The difference between where the New York Knicks expected to be at this time just a couple of months ago and where they are now is huge. In many respects, it’s like night and day.
The leap this team has taken and the general concept of success overall has been unheard of for the Knicks for many years now.
In hindsight, of course, the actions the team’s new front office took in the offseason were smart and beneficial. However, many of those decisions weren’t expected to generate such immediate returns.
The bevy of pick swaps on the night of the 2020 draft seemed to be more about adding to our collection of future draft picks than it was about selecting a particular player. Now we know it was also part of an effort to draft Immanuel Quickley, who World Wide Wes was correct in begging Leon Rose to go after. Quickley both lived up to Wes’ hype and his own namesake by ascending to status as one of the most promising rookies in his class.
What was my initial reaction to signing Nerlens Noel and Alec Burks? Well, it was the same reaction that many fans and much of the media had; that those two should net the Knicks more draft picks at the deadline. Instead, those two have had such a huge bearing on the team’s win column that we can expect the organization to attempt bringing them back this summer.
The team chose to stick with guys like Reggie Bullock, Elfrid Payton, and even Julius Randle. Aside from keeping Payton (even his supporters would admit he’s better off elsewhere), keeping much of this team’s core from last year has actually allowed for the continuity necessary for chemistry to grow. Guys like Randle and RJ Barrett have taken major leaps thanks to playing on a well-constructed roster lead by awesome additions on the sideline as well in Tom Thibodeau and Kenny Payne.
And yet, one offseason move still remains to bear a huge question mark.
What is Obi Toppin’s future with The Knicks?
The Knicks selection of Obi Toppin 8th overall without a doubt will prompt a conversation that lasts for years to come. The story of Toppin as a Knick and as an NBA player is far from being finished.
But, due to the unexpected events that have occurred, the futures of Toppin and the Knicks organization are in flux now more than ever.
And in my opinion, there are many signs at the moment that point to an Obi Toppin trade being inevitable. Here’s why…