I’m nervous but excited for what July holds for the Knicks. It would be a nice change of pace if we could sign some top tier talent. Even though it is the same franchise that has missed out signing the best free agents, or tanking correctly to land a top draft pick, there are reasons for Knicks fans to be optimistic this summer.
Why do I believe that a franchise that is seen as imploding, making terrible decisions, and overpaying second and third tier talent can actually turn things around? Well, first the team has $72+ million in cap space that the Knicks can use this offseason, giving them the opportunity to sign not one, but two top free agents. Second, James Dolan, in a poor attempt to stay out of the limelight, has been letting his front office make decisions that have turned out really well so far. Finally, they have the third overall draft pick and a bunch of promising young talent. We true Knicks fans are renewed with excitement and hope. But with all these warm feelings flowing through Knick’s fans veins, we should still hold onto this energy if we do not sign a top tier free agent this summer.
Let’s check out one of the young talented players currently on the Knick’s roster who has shown a lot of promise this season in his ability to score and get to the rim with ease in isolation, and is the player I am most excited about: Allonzo Trier, or “Iso Zo” or “Zo” as his teams and the fan base know him.
We missed out on Zo’s full talents last season when the undrafted 6’5”, 200 lb. rookie guard had a calf injury towards the end of the season, forcing him to miss the remainder of the season. We had to press pause on watching on how his development would continue, but while he was on the court we did bear witness to the skill that got him the nickname “Iso Zo.” Zo has the ability to move his body to create space and get up his mid-range shot, absorb contact and finish at the rim, and utilize his quickness to get by defenders – executed in ways that are similar to CJ McCollum. His fundamental approach is not flashy but effective, and brings a style of play to the Knicks that has been long desired since the falloff of Carmelo Anthony.
Here is a highlight-reel of Zo to get an idea of what I am talking about:
Through the 64 games he played this season, Iso Zo averaged 10.8 pts/game, shot 44.8% from the field and 39.4% from three point range (based off of .8 out of 2.1 attempts/game), while grabbing 3.1 rebounds/game, averaging 1.9 assists/game, and maintaining a 12.1 efficiency rating. This is a good showing from a rookie, especially since he had a similar start to his career as the 2018 MVP, James Harden.
When Harden entered the league for the 2009-2010 season, through 76 games he averaged 9.9 pts/game, shot 40.3% from the field and 37.5% from three (based off of 1.2 out of 3.3 attempts/game), grabbed 3.2 rebounds/game, made 1.8 assists/game, and maintained a 14.0 efficiency rating. Beyond the stats, both players have an ability to run the court, play effectively in the half court, and score in isolation. Their numbers are not identical, but since James Harden started out playing at a similar level as a rookie and then grew into a top player, I think that these numbers indicate that if Zo continues to build on his game, then he too could become something special. I am not necessarily saying that Zo will be the next Harden as he progresses throughout his career, but based on these similarities there is some hope that Zo can become a serious contributor to the Knicks, and potentially become a very good player in the league.
Seeing as how the NBA is developing into a heavily offensive driven league, it is incredibly valuable that Zo can score when he desires and did so as a rookie. Most rookies have a difficult time making such a serious impact on a team when they enter the league. Granted, the Knicks were trying to tank this year, or as people in the industry say, they were more focused on “developing talent”, but Zo continued to earn substantial minutes as a rookie and produce. Zo was able to average 22.8 minutes/game this season, while a good portion of rookies usually play somewhere between 14 to 20 minutes/game. Based on his minutes and the fact that he was averaging close to 11 points/game, as a rookie this is nothing to overlook.
We tend to think that players who make a major impact when entering the league must average somewhere between 15 – 20 points/game. But, if we look back at Harden, he was averaging 9.9 points/game while clocking 22.9 minutes/game his rookie season. DeMar DeRozan is another example. DeRozan is also an effective isolation player, who at the start of his career was averaging 8.6 points/game and 21.6 minutes/game. Between these two NBA All-Star isolation players, we can see that just because Zo was not averaging 15 – 20 points/game his rookie season, he has the potential to reach that level of play or be an effective player off the bench, like Harden was in the beginning of his career in OKC.
If the Knicks are lucky enough to land Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving or Kemba Walker (my personal preference) this summer, then I see Zo starting off his career by being the sixth man for the Knicks. With his skillset right now, I see that Zo can become the leader of the second unit by being the main scorer and the engine that makes that second unit flow. Teams need to have a player that can come off the bench and make a meaningful impact on the game because this gives them the flexibility of resting their players not only for the game being played in a given night, but for the upcoming season as well. Based on his performance, I think Zo is the man for the job, and as he progresses through his career with the Knicks, or if we strike out during free agency (as we are very well known for), he will definitely become a starter for this team.
So I am holding onto Allonzo Trier’s potential, and hopefully the Knicks do not waive him in order to invest elsewhere. Shout out to the Knicks Front Office for bringing him to the team as an undrafted rookie. He’s brought noise to the Knicks along with some hope that he can provide some valuable minutes moving forward, and that the Knicks Front Office knows what it’s doing. I’m diggin’ this new vibe behind the Knicks, and I am looking forward to seeing what’s in store for my team this summer.
Knicks For Life 