Allonzo Trier was once one of the more promising young players on the New York Knicks roster. The undrafted guard out of the University of Arizona averaged 10.9 fairly efficient points per game as a rookie last season, but that came under David Fizdale. Trier's role was lessened under interim coach Mike Miller, with his 22.8 minutes per game during the 2018-19 season being cut down to 12.1 in his sophomore campaign. Now, he will no longer have any role in New York, as the Knicks waived Trier to claim former Nets big man Theo Pinson off of waivers, according to SNY's Ian Begley.
NBA rules dictate that a player is only eligible for a playoff roster if he was waived on or before March 1. Obviously the coronavirus pandemic presents unique circumstances, but to this point, nothing has suggested that previous eligibility rules have changed. Trier would, therefore, be eligible to sign with a new team for the eight seeding games all 22 teams will play at Disney, but not the postseason. That could scare off guaranteed playoff teams who need to use their roster spots on players who will be able to contribute in the postseason, but lesser teams might be interested in getting a look at him up close before 2020 free agency.
Trier would have been a free agent this offseason, so in a sense, the Knicks, who do not have any games left, aren't losing much by letting him go. The only difference is that he would have been a restricted free agent, giving them the right to match any offer, whereas now he is slated for unrestricted free agency. The Knicks have so much money to work with, though, that they likely wouldn't need Bird Rights to bring Trier back. They could simply dip into their cap space if they want to re-sign him.
The elephant in the room, though, is Trier's representation. He signed with Klutch Sports in February. Knicks president of basketball operations Leon Rose comes from CAA, where Klutch CEO Rich Paul got his start in basketball. There has been something of a rivalry between the two ever since. While the Knicks wouldn't waive a player simply based on who represents him, that underlying tension could have played a role in this decision.
Trier will land with another NBA team at some point, whether that comes at Disney or next season. He played well enough in New York to have earned a roster spot as a bench scorer. The Knicks' loss, as is so often the case, could be someone else's gain.
