The Knicks have claimed swingman Theo Pinson off waivers, waiving guard Allonzo Trier to clear a spot on their roster, the team announced today in a press release. Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link) first reported the pair of moves.
Pinson, 24, spent his rookie season in 2018/19 on a two-way contract with the Nets, then got a guaranteed contract from the team this season. However, he struggled to produce, averaging 3.6 PPG on 2.90/.188/.938 shooting in 33 games (11.1 MPG).
The former UNC wing, who was waived earlier this week when Brooklyn signed Tyler Johnson, was on a minimum-salary contract, so the Knicks didn’t need to use cap room or a trade exception to claim him. Pinson has a team option for 2020/21, which New York will have to make a decision on this October.
As for Trier, he was a two-way success story in 2018/19, having his deal converted into a two-year contract worth nearly $7MM. But after averaging 10.9 PPG in 64 games (22.8 MPG) as a rookie, the 24-year-old fell mostly out of the rotation in his second year in New York, posting just 6.5 PPG in 24 games (12.1 MPG). There were whispers at the end of his first season that some of Trier’s teammates were put off by his ball-dominant style.
Trier was facing potential restricted free agency this offseason and it appears the Knicks’ new front office – led by Leon Rose – didn’t see him as part of the club’s future. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent if he clears waivers, which seems like a safe bet.
The Pinson/Trier swap represents the second roster change made by the Knicks this week. The team also claimed Jared Harper and waived Kadeem Allen on Thursday.
Trier is a straight bucket on the right team. He’s a SG version similar to Micheal Beasley/Carmelo Anthony. Dude knows how to score
Someone should pick up trier
Similar to Beasley and Melo meaning he’s a terrible defender?
Yeah terrible defensive but great iso player
Great iso player? Guess that’s why he got cut and wasn’t drafted.
Beasley/Melo? Similar??? Nah.
One of those guys was a perennial All-Star, 3-time Olympic Gold Medalist and likely a Naismith Hall-of-Famer. The other is questionable to annually make a roster.
Trier better sign with a TBT team and try to win a million bucks. That’s about the only place he’ll impact a roster.
I didn’t say they are the same I said similar in the fact all three are great scorers especially in iso. Melo is a HOF he’s on his own level compared to these guys
Cool!
Then I’m similar to Steph Curry!
New management says, out with the antisocial, in with the quite social. A new start needed.
The way Pinson moves looks like he roots for teammates even as a playing style. Something like that
Trier was a success story. Reminded me of John Starks. Never understand why you don’t develop that. The guy can flat out score. Plus he got attitude. Should be someone you can work with. He did become iso Trier. I always took that. As taking advantage of the little playing time he was given. Someone should pick him up. He should go play with Bron. He’ll teach him to share the ball and still score. He’s from west coast.
Are you saying he’s better than Kentavious Caldwell-Pope? Because the Lakers already have a traffic jam at SG. And they didn’t draft Talen Hortencia-Tucker, or sign Danny Green in FA, to make room for Trier.
That’s too bad very disappointed. Hopefully Dotson not next I like him as well.
Trier’s career to date would make a good case study on why poorly run franchises can’t get lucky (even when they do). He was not an unknown coming out of college, in fact he was a star. The Knicks still deserve some credit for staying on him through the red flags, and signing him to a 2wc. But when he impressed in camp, they did nothing but pat themselves on the back like they discovered something. Totally over the top in giving the kid accolades and a staring role consistent with a top 10 pick. Six weeks into the season, when the 2wc rules required them to convert his contract, the kid (not surprisingly) wanted to be paid like a top 10 pick. The FO had no answer other than to bend over, particularly after the idiot HC essentially advocated in the media that the FO do it. The result was Trier 60 days into his career, had both a team status and a contract that were higher than his game could justify. IMO, everything that’s happened since flowed from that. An undrafted rookie with a license from the HC to do (and not do) as he pleases will – in the midst of a 65 loss season – engender resentment from teammates. If he read half of what his HC said about him, it’s not a big surprise that he didn’t think it all that important to work on his flaws (everything except iso scoring). His contract also raised the bar for keeping him. Had he been controllable at around minimum wage for the initial 3-4 years of his career (like Robinson and most non-first round picks), I think he’s still with the team even with everything else the same. Or, in that event, someone might have traded for him at the deadline. With his current deal and being a RFA, he had no trade value.