When Kevin Durant signed with the Brooklyn Nets this summer, Knicks fans naturally felt spurned, having held out hope that the 10-time All-Star would bring the magic back to Madison Square Garden.

But what about Allonzo Trier? The second-year Knicks guard has a relationship with Durant that dates back to Trier's days as a high schooler in Oklahoma City, when Durant was a member of the Thunder.

When Kevin Durant signed with the Brooklyn Nets this summer, Knicks fans naturally felt spurned, having held out hope that the 10-time All-Star would bring the magic back to Madison Square Garden.

But what about Allonzo Trier? The second-year Knicks guard has a relationship with Durant that dates back to Trier's days as a high schooler in Oklahoma City, when Durant was a member of the Thunder.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | 

David Fizdale plans to use Julius Randle all over the floor this season. 

"I'm gonna have him handling pick-and-roll. I'm gonna have him setting pick-and-rolls. He'll post and (isolate) and I'll run pindowns for him, cross-screens and pindowns. For a guy like that with that kind of talent I wanna move him around and utilize the skillset from different parts of the floor," Fizdale said Wednesday. 

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Last week in New Jersey, several Knicks were in attendance for the NBA's Rookie Transition Program, a four-day event that the league and the NBPA put together to help rookies adjust to life as a pro athlete. Players listened to experts, ex-players and their peers discuss topics ranging from sexual health to social media.

"At the core of what we're doing is, 'How are you the best professional you can be? And how are you clear and concise in what your decision-making process is?" says Greg Taylor, the NBA's Head of Player Development. 

Second-year Knicks Mitchell Robinson and Allonzo Trier were among the players in attendance this year. Rookies RJ Barrett and Iggy Brazdeikis were there as well. 

With all the second-tier free-agent signees the Knicks brought in this offseason, the Magic's Aaron Gordon has one that he hopes thrives in particular. 

Elfrid Payton was sort of a under-the-radar signee with the likes of Julius Randle, Taj Gibson, and Bobby Portis joining the team as well. The Knicks already have Dennis Smith Jr. as well as Allonzo Trier, whose looking to follow up his stellar rookie season. And Frank Ntilikina is still looking to show the Knicks he was worthy of their first-round selection two years ago.

So it will be a battle to get solid minutes on the floor, let alone start for another former first-rounder in Payton. But Gordon, who was drafted just six picks ahead of Payton to the same Magic team, knows exactly what the point guard can bring to New York this season.

Allonzo Trier impressed in nearly every category in his first year as a Knick, and the organization saw enough through his first season to pick up his $3.5 million option for year two. But like any rookie, his first season highlighted areas calling for improvement.

His shooting became the primary area of refinement, but it wasn't the mechanics. Instead, it was the volume.

"The more I get off and I shoot at a high percentage, then it'll be good for us," Trier told Mike Vorkunov of the Athletic. "Not only myself, but as a basketball team. So that's one thing I've been focused on doing."

Bobby Portis has a lofty goal for his first season with the Knicks. 

The former first-round pick is hopeful the Knicks will win hardware as a team despite being big underdogs heading into 2019, but he's got a personal agenda as well. 

"I envision myself being a Sixth Man of the Year candidate," Portis told the New York Post." Last year I was in the running at the beginning of the season, playing well. That's in the back of my mind for sure. Naysayers will say I'm crazy. I feel it's going to come for me one day for sure. I play my role really well."

Ignas Brazdeikis was the 47th pick in the NBA Draft, so the casual fan may have been surprised to see him knocking down threes, executing spin moves and finishing around the rim in the Summer League.

But those that know Brazdeikis well weren't.

"He's always been able to score," Andrew Saulez, Brazdeikis' coach at Holy Trinity High School, says. "…. Some of the stuff that you saw at Michigan and at Summer League, the buckets that he gets at weird angles, using the glass, getting into the lane, spinning and scoring -- he's been doing that since Grade 6 or 7."

Brazdeikis averaged 15.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists for New York in the Summer League. He also knocked down 11 of his 22 three-point attempts. It was only Summer League, so those who are penciling Brazdeikis in as Rookie of the Year are getting ahead of themselves.

We'll never know if the Knicks were interested in trading for Russell Westbrook. They never had the chance to make an offer. 

The Rockets and Thunder stunned the league on Thursday by agreeing to a deal that moved Westbrook to Houston in return for a package that included Chris Paul and first-round picks, per ESPN. 

