Latest Knicks trade rumor has Obi Toppin on the move before deadline

The NBA trade deadline is less than a week away and the New York Knicks figure to be in the thick of the action with the amount of rumors that have surrounded them over the past month. Fans have another one to add to the docket as of Saturday.

In the latest Knicks trade report from Michael Scotto from HoopsHype, it seems as if former eighth overall pick Obi Toppin could be heading to the Utah Jazz for a couple of incredibly solid role players.

With each passing day, it seems more and more likely that Toppin could be traded, and honestly it might be a good thing. This is simply because, for one reason or another, Toppin is barely receiving minutes anymore, and even when he does, he’s being about as misutilized as a player can be.

Not only will trading Toppin help his career, but if the Knicks can bring in a more consistent veteran, it could help propel them out of the play-in tournament.

Latest trade report has Obi Toppin being sent to the Jazz for Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley

This trade really intrigued me until I realized that there was no way Tom Thibodeau would give Vanderbilt the proper minutes. While his box score numbers may not look insane, Vanderbilt is an incredible player on the defensive side of the ball, something the Knicks desperately need.

Through 52 games, Vanderbilt is averaging 8.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in just 24.1 minutes a game. Alongside this, Vanderbilt is shooting 55.6% from the field and 33.3% from behind the arc on 1.1 attempts per game.

Even just comparing stats between Vanderbilt and Toppin, it’s clear to see who the better player is. Vanderbilt is also a much better defensive player and, funny enough, is younger than Toppin.

While I still believe Toppin has more potential than Vanderbilt, it’s becoming more and more clear that the former Dayton star will not reach this potential in New York — at least not with Thibodeau as coach. It’s pretty incredible to watch someone who could be one of the best P&R players in the league be used as a spot-up shooter every game.

Say what you want about Thibodeau, but the way he has used Toppin the last three seasons has been absolutely unacceptable and Thibs must be held accountable. 

Regardless, a trade like this would make New York a noticeably better team than they currently are. Not only are they getting an elite defender in this scenario, but they’d also import a solid offensive option off the bench in Malik Beasley.

This season has not been the kindest for Beasley, however, if he can return to how he’s played in seasons past, the Knicks could be benefitting big time.

Through 54 games, Beasley is averaging 13.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 39.7% from the field and 35.8% from downtown on 8.6 attempts per game. Considering how good of a 3-point shooter Beasley has been in seasons past, there’s a good chance he could regain confidence in a new environment.

Both of these players would make the Knicks better than they currently are with Toppin and Evan Fournier. However, the determining factor in this entire deal would be how many minutes Thibodeau would give Vanderbilt and Beasley should they come to the Big Apple.

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