0.8mil MLE
$4.6mil $5.0mil total
(5% increases 2nd year.)
(These figures subject to correction by smarter people. Call them ballpark figures)
So Knicks’ max offer, to be prorated:
1yr/$4.6mil or 2yr/$9.6mil
Then all exceptions would be used.
He could actually be worth it, but that is not the big issue…
Thing is, if they cut him loose, the FO looks dumb FOR SURE for developing, showcasing, then losing a good player. But IF they can’t sign a high-value FA with the reduced capspace, they look dumb for bad planning.
I would avoid the sure embarassment & pay the man. Trier will wait for it.
BAE they have would be the unused amount for this year, which I think is 3.38 mm and and then 3.55 mm. That’s their best possible offer. They can’t combine exceptions. It’s what the 10th/11th pick in the draft makes. Not great for the Knicks, but preferable to having to choose between losing him or putting aside 8.8 mm of space. I was thinking more 1.8 mm and (step down) to 1.5 mm (his cap hold if they converted his K); with a trade kicker and a wink.
As DXC mentioned, exceptions can’t be combined, so they’d have to use one or the other.
As for the MLE, while they only have about $656K left on it to offer this year, it would be worth the minimum salaries in future seasons ($1.42MM for next year, $1.66MM for 2020/21, etc.).