It didn't take Theo Pinson long to find a new team, and he won't even need to relocate to a different city.

The Knicks announced on Friday that they have claimed the 6-foot-5 swingman, releasing guard Allonzo Trier to make room on the roster, as first reported by SNY.

Originally an undrafted signing out of North Carolina, Pinson appeared in 51 games over two seasons with the Nets, averaging 3.9 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 11 minutes per game off the bench. The Nets waived Pinson on Wednesday to sign guard Tyler Johnson.

Pinson also played in nine games for the Long Island Nets of the G League this season, where he averaged 15.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists.

Pinson will have a spot on the Knicks' 15-man roster. The Knicks' two-way contract players are Kenny Wooten - a G League All-Defensive team player - and Jared Harper.

Pinson has a $1.7 million team option for 2020-21. According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, the Knicks will have until Oct 17 at 5 pm to decide on the option.

The Knicks hope to get a longer look at Pinson, Harper and their other young players at OTA activities. The Knicks and the other non-playoff teams who aren't in Orlando may have formal training sessions over the summer.

Trier, meanwhile, had an up-and-down tenure with the Knicks. While he showed flashes as an undrafted rookie, he struggled to find much playing time in 2019-20 under David Fizdale and Mike Miller. He is set to be a restricted free agent this offseason.

Trier played in 88 games with the Knicks, averaging 9.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists.

Trier was originally signed as an undrafted free agent in 2019. On a two-way contract, Trier played incredibly well for large stretches of his first season and the Knicks signed him to a two-year deal after his two-way NBA eligibility was mostly used up.

After starting on opening night, Trier wasn't part of the Knicks' regular rotation for much of 2019-20 but teammates appreciated his professionalism in a reduced role.

Trier, 24, has shown that he can score in the NBA. Coaches noted that he'd shown some progress as a distributor at the NBA level as well. A team with cap space or a trade exception can claim his $3.6 million expiring contract.

In terms of other potential roster moves, Several teams heading to Orlando for the NBA's restart have expressed strong interest in signing Long Island Nets' Justin Anderson, per SNY sources. Those playoff contenders highly value Anderson's defense. Anderson was named to the third All-NBA G League team.

Several teams have also expressed interest in former Knick/Net veteran Lance Thomas, sources say.

Teams can sign players until June 30. They can waive players until June 28 at 5 pm.

Popular in the Community