The Knicks didn't have the money to match salaries in a Westbrook trade at the moment. They would have had to wait until Dec. 15 to include the free agents they signed the summer in a deal.

The Knicks' pursuit of Marcus Morris has reportedly paid off. 

League sources confirmed to SNY's Ian Begley that Morris plans to sign a one-year deal with the Knicks worth roughly $15 million. 

Begley reported earlier on Thursday that the Knicks believed that obtaining Morris as a free agent and re-working Reggie Bullock's deal was a likely scenario, per SNY sources.

The Knicks Summer League squad dropped Tuesday's game against Toronto by a final score of 85-73.

Five things to know about Tuesday's game...

1) RJ Barrett scored 17 points for the Knicks, including five in the first quarter. He also showed off his ability as a playmaker in the open court, tallying six assists. He also added 10 rebounds, having his best overall game to date.

2) The Knicks were without Allonzo Trier in Tuesday's game. According to the game broadcast, Trier was dealing with an illness, causing the Knicks to sit him.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Unless they want to renege on agreements with their new free agents, the Knicks can't complete a trade for Russell Westbrook prior to December 15. They only have $4 million in cap space, not close to enough to absorb the $38.5 million he's scheduled to make next season. 

It would be incredibly damaging to the Knicks' relationships with agents if they reneged on free-agent agreements to acquire Westbrook, so you can forget about that option. 

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Kawhi Leonard signing with the Clippers makes it official: the Knicks have missed out on all of their top targets in free agency. But the biggest free agent they landed, Julius Randle, believes that fans will grow to appreciate the 2019-2020 team. 

"We've got dogs. We've got dudes who don't back down, who have killer mentalities. And that's what we need," Randle said on Friday night. "Getting back to the old school. Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley, all of those guys. Toughness. A fight breaking every night. So, we're excited about that. That's our identity of our team, not backing down from nobody."

Randle offered his thoughts on several topics in a chat with reporters in Las Vegas: 

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter |

LAS VEGAS -- RJ Barrett didn't shoot the ball well in his Summer League debut, but Knicks Coach Jud Buechler had a simple message for the rookie after the game: don't stop shooting.

"There were ups and downs in the game for him, which you expect out of a rookie. We saw a lot of things we liked," Buechler said, via the Knicks, after Barrett missed 14 of his 18 shots in 25 minutes against Zion Williamson and the Pelicans. "We will continue to encourage him to keep shooting and aren't worried about his shot not falling."

The Knicks' Summer League debut against the Pelicans was stopped with 7:53 left in the fourth quarter due to an earthquake.

The west coast experienced a 6.9 magnitude earthquake, suspending play at Las Vegas' Tomas & Mack Center. The Pelicans had an 80-74 lead when play was stopped in the fourth quarter.

Both teams left their benches for their respective locker rooms, as the video board and sound speakers above the court swung back and forth. 

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Kevin Knox has worked on his strength, efficiency and passing, among other things, so far in the offseason. And he's eager to get on the court in Summer League following a few weeks of training.

"I just feel so much more comfortable on the court now. I just feel stronger, have a (better) head on my shoulders," Knox said of playing in Summer League after going through his first NBA season. "Just having a year underneath my belt, I can watch a lot of film of what I need to work on and what I need to get better at. I just feel a lot stronger, a lot better on the court, a lot more confident, and more of a leader so I'll be able to talk and help the other guys out."

Knox, 20, said he's spent time in the weight room to add strength to his frame. The 6-foot-9 forward weighed 215 pounds at the start of last season.

Over the past weeks, months and years, Knicks fans have grown accustomed to waiting. Waiting for one of their young pieces to blossom, for the NBA Draft Lottery, the NBA Draft and free agency. 

All of that waiting and things have not really changed. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are headed to the rival Brooklyn Nets, and New York's faithful will have to sit patiently through yet another losing season for yet another promise of a return to glory. 

However, the Knicks completed a flurry of signings before the calendar even flipped to July, filling out a roster of legitimate NBA players -- something they haven't often possessed lately.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter |

If the Knicks draft him, RJ Barrett knows he'd be responsible for helping turn around a franchise that has won just one playoff series in the last 19 years. And he's OK with that.

"I feel like that would be a challenge that I'm willing to accept," Barrett said on Wednesday at the NBA's media availability for projected lottery picks.

