4 offseason nightmare scenarios Knicks fans want front office to avoid
1: Trading Obi Toppin
The Knicks organization has the power to upset fans during the offseason for a multitude of reasons, but two things would rip the fanbase to shreds – a Barrett or Toppin trade.
Out of those two options, a Toppin trade is more likely to happen (which is why it’s on the list), but that doesn’t mean that it will. However, if it does, the madness that will ensue in New York will rival the atmosphere outside of Madison Square Garden during the 2021 playoffs, but in the worst way.
There’s been speculation surrounding a Randle trade, but he laughed off those rumors and was recently spotted with Knicks executives in Dallas for the first round of the playoffs. Toppin plays behind the once All-Star, and if Randle were to be traded, he’d take over the starting role.
It appears as if the front office and Randle are on the same page though, and that page is that he’s going to stay in New York. And for good reason. The four-year, $117 million extension that he signed before the start of the 2021-22 season will go into effect this upcoming year.
Will Julius Randle push Obi Toppin away from the New York Knicks?
Toppin ended the season on a high note, but there isn’t a world with Thibodeau in charge where he’d start over Randle. It was difficult enough for the coach to bring the 24-year-old off the bench, and who knows, maybe Randle will have a huge bounce-back season. Wouldn’t that be nice?
The bottom line is that Toppin’s capable of being a starter and he has value mixed with endless potential. If a team that has a player who the Knicks want (the Jazz?) was to call Rose this summer, there’s a good chance that Toppin could be included in a possible deal.
Fans didn’t get to see near enough of Toppin this past year and his career-high 42-point performance to close out the regular season was a major cliffhanger. Let’s please keep Toppin where he was born and where he belongs, which is New York City.
