Just when everyone thought that he was part of the team’s long-term plan, the New York Knicks decided to part ways with Allonzo Trier. A month before the 2019-20 NBA season resumes, the Knicks waived Trier and let him become an unrestricted free agent. Trier may no longer be needed in New York, but as of now, several teams have already expressed interest in adding him to their roster — including the Golden State Warriors.
After Trier recently turned down the Cleveland Cavaliers’ offer, it would be unrealistic for the Warriors to add Trier right now. As Josh Schrock of NBC Sports noted, the Warriors are just $310K below the luxury tax line and don’t have the salary cap flexibility to give Trier an interesting offer. However, if he’s still available on the free agency market in the 2020 offseason, Schrock suggested that the Warriors could offer Trier the $5.9 million taxpayer exception.
“Trier showed he could be a quality NBA player when given the opportunity by David Fizdale. With the ability to be a competent 3-point shooter, harass players with his length on defense and score off the dribble, Trier could be a solid complementary role player for a team looking for some juice off the bench. The Warriors will have a $5.9 million taxpayer exception to use this summer. The taxpayer mid-level exception allows teams to sign players for a set rate (expected to be $5.9 million this offseason) for up to three seasons with the salary increasing by 4.5 percent each year.”
Trier may not be the superstar that the Warriors have been looking to acquire , but his successful acquisition in free agency would solidify Golden State’s bench. Though he still lacks NBA experience, Trier could contribute to the Warriors on both ends of the floor. He would not only give the team a reliable scoring option in their second unit but also be a player who could guard multiple positions. In his first two seasons with the Knicks, the 24-year-old shooting guard averaged 9.7 points and 2.6 rebounds on 45.4 percent shooting from the field and 38.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
Compared to his previous stint in New York, taking his talents to Golden State would give Trier a realistic chance of winning his first NBA championship title next season. Also, it would enable him to pick the brains of All-Star caliber players like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. As of now, it remains unknown what Trier is looking for in his next team. But if he wants to play for a legitimate title contender, the Warriors would undeniably be an ideal destination for Trier in free agency.