The Knicks have met with Ja Morant and Cam Reddish, and worked out Darius Garland and Jarrett Culver. But the consensus among opposing execs is that they will take Barrett at No. 3 if they hold on to the pick. It's hard to say how likely a trade down is, but it would make sense for the Knicks to listen to offers until they are ready to make a pick.

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The Knicks have decided to pick up the $3.5 million option on Allonzo Trier's contract, SNY sources confirm. Trier, an undrafted guard out of Arizona, signed a two-way contract with New York after the 2019 draft which was converted to a traditional contract after his strong play as a rookie. 

New York still has ways to create enough cap space for two max free agents with the addition of Trier's $3.5 million for next season. 

The club plans to pursue max free agents, including Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard, this offseason. 

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter |

After Kevin Durant announced Wednesday afternoon that he ruptured his Achilles, the teams interested in Durant are probably asking themselves a question: Do we still pursue him in free agency?

If Durant declines his $31.5 million player option for next season, any team interested in signing him would have to be comfortable with him possibly being sidelined for the first year of his contract.

Would the Knicks, who have enough cap space to sign two max free agents, be comfortable with that scenario? We'll find out in a few weeks, but there are indeed some members of the organization who would consider offering Durant a contract this summer, per SNY sources. Durant is eligible for a four-year, $141 million max contract from New York or any other team looking to sign him away from the Warriors.

A few young Knicks and coaches plan to attend the next two NBA Finals games. 

Mitchell Robinson plans to attend Game 5 of Raptors-Warriors with assistant coach Pat Sullivan, per SNY sources. And Kevin Knox, Kadeem Allen, and Allonzo Trier plan to attend Game 4 of the Finals on Friday night, a source confirmed to SNY. 

Last year, David Fizdale brought Emmanuel Mudiay, Damyean Dotson, and Frank Ntilikina to a Celtics-Cavs playoff game. He wanted to show them the atmosphere of playoff basketball. After the season, he said he intended to do the same with the young Knicks from the 2018-19 team. 

Presumptive No. 3 pick RJ Barrett would welcome the opportunity to play for the Knicks. 

"It would be a lot of fun, playing in the Garden, the bright lights," Barrett said at a Pro Day hosted by his agency, BDA, in California on Tuesday. "They have so much history down there. It would be amazing."

If the Knicks don't select Barrett with the No. 3 overall pick, it would surprise evaluators who see this as a three-player draft (Zion Williamson, Ja Morant and Barrett). 

Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson has been named to the NBA's second All Rookie team.

Robinson's 2.4 blocks per game were the most for a rookie who played at least 35 games since Tim Duncan blocked 2.5 shots per game in 1997-98. He reached that per-game block number while playing 20.6 minutes per night.

The 21-year-old set franchise rookie records for total blocks (161) and blocks per game. He blocked at least two shots in 29 straight games - longest streak for a Knicks rookie and second longest in NBA history for a rookie behind Manute Bol's 45 straight games. Robinson is the 21st Knick to be named to an All-Rookie team.

Since the Knicks were given the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, only Patrick Ewing and Isiah Thomas have said something about missing out on the top selection and Zion Williamson. 

That is until team president Steve Mills spoke up at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago on Friday. 

Though he didn't talk for long, Mills said the team is excited to use their No. 3 pick to further their rebuilding process...

Only Pelicans executive VP of Basketball Operations David Griffin - and maybe a select few others close to him - knows exactly what New Orleans wants in a potential Anthony Davis trade.

Griffin reiterated on Tuesday that he's committed to trying to keep Davis in New Orleans. Landing the No. 1 overall pick in June gives him another potential selling point for Davis, but the smart money says he will still want to leave New Orleans. Shams Charania of The Athletic reported as much shortly after the Lottery.

So, assuming New Orleans has to deal Davis this summer, which teams can make the best offers? And how can the Knicks push themselves to the front of that group?

Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter | : Kyrie Irving didn't give a direct answer when he was asked late Wednesday night about the possibility of re-signing with the Celtics.

"For me, it's just moving on to the next thing and seeing where it ends up," Irving told reporters after the Celtics' series-ending loss to Milwaukee on Wednesday.

That's an encouraging sign for those who hope to see Irving at Madison Square Garden next season.

The free agent hunt is already on for the New York Knicks, and head coach David Fizdale is one of the main persuaders trying to make the case for the blue and orange. 

Fizdale joined ESPN's "The Jump" on Monday to talk about what makes the Knicks an attractive free agency destination, and he admits he likes the plan team president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry have put together. 

