Obi Toppin’s final stretch could determine Julius Randle’s future with Knicks

Sitting at 11th place in the Eastern Conference with a 31-42 record, the New York Knicks are headed for another draft lottery. However, there are still nine games left to play and an abundance of interesting storylines to watch for. One that stands out is the recent play of Obi Toppin, specifically as a starter in place of Julius Randle.

Randle’s been sidelined for the past two games with a sore quad and is listed as questionable for Friday night’s game in Miami, so the starting power forward spot has been occupied by the No. 8 overall pick in the 2021 draft.

Suffice to say, the early results have been promising. In fact, it wouldn’t be difficult to imagine the front office exploring trades involving Randle if his backup continues to provide excellent offensive capabilities.

Obi Toppin’s resurgence could end Julius Randle’s Knicks tenure

It’s worth noting that before Randle’s quad soreness, he was hit with a $40,000 fine for an argument with referees at the end of the team’s 108-93 loss to the Utah Jazz. He’s now been fined on five separate occasions this season, totaling just over $155,000.

While he is hurt, it seems like the front office is giving him some time to both physically and mentally recuperate. While he could return before the end of the season, the former All-Star probably won’t be playing his usual 35.5 minutes per game.

This means increased playing time for Toppin, who is finally starting to display the offensive upside that made him a top ten draft pick.

He started by recording 10 points and seven rebounds in just 24 minutes against the Atlanta Hawks, leaving many fans questioning why head coach Tom Thibodeau instead played veteran Taj Gibson down the stretch of a close loss.

On Wednesday night against Charlotte, the 24-year-old finally received a robust 40 minutes and provided major contributions in a 121-106 win. He ended the night with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists on 73% shooting while going 2-of-4 from three.

Perhaps most impressive is the fact that he made such an impact without an elite playmaker alongside him, as much of his success as a rookie came exclusively from sharing the court with Derrick Rose.

There was a stark contrast in both pace and ball movement with Toppin on the floor instead of Randle, leading to some excellent fastbreak opportunities that routinely caught Hornets defenders off guard.

The Knicks ended the night with 30 assists, their third-highest total of the season. They currently rank dead last in the NBA in assists per game (21.6).

If Toppin keeps up this elite stretch of play to close out the year, the front office may start exploring trades with Randle.

As RJ Barrett is developing into a 20-point-per-game scorer at just 21-years-old, president Leon Rose likely wants to fill out next year’s roster with players that fit alongside him.

With Randle’s post-heavy isolation offense and inability to space the floor (30.7% from three), he doesn’t appear to be a long-term fit with Barrett in the starting lineup. While Toppin is a poor shooter as well, his off-ball movement combined with a run-and-gun transition mindset is a perfect offensive counterpart for the rising star.

If Toppin continues to post gaudy numbers to lead New York to several wins throughout the final nine games of the season, it could result in an eventual trade of Randle. It would be an unfortunate end to Randle’s career with the Knicks, but ultimately it’d be a clear shift in a youth-focused direction.

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