Ron Baker released from NY Knicks
The New York Knicks released third-year guard Ron Baker from the team in order to make room for rookie sensation Alonzo Trier, who signed a 2 year, $7 million contract with the Knicks on Thursday.
Trier previously had a two-way contract with the team but such contracts only allow a player to be on a NBA team’s roster for 45 days before their contract has to be converted to a standard NBA deal.
Following Baker’s release, Knicks All-Star big man Kristaps Porzingis had nothing but love for his former teammate.
Undrafted Guard Ranks Seventh in Scoring and Third in Three-Point Percentage Among Rookies
Trier becomes the first two-way player to sign a guaranteed NBA contract within the first two months of the season. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Trier, undrafted out of Arizona, has appeared in 27 games (three starts) this season, averaging 11.3 points on 47% shooting (39.1% 3PT), 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists over 23.2 minutes. Among rookies, Trier ranks seventh in scoring, third in three-point percentage and ninth in field goal percentage. He is one of four rookies this season averaging at least 11.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and shooting at least 47-percent from the field. On November 27 at Detroit, Trier became the first undrafted Knicks rookie to post at least 24 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in a game.
The Seattle, Wash. native was eligible for the 2018 NBA Draft following his junior season at Arizona and signed a two-way contract with New York on July 3. As a junior at Arizona he averaged 18.1 points, 3.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds over 33 games.