"[We're having] a lot of conversations, a lot of angles that we're trying to make sure that we show guys when they come in," Fizdale said. "I think we've got a lot of positive things to show. [GM] Scott Perry and [president] Steve Mills have done a heck of a job laying this thing out. We've got the most cap space. We have seven picks over five years, which means whoever we do get, we can continue to build around them, and I think that's a great position to be in. We did all that in a course of a year and we laid down our culture, so I'm really excited about where we're at."

Allonzo Trier was one of the few bright spots for the Knicks this season, but things may not have been so smooth behind closed doors. 

Per Marc Berman of The Post, veterans on the Knicks were displeased with Trier's one-on-one style of play and believed it had an adverse effect on the team's culture. 

"His play on the court was cancerous," an NBA source told The 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."

One of the worst seasons in New York Knicks history is over. A 17-65 record will be tough to swallow, but arguably the franchise's biggest offseason ever is fast approaching. This roster made up of raw talent and NBA vagabonds could look anywhere from completely different to mostly the same this time next year. Here's how each key player fared this season, and whether they should stay or go:

Kevin Knox

Barring an Anthony Davis trade, Knox is likely to remain a Knick, and fans should be cautiously optimistic about his future. Although his numbers as a whole were shoddy, there's a lot that is easily fixable, such as taking off a step too early or knowing when to go to the floater vs. attacking the defender's body. He had some solid stretches scattered across an underwhelming season: 43 percent three-point shooting in March, for example. The goal is for him to be a complete player, but we've yet to see tangible improvements much of anywhere,. That's okay, he's very young, and clearly filled with talent.

Knicks coach David Fizdale would like to be able to choose from a deep roster but injuries are piling up.

Point guard Dennis Smith Jr. has missed the last six games with a sore back, rookie guard Allonzo Trier has missed the last three games with a strained calf and forward Noah Vonleh has missed the last five games with a sprained right ankle.

Smith, Trier, and Vonleh may be out again Thursday and the trio could be joined on the sidelines by rookie forward Kevin Knox.

Knox sprained his right ankle with 32 seconds left in the first half of a 124-113 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. Knox was injured when his foot collided with Los Angeles guard Patrick Beverley's on a 3-point attempt.

The Jazz come to Madison Square Garden to face the Knicks tonight, but New York will be without a few key contributors in this one. 

The most notable is PG Dennis Smith Jr., who head coach David Fizdale said threw out his back. The team is expecting to re-evaluate him next week as he will likely miss at least three more games. The Knicks could deem Smith done for the season if the evaluation says so. 

And that isn't the only guard the Knicks will be without. Allonzo Trier has a calf injury that will keep him out, while Frank Ntilikina isn't quite ready to return from his groin injury. Ntilikina practice with G-League Westchester on Tuesday, but he is expected to practice once again and be ready to make his awaited return this weekend. 

Knicks PG Frank Ntilikina has finally been cleared to practice, and it couldn't have came at a better time. 

According to the Daily News' Stefan Bondy, the 20-year-old former first rounder will be practicing with G-League Westchester on Tuesday as the Knicks are traveling back from Toronto following a 128-92 blowout on Monday night. Ntilikina has been sidelined for weeks with a groin injury, but if everything goes well at practice, he could be suiting up against the Jazz at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night. 

That would be the best case scenario for Ntilikina, who needs these last 11 games of the season to prove he is still worth it to the Knicks. It doesn't look good for Ntilikina to stay in orange and blue next season, especially with new point guard Dennis Smith Jr. coming over from Dallas in the Kristaps Porzingis trade. The Knicks also have Allonzo Trier, Emmanuel Mudiay and Damyean Doston all under contract for 2019. 

The Knicks shot 33.3 percent from the field and made just 8 of 36 3-pointers as they lost to the Toronto Raptors 128-92 on Monday at Scotiabank Arena. >> Box score

Things to know about Monday's game

1. While Allonzo Trier scored a game-high 22 points off the bench, the Knicks' starters combined for 44 points. Mario Hezonja and Kevin Knox combined to make 7 of 24 field goals.

