Should the NY Knicks trade Obi Toppin during the 2021 NBA Draft?
Before you freak out in the comments, ask yourself this question…
If the Knicks plan on building this team around Julius Randle, how are they ever going to properly develop Obi Toppin?
He was taken as Randle’s replacement, people…no one, including the new front office expected Julius to show out the way that he did last year.
But here we are, and we kinda just have to live in this world now…not to say it’s a bad thing by any means.
He’s shown he’s not mobile enough yet to play the 3 and Thibs likely isn’t going to want him playing much of the 5…
The only way to get Obi the minutes he needs to further his development is to find a way to play him next to Julius and that’s really just not gonna happen if we’re being honest with ourselves here.
I don’t dislike Obi, I think he’s one day going to be a fine NBA player.
I just don’t see a path where the team extends Randle and keeps Obi for the long term as well.
I think the Knicks would be better off with a stretch 4 behind Randle that wouldn’t require as many minutes on a nightly basis.
Julius Randle led the league in minutes played last season, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
Anyway, this isn’t a new trade concept, but it’s one that I personally like:
Obi Toppin is a Brooklyn-born native, but he’s a hero in the state of Ohio.
They loved this kid at Dayton and I’m sure they would welcome him back with open arms.
He’d also have the keys to the starting power forward spot pretty much from Day 1 as long as Kevin Love is eventually bought out.
Collin Sexton has been rumored to the Knicks heavily over the last few months, and even though the rumors may have died down a bit recently, the option to trade for him is surely still on the table.
Him being represented by Leon Rose’s former agency, CAA, is a blessing because the Knicks are likely doing their due diligence from the inside in trying to find out what Sexton is going to be asking for on his extension next year.
If the numbers make sense, I cou9ld see a variation of this trade happening on draft night.