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Grading key Knicks players after start to 2022-23 season

By Desmond Novack

DENVER, CO - NOVEMBER 16: Julius Randle #30 and Immanuel Quickley #5 of the New York Knicks react in the second half of the game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on November 16, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - NOVEMBER 16: Julius Randle #30 and Immanuel Quickley #5 of the New York Knicks react in the second half of the game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on November 16, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/Getty Images) /
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New York Knicks, Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin
Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, New York Knicks. (Photo by Tom Horak/USA TODAY Sports) /

Immanuel Quickley: C-

This has been a rather interesting season from Immanuel Quickley thus far. While he has been rather putrid for the most part as a scorer, he is doing everything else at a pretty solid level. Through 18 games, Quickley is averaging 9.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 37.9% from the field and 30.9% from three on 3.8 attempts.

Again, those are very rough offensive numbers, however, in terms of everything else, Quickley has been a very fine player, especially on the defensive end which has kind of surprised me.

The RAPTOR statistic only means so much, but even just watching Quickley play you can see how good he has been defensively. This is great to see, especially when his shots aren’t hitting, so he is at least providing something on the floor at all times.

In addition to this, Quickley’s playmaking has been quite good this season, as he is averaging 3.2 assists to only 1.3 turnovers per game. While 22.8 minutes per game is a relatively small sample size, Quickley is averaging 7.2 assists to 2.1 turnovers per game according to his per 36 numbers.

Take that with a grain of salt, but there are no doubts that Quickley is a very solid playmaker when given the opportunity.

Regardless, Quickley’s offense has been extremely disappointing this year, and one can only hope that he can manage to save the season, or else he could very easily be traded before the deadline.

Obi Toppin: C+

After starting the season off unbelievably hot, Obi Toppin has recently cooled down and has looked a little rough in recent games. While I’m sure he’ll pick up his offensive steam soon, it has still been tough to watch him struggle to hit his shots.

Toppin is averaging 8.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game while shooting 42.6% from the field and 36.5% from three on 4.1 attempts. While Toppin may not always be used properly, he has not been the most effective on the floor in recent games.

However, considering how well he was playing at the beginning of the season, I’m quite sure he will turn things around soon. Through the first 10 games, Toppin averaged 10.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 49.2% from the field and a ridiculous 41.9% from three on 4.3 attempts.

While Toppin certainly has a rather impressive offensive skill set that is not necessarily being used properly, he is not the best at anything else, especially on defense. That means that when Toppin’s shots are not hitting, it is tough for him to find an efficient role on the team.

Regardless, we have seen just how effective Toppin can be when he is hitting his shots, so at this point, we have to hope he can go back to playing as well as he was earlier in the season. When he is playing at that level, the bench can really get rolling and become one of the best units in the league.

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