2. The Raptors, who beat the Knicks by only five points when they last met on Feb. 9, outscored them 35-25 in the second quarter and 28-15 in the third, taking a 101-69 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Knicks extended their most recent losing streak to six games on Saturday, falling to the Sacramento Kings in a matinee at Madison Square Garden, 102-94. > Box Score

Things to know about Saturday's game

1) The Knicks had absolutely no answer for Kings point guard De'Aaron Fox. The 21-year-old finished with 30 points, eight assists and five rebounds. After the Knicks took a brief 89-87 lead with six minutes remaining in the game, Fox responded by scoring 13 of the Kings' final 16 points en route to close out the victory for Sacramento. 

The Knicks officially own the worst record in the NBA after the Suns took them down 107-96 on the road Wednesday night. >> Box score

Things to know about Wednesday's game

1) In this battle of the worsts, it was Devin Booker that shined above the rest for Phoenix. He dropped a whopping 41 points on 14-for-23 from the field and a perfect 7-for-7 mark at the free throw line. Booker also dished out four assists, collected five boards, and had two steals and one block. It was a true All-Star performance from the Kentucky product. 

The Knicks moved into sole possession of last place in the NBA after they lost to the Sacramento Kings 115-108 on Monday at Golden 1 Center. >> Box score

Things to know about Monday's game

1. The Knicks trailed by four midway through the third quarter, but Sacramento went on a 21-11 run that bled into the fourth to take a 94-80 lead with 10:04 remaining.

2. Coupled with the Suns' upset win over the Milwaukee Bucks, who own the NBA's best record, the Knicks fell to 13-51, 0.5 games behind Phoenix in the standings.

The Knicks battled their way back in the second half to secure their first back-to-back wins since November in a 108-103 victory over the Magic on Tuesday night. >> Box score

Things to know about Sunday's game

1) Rookie C Mitchell Robinson was a force for the Knicks tonight on his way to setting a new career high with 17 points. He also collected six blocks, becoming the first Knicks rookie to record five or more in consecutive games since the 1973-74 seasons when blocks became an observed stat. Add 14 rebounds for a double-double, and Robinson's production continues to rise in what's becoming an eye-opening rookie campaign.

The Knicks were dominant for most of this contest, but the Cavaliers had a fourth-quarter surge that snapped the team's win streak in New York's 125-118 loss on their home court on Thursday night. >> Box score

Things to know about Sunday's game

1) Allonzo Trier was the Knicks' leading scorer, as the team had another strong performance from their bench. Trier dropoped 22 on 8-of-15 shooting with four rebounds and one assist over 32 minutes. Overall, the Knicks' bench scored 59 points as they come off a 75-point game against the Magic on Tuesday.

After a rollercoaster day for Knicks fans, media and seemingly staff, the organization's best prospect since Patrick Ewing is now a Dallas Maverick, they have roughly $74 million in cap space to throw around this summer, and this city has gone *erases, scribbles* 0 days since the last melodrama.

A brief recap: Kristaps Porzingis was reportedly upset with the team's direction, aired his concerns out to management and wanted out, to which Scott Perry and Steve Mills quickly responded by flipping him, Tim Hardaway Jr., Courtney Lee and Trey Burke in exchange for Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews, a 2021 unprotected first round pick and 2023 top-10 protected first round pick.

Got all that? Well, the timeline of all this transpiring is still fuzzy, and it's looking like the Knicks did not hold out for the best offer, try to reconcile with KP, or even salvage his trade value before moving on. That's okay though, because now the team is prime to sign two max deals (Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, anyone?), or fall back squarely on whatever's left of this 10-win roster and what comes up of this year's lottery pick...

Anthony Davis's trade request is the big news of the week for both the Knicks and NBA as a whole, for good reason. Davis is a once in a generation talent and clear-cut top five player in the league, and naturally someone of his caliber has reportedly piqued the interest of Scott Perry, Steve Mills and co.

But with what it will cost to acquire him and outside factors such as this summer's free agency, the list of potential rewards and drawbacks are as loaded as one of Brow's stat lines.

The obvious stuff first: Davis is a titan. He's averaging 29.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.7 steals and 2.6 blocks a night, his mere presence shifting defenses and leaving opposing scorers scurrying away like subway rats. Davis is a stalwart on defense, against any position. He chews up fake mismatches (when a perimeter think he's got an upper hand off a switch) for breakfast. The length, build and athleticism combination lets him cover ground and get to balls no human should be able to.

The Knicks have an abundance of young talent on their roster, but none of them were selected to the NBA's Rising Stars Challenge teams. 

The NBA announced the rosters on Tuesday for U.S. and Worlds team, which each consist of 10 first and second-year players around the league, for an exhibition game to be played on Friday, Feb. 15 in Charlotte as part of the All-Star weekend festivities. 

The rosters are chosen by NBA assistant coaches, who submit one ballot per team and must have a minimum of three first-year players and three second-year players on each team. 

Yes, July 1 is still more than five months away. Hell, we haven't even hit the All-Star break yet. But it's never too early to start thinking about free agency. Here in New York City, the Mecca of Basketball (that's right), this summer is crucial for the local teams.

This year projects to have arguably the best NBA free agent class ever with players like Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson all -- in one way or another -- able to hit the open market. With hundreds of other players available this offseason and a league salary cap set to rise to $109 million for the 2019-20 season, even in the dead of winter all eyes are on summer '19.

New York's teams are expected to be big players in free agency, with both the Knicks and Nets possessing ample salary cap space and the ambition to exponentially improve. But which NYC franchise has the advantage when it comes to attracting the best talent? Quintessential New York or the "Coolest City in America?" (At least according to GQ, never mind that Brooklyn is actually a borough). Do players want to restore a storied franchise or be the face of a new movement? Midtown steakhouse or Smorgasburg?

Let's take a look at some of the major factors that will either attract or deter free agents and, thus, determine the future of hoops in the Big Apple.

Yes, July 1 is still more than five months away. Hell, we haven't even hit the All-Star break yet. But it's never too early to start thinking about free agency. Here in New York City, the Mecca of Basketball (that's right), this summer is crucial for the local teams.

This year projects to have arguably the best NBA free agent class ever with players like Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson all -- in one way or another -- able to hit the open market. With hundreds of other players available this offseason and a league salary cap set to rise to $109 million for the 2019-20 season, even in the dead of winter all eyes are on summer '19.

New York's teams are expected to be big players in free agency, with both the Knicks and Nets possessing ample salary cap space and the ambition to exponentially improve. But which NYC franchise has the advantage when it comes to attracting the best talent? Quintessential New York or the "Coolest City in America?" (At least according to GQ, never mind that Brooklyn is actually a borough). Do players want to restore a storied franchise or be the face of a new movement? Midtown steakhouse or Smorgasburg?

Let's take a look at some of the major factors that will either attract or deter free agents and, thus, determine the future of hoops in the Big Apple.

As if the David Fizdale-Enes Kanter friction was not enough, there was also some Tim Hardaway Jr. and Allonzo Trier drama on Thursday. 

Late Wednesday night, following the Knicks' 114-110 loss to the Rockets, Trier direct messaged a fan on Twitter who was mocking the rookie for "ducking" behind James Harden on a screen that allowed Eric Gordon to hit a wide open, go-ahead three-pointer. 

Trier said it was supposed to be a switch, implying that Hardaway was at fault for not defending Gordon on that play. 

Knicks fans may be embracing the tank, but Allonzo Trier certainly is not. 

The rookie guard slid into one fan's DMs on Twitter after Wednesday's 114-110 loss to the Rockets when that fan joked with another about Trier's lack of defense in the final seconds that allowed Eric Gordon to hit the game-winning three-pointer with just under 10 seconds remaining. 

Trier was defending Gordon when he got caught in James Harden's screen and stayed behind the Rockets forward while Gordon remained wide open to seal the game for the Rockets. 

The Knicks currently sit in the depths of the NBA standings, and with an early Kristaps Porzingis return likely out of the question, there's little hope for a miracle run at the postseason.

There's plenty to look forward to with young players like Kevin Knox and Allonzo Trier impressing, a high draft pick on the way and, perhaps most importantly, a shot at a major free agent come July. It's no secret the Knicks are going to pursue a franchise-alterer like Kevin Durant or Kawhi Leonard.

But what if they say no?

HOUSTON -- Count Rawle Alkins among those excited for Allonzo Trier's return to Arizona for his sophomore season.

"It seems like it would be good," the Brooklyn native told SNY.tv on Monday. "Now teams won't know what to do with us. It's going to be very hard to double-team any one of us on the team, we'll be a matchup nightmare."

The 6-foot-6 Trier announced earlier Monday he will return and won't test the NBA Draft waters. He was projected as a second-round pick in 2017 by DraftExpress.com.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Allonzo Trier is looking forward to his first NCAA Tournament.

Heck, he's happy to be playing at all at this stage of the season.

The 6-foot-6 freshman guard from Arizona missed about a month -- eight games from mid-January to early February -- earlier this year with a broken right hand.