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New York Knicks: Trey Burke’s ever-changing contract situation

By Rob Wolkenbrod

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 17: Trey Burke #23 of the New York Knicks looks on against the Atlanta Hawksat Madison Square Garden on October 17, 2018 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 17: Trey Burke #23 of the New York Knicks looks on against the Atlanta Hawksat Madison Square Garden on October 17, 2018 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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With the first game of the regular season, Trey Burke’s guaranteed money increased for the New York Knicks. Where does he stand afterward?

Trey Burke entered Wednesday’s season opener for the New York Knicks as the starting point guard—the first time this happened since the 2014-15 season, as a member of the Utah Jazz. With that, it took his $100K guarantee for 2018-19 and made it $400K, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

If Burke is on the roster past Jan. 7, his $1.8 million will become fully guaranteed.

It took a lengthy return to this spot due to a lost starting job in Utah and an inconsistent backup role with the Washington Wizards.

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The final year with the Jazz and the lone season in Washington were lost years for Burke, who didn’t start a game and averaged 8.0 points on 42.5 percent shooting. Half of the latter was spent as a “DNP-Coach’s Decision.”

Opportunities were thin for Burke when he signed with the Knicks in 2017 to join their G-League squad. Arguably one last chance to secure a main roster spot, he averaged 26 6 points on 48.9 percent shooting for Westchester in 26 games.

So, when the chance arrived, New York signed Burke to a multi-year contract on Jan. 14, 2018, which paid just under $800K for the rest of 2017-18 and offered a non-guaranteed $1.79 million for 2018-19.

A stat line of 12.8 points and 4.7 assists on 50.3 percent shooting carried Burke into the summer, and the Knicks guaranteed his $100 to stay on the roster after July 10 and into September’s training camp.

The Michigan product, due to his 2017-18 performance, set himself up to start at point guard to open 2018-19, despite middling results in the preseason. It led to 15 points and four assists on 6-for-11 shooting.

It’s a one-game sample size, but the first of a needed string of performances to establish himself as the guy at point guard, which may not last forever if head coach David Fizdale chooses to shift Frank Ntilikina’s role or wants more on-court time from Emmanuel Mudiay.

Burke is not only working to start, but for the upcoming guarantee and that next contract, which could take him out of season-to-season situations and into a guaranteed multi-year deal. It’s difficult to pinpoint his future money without a consistent full-season sample. Though, it’s still an 81-game make-or-break situation for those eventual earnings, whatever they may be.

Next. Who stepped up in the season opener?. dark

There’s still the 2013-17 path that follows Burke, so there’s an onus to erase it and refresh a career that once had high expectations out of college. It’s a process to replenish that value, but the road towards it began successfully in Game 1. Will it continue?

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