Why the Knicks need more Obi Toppin
Obi Toppin recently returned from a strained calf injury he suffered on opening night, and it’s safe to say the team took a cautious approach in easing their prized rookie back to full health.
Toppin has played 3 games since returning and has played 10, 17, and 9 minutes in those match-ups, respectively. Now that he’s gotten a few games under his belt, it may time to ramp up the rookie’s role with the team.
The focal point of the Knicks’ offense has been forward Julius Randle, who plays the same position as Toppin. Randle has played exceptionally well for the Knicks this year and has taken on a large portion of the team’s responsibilities on offense.
The problem with the Knicks and their frontcourt is that they don’t have any depth outside of Toppin. Randle has put up career-best numbers this season as a playmaker, but once he heads to the bench, you won’t see any kind of versatility from the frontcourt. It was a big reason for the team’s recent 5-game losing streak.
At the moment, the only big who has seen minutes off of the bench has been Nerlens Noel, and his impact has been underwhelming. Among all qualified NBA players, Noel has the 3rd worst offensive rating of any big-man in the league. He brings nothing to the table on offense.
That’s not to say Noel can’t have a good influence on other parts of the game. He’s always been a solid rim protector, but the Knicks need other contributions to their team off the bench from their frontcourt, and they haven’t been getting anything.
You’ve seen some of the Knicks’ opponents successfully play a zone defense against them, a rarity in the NBA. It’s because of how bad the team’s floor spacing can be. Lineups that feature a combination of Elfrid Payton, Mitchell Robinson, Julius Randle, and RJ Barrett – none of whom are plus-shooters – can be tough to watch. The ball doesn’t move all that much, and the paint can get clogged with players.
Getting the other backcourt players like Immanuel Quickley and Austin Rivers more involved in the offense definitely helps with the team’s spacing, but it doesn’t solve everything. Both Quickley and Rivers were getting significant minutes during the Knicks’ 5-game skid. The current lack of versatility in the frontcourt is more of a concern than the point guard rotation.