Allonzo Trier was one of the bright stories early on the season, for an otherwise forgettable season for the New York Knicks. An undrafted two-way player that earned his spot in the 15-man roster early in the campaign served as an inspiration for those hoping to carve out a spot in the rotation through persistence and work ethic.
However, rumors of his “cancerous” demeanor soon flooded the locker room, as “IsoZo” was popular among rookies, but not with veterans that preached a more team-based approach from the 23-year-old rookie.
“His play on the court was cancerous,” an NBA source told Marc Berman of The New York Post. “A lot of guys didn’t like the way he didn’t play team ball. He cared about himself too much. He looked guys off who were open.’’
Trier proved to be a scoring machine, despite playing limited minutes under a crowded David Fizdale rotation that constantly swapped guys in and out of the lineup, yet his averages of 10.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game don't tell the whole story.
A clear example came early during in a Nov. 27 game in Detroit: Trier brought the ball up court with Trey Burke looking for a cherry-pick basket. Trier didn’t throw it ahead for the easy layup, instead barreling toward the basket and drawing a foul.
Veterans on the bench yelled at Trier and scolded him for not feeding Burke, who held his hands up and shook his head in disbelief after the whistle.
The Seattle native played 64 games for the Knicks and shot a formidable 44.8% from the floor and a strong 39.4% from deep, but there was questions of his commitment to the other side of the ball, proving a lackluster defender that looked to get his own at the other end of the floor.